Consultants and experts in management consulting firms

The aim of the article is to explore different aspects concerning the distinction between the expert and the consultant. We analyse theoretically and empirically these distinctions in the framework of the knowledge-based economy in order to introduce the central concepts of epistemic community and community of practice. The question is to know to which community experts and consultant belongs. We also investigate the role that some actors coming from outside the firm play in reinforcing knowledge creation and codification processes in the firm. (C) 2001 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.