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Dr Scott Allan

Former Research Student

Scott Allan

Research overview

My research explores the organisation of the contemporary law firm, specifically with regard to the interplay between management "thinking" and related practices (manifest in structures, systems, decisions and initiatives) and traditional "professional" values of partner autonomy and participation in decision-making. In particular my research considers management communications at board and lower levels, and how systems, processes and decisions are interpreted, mediated and communicated by managers (functional and lawyer) to practising partners. It considers the extent to which management systems enable control, and how and where the assumptions underpinning both management and professional logics are adopted, amended or resisted by managers and practising partners. It asks what this tells us as regards the organisation of professionals.