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Professionalization, legitimization and the creation of executive search markets in Europe

Beaverstock, Jonathan V.; Faulconbridge, James R.; Hall, Sarah J.E.

Authors

Jonathan V. Beaverstock

James R. Faulconbridge

Sarah J.E. Hall



Abstract

There is a longstanding interest in the 'production of markets' and the various political-and cultural-economic strategies associated with demand-creation. This article shows how the professions, because of their central role in contemporary economy, provide an example of both the political-and cultural-economic production of international markets. Drawing on interviews conducted in the European executive search industry, we examine how firms and professional associations have combined cultural-and political-economic strategies of professionalization to legitimize the internationalization of the industry. We show how the success of these approaches is determined by the degree to which geographical variability exists in the use of cultural-and political-economic market production and legitimation tactics. We suggest that there is scope to bring work on the sociology of the professions into closer dialogue with work on the internationalization of professional services in ways that can be beneficial for wider debates about the 'production of markets'. © The Author (2009). Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.

Citation

Beaverstock, J. V., Faulconbridge, J. R., & Hall, S. J. (2010). Professionalization, legitimization and the creation of executive search markets in Europe. Journal of Economic Geography, 10(6), 825-843. https://doi.org/10.1093/jeg/lbp058

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Oct 16, 2009
Publication Date 2010-11
Deposit Date Oct 27, 2021
Journal Journal of Economic Geography
Print ISSN 1468-2702
Electronic ISSN 1468-2710
Publisher Oxford University Press (OUP)
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 10
Issue 6
Pages 825-843
DOI https://doi.org/10.1093/jeg/lbp058
Public URL https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/3124194
Publisher URL https://academic.oup.com/joeg/article-abstract/10/6/825/884768?redirectedFrom=fulltext