Theories and models of research, consultancy and advisory
Last updated November 20261 sectionabout 5 min read
Key takeaways
Social-systems theory treats an organisation as interconnected parts, so a research or consulting intervention in one part affects the whole.
Argyris's intervention theory holds that an effective intervention generates valid information, preserves the client's free, informed choice and builds internal commitment, rather than imposing a solution.
Blake and Mouton's consultation theory sets out consulting styles ranging from purely providing information to fully prescribing a solution.
Weisbord's Six-Box Model diagnoses organisational health across purposes, structure, relationships, rewards, leadership and helpful mechanisms.
The theory of planned behaviour (intention shaped by attitude, subjective norms and perceived control) and innovation diffusion theory (ideas spreading from early adopters to the majority) explain whether advice is acted on and adopted.
This closing Advanced-level paper equips a Certified Secretary to conduct research, act as an internal consultant, and advise, facilitate and coach within their organisation, skills that sit alongside the technical governance content of papers 9 and 11. It opens with the theoretical models the rest of the paper draws on.
Research and consultancy theories
Social-systems theory
Views an organisation as an interconnected system of parts, so a research or consulting intervention in one part affects the whole (the systems thinking covered in CS Management Principles and Practice, applied here to research and advisory work).
Social network theory
Explains behaviour and information flow through the pattern of relationships (networks) connecting people, relevant to how consulting advice and influence actually spread within a client organisation.
Situated learning theory
Holds that learning happens most effectively embedded in real social and practical context, not abstracted from it, relevant to how coaching and facilitation are designed (see the chapters on each).
Otherness and Parasites theory
Examines how an outside party (a consultant, cast as 'other') can both draw value from and add value to a host organisation, a lens on the consultant's ambiguous insider/outsider position.
The Intervention Theory of Argyris
Chris Argyris's theory holds that an effective intervention generates valid information, preserves the client's free, informed choice, and builds their internal commitment to whatever is decided, rather than imposing a solution.
Blake and Mouton's Consultation Theory
Identifies distinct consulting styles (built on their earlier Managerial Grid work) ranging from purely providing information to fully prescribing a solution.
Weisbord's Theory of Organisational Diagnosis
Marvin Weisbord's 'Six-Box Model' diagnoses organisational health across purposes, structure, relationships, rewards, leadership and helpful mechanisms.
Theory of Planned Behaviour
Holds that intention, shaped by attitude, subjective norms and perceived control, is the immediate driver of behaviour, relevant to why a client organisation does or doesn't act on advice.
Innovation diffusion theory
Rogers's theory of how new ideas and practices spread through a population over time, from early adopters to the majority, relevant to how consulting recommendations actually get adopted.
General Deterrence Theory
Holds that the likelihood and severity of consequences shape whether misconduct is deterred, relevant background for the ethics and compliance content in the chapter on conducting consultative services and in CS Corporate Governance and Ethics.
Exam tip
This chapter is examined mainly by matching a theory to what it explains, don't try to memorise every detail of all ten, focus on the one-line idea behind each name so you can recognise it in a scenario.
Self-check
(a) A consultant designs an intervention specifically to preserve the client's free, informed choice and build their internal commitment to the decision, rather than imposing a solution. Identify the theory this reflects. (2 marks)
(b) An organisation adopts a new recommendation only after seeing several respected peer organisations already do so successfully. Identify the theory this illustrates. (2 marks)
(c) Explain the core idea of social-systems theory as applied to consulting. (3 marks)
(d) State the six dimensions of Weisbord's Six-Box Model. (3 marks)
Show worked answer
(a) The Intervention Theory of Argyris (2 marks).
(b) Innovation diffusion theory (2 marks).
(c) Social-systems theory views an organisation as an interconnected system of parts, so a consulting intervention in one part affects the whole, meaning a consultant cannot treat one department's problem in isolation without considering its ripple effects elsewhere in the organisation (3 marks).