PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION, GLOBAL PROFESSIONAL SERVICE FIRMS AND THE CULTURES OF PROFESSIONAL WORK IN EUROPE
Lead Research Organisation:
Lancaster University
Department Name: Lancaster Environment Centre
Abstract
Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.
Organisations
Publications
Cook A
(2012)
London's Legal Elite: Recruitment through Cultural Capital and the Reproduction of Social Exclusivity in City Professional Service Fields
in Environment and Planning A: Economy and Space
Derudder, Ben; Hoyler, Michael; Taylor, Peter J.
(2011)
International Handbook of Globalization and World Cities
Derudder, Ben; Hoyler, Michael; Taylor, Peter J.
(2011)
International Handbook of Globalization and World Cities
Faulconbridge J
(2015)
Global Professional Service Firms and the Challenge of Institutional Complexity: 'Field Relocation' as a Response Strategy
in Journal of Management Studies
Faulconbridge J
(2015)
Transnational corporations shaping institutional change: the case of English law firms in Germany
in Journal of Economic Geography
Faulconbridge J
(2020)
Karl Polanyi on strategy: The effects of culture, morality and double-movements on embedded strategy
in Critical Perspectives on Accounting
Faulconbridge J
(2009)
Educating Professionals and Professional Education in a Geographical Context
in Geography Compass
Faulconbridge J
(2011)
International Handbook of Globalization and World Cities
Faulconbridge J
(2010)
TNCs as embedded social communities: transdisciplinary perspectives
in Critical perspectives on international business
Faulconbridge J
(2012)
Economic geographies of power Methodological challenges and interdisciplinary analytical possibilities
in Progress in Human Geography
| Description | Three key findings emerged from the research: (1) Selective recruitment, designed to identify individuals with particular cultures and predispositions, advantages individuals with 'elite' educational backgrounds. This is an especially significant issue in relation to the UK government's desire to ensure fair access to and diversity within the professions; (2) firm-based training programmes designed to reproduce worldwide 'models' of culture and identity play a crucial role in allowing global PSFs to operate as integrated cross-border organisations. However, the effectiveness of programmes varies internationally as lawyers embrace and reject firm-based training in country-specific ways; (3) firms increasingly combine training delivered to meet regulatory requirements with training designed to mould employees to fit the culture and identity 'models' of the firm. This raises interesting questions about whether regulators should support or resist such practices. |
| Exploitation Route | It is possible to identify two UK impacts that we believe the project has had based on feedback from the stakeholders engaged with and based on developments observed that reflect the recommendations that emerged from the project. Further details of these are provided in Impact Records submitted to the ESRC, as are other less significant non-UK impacts. 1. In terms of the economic competitiveness of the UK, the research has informed the approach taken by many of the top 20 law firms in England to training new recruits. Individuals that we engaged with noted the value of the research for building a case for minimising cuts to training budgets in the current economic climate. 2. In terms of societal impact, the research has helped inform the way the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) approaches ongoing re-regulation of legal practice. Current reforms to the training of new solicitors (for example around the Work Based Learning program) are controversial and require careful research of the most effective forms of training. Our research highlighted to the SRA the value of comparative international studies for identifying examples of best practice, approaches with less than satisfactory outcomes, and for contextualising evaluations of the strengths and weaknesses of the English system. A recently launched review - the Legal Services Education and Training Review - includes international comparative work, probably because of the recognition of the value of the comparative work completed by this project. Through a project steering group we have actively engaged with economic actors - law firms, education and training providers - and helped shape their strategies and investments in training through • Tailored reports with two firms using reports to shape re-designs of training and justify investments in programmes • Presentation of findings to a cohort of law firm partners, members of the press and consultants to law firms Societal impacts Our findings have informed policy discussions relating to training and fair access to the professions through • Ongoing dialogues with the Legal Services Board and Solicitors Regulation Authority • Attendance at a select invite only dinner with Alan Milburn MP, the author of the UK government's report on 'fair access to the professions', and the head of the Law Society. • Presentation of findings to legal educators at a conference This provoked spirited debate about the pros and cons of firm involvement in education and training and inspired a blog discussion of the paper and its implications. |
| Sectors | Financial Services, and Management Consultancy,Other |
| URL | http://www.lancs.ac.uk/professions/professional_ed/ |
| Description | It is possible to identify two UK impacts that we believe the project has had based on feedback from the stakeholders engaged with and based on developments observed that reflect the recommendations that emerged from the project. Further details of these are provided in Impact Records submitted to the ESRC, as are other less significant non-UK impacts. 1. In terms of the economic competitiveness of the UK, the research has informed the approach taken by many of the top 20 law firms in England to training new recruits. Individuals that we engaged with noted the value of the research for building a case for minimising cuts to training budgets in the current economic climate. 2. In terms of societal impact, the research has helped inform the way the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) approaches ongoing re-regulation of legal practice. Current reforms to the training of new solicitors (for example around the Work Based Learning program) are controversial and require careful research of the most effective forms of training. Our research highlighted to the SRA the value of comparative international studies for identifying examples of best practice, approaches with less than satisfactory outcomes, and for contextualising evaluations of the strengths and weaknesses of the English system. A recently launched review - the Legal Services Education and Training Review - includes international comparative work, probably because of the recognition of the value of the comparative work completed by this project. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2010 |
| Sector | Other |
| Impact Types | Economic |
| Description | English global law firms in Italy and their escape strategic responses. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Invited talk at workshop plans fro research developed by Leibniz - Institute for Regional Development and Structural Planning, Berlin, were influenced |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
| Description | Globalization and the making and remaking of transnational lawyers |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
| Results and Impact | Invited presentation at Victoria University Influenced future research funded by ARC |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | Pre-2006,2009 |
| Description | Internationalization and the management of institutional distance : the case of global law firms in Germany and Italy |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
| Results and Impact | Invited workshop presentation exploring strategies of law firms in Germany Informed development of funding proposal to Germany academic funding agency |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |
| Description | Invited talk |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
| Results and Impact | 30 people attended a workshop and reflected on the ideas presented and their implications for research on the professions N/A |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
| Description | Invited talk |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | An invited talk at the National University of Singapore |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| Description | L'Avvocato Internazionale : Come gli studi legali gestiscono le differenze instituzionali e culturali |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | A lecture delivered in Italian by Daniel Muzio Influenced thinking of legal practitioners |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2010 |
| Description | Losing your identity? : the making and remaking of transnational lawyers |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Invited presentaton at National University of Singapore n/a |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2009 |
| Description | Losing your identity? : the making and remaking of transnational through organizational communities of practice |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
| Results and Impact | Invited presentation at University of Amsterdam N/A |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2009 |
| Description | Professional cultures and professional training in large and global : the role of education |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
| Results and Impact | Invited Presentation given at Georgetown symposium: Empirical Research on the Legal Profession: Insights from Theory and Practice Plans for a 'future of law' research programme influenced |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2009 |
| Description | Professions in a globalizing world : towards a transnational sociology of the professions? |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
| Results and Impact | Invited talk at ESRC / Advanced Institute of Management (AIM) workshop. n/a |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2010 |
| URL | http://www.lancs.ac.uk/professions/professional_ed/docs/presentation_professions_in_a_globalizing_wo... |
| Description | The role of the firm in legal education |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
| Results and Impact | Invited talk at New York Law School Influenced future research programme |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2010 |
| URL | http://www.nyls.edu/centers/harlan_scholar_centers/institute_for_information_law_and_policy/events/f... |
| Description | Transnational corporations and institutional change : institutional (in)stability determining firm strategy and impacts : the case of English law firms in Germany |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
| Results and Impact | Invited seminar which helped inform thinking about global professional service firms n/a |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |
| Description | Transnational corporations and institutional change: institutional (in)stability determining firm strategy and impacts. The case of English law firms in Germany |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
| Results and Impact | Invited research seminar n/a |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |