Beyond hollowing out: Public sector managers and the use of external management consultants

Expenditure on management consultants in public sector organizations is generally seen as contributing to a “hollowing out” of the state through substitution internal capability. However, there little systematic evidence for this view which also ignores how managers may, themselves, drive consulting use. Looking at 125 English hospitals over 6 years, we explore relationship between development and composition functions spending consultants. Our findings show absence effect and, therefore, challenge thesis. Instead, they point more active, occupationally varied political use consultancy. We find that larger overall are associated with greater reliance consultants—a complementary relationship. where higher proportion engaged functions, results lower external consultants, implications theory, research policy.