When Transparency Falters: Agency-Theory Lessons from a Human Resources Consultancy Project

Abstract This study explores principal–agent conflict’s contribution to client opacity in consulting engagements. Employing both a qualitative case study and reflective analysis, the study draws on the experiences of two lead consultants over the course of a two-year assignment with a public-interest client organisation. The findings indicate that the client’s withholding of key information delayed the project, reduced team engagement and hindered the co-creation process. The study pinpoints the main factor behind these harmful effects and considers its implications for future consultancy practice. The study makes a significant contribution to the literature on client transparency through its practical recommendations for how to bolster client– consultant collaboration in the face of agency problems.