Accenture has introduced a new moniker for its workforce, rebranding its nearly 800,000 employees as “reinventors” as the consultancy giant pivots to embrace the rapid advancements in artificial intelligence, the Financial Times reported Sunday.
This move is part of a comprehensive reorganization initiated in June, consolidating various units into a single entity dubbed “Reinvention Services,” the FT said.
The term “reinventors” is intended to reflect Accenture’s ambition to become the “reinvention partner of choice” for companies navigating the AI landscape. Chief executive Julie Sweet has championed this branding, drawing parallels to other corporate cultures such as Disney’s (DIS) “imagineers” and Amazon’s (AMZN) “ninja coders.”
Despite its innovative approach, the term has sparked debate. Critics argue that such jargon risks incomprehensibility and ridicule, potentially undermining trust and clarity within the organization.
Speaking to the FT, André Spicer, an organizational behavior expert, cautioned that while such language might project an image of modernity, it can also create confusion and contribute to a sense of corporate absurdity.
Accenture’s strategic reorientation comes amid fluctuating market conditions, with its market capitalization having reached over $260B post-pandemic before declining to approximately $150B due to a slowdown in consulting demand. The initiative underscores the company’s efforts to remain relevant and competitive as economic and technological landscapes evolve.
While Accenture has refrained from commenting on the rebranding externally, internally, they are testing a human resources platform where employees are labeled as “reinventors,” the paper reported.