red you're a permanent member of the club.' (Dutch commercial manager)'We don't send any average performers to IPI. Only the cream. So everyone know you've been there ... it shows you stand out, you're unique. You go there for the course but once you're there, it's all about expanding your networks, building a sense of who you are in the firm.' (South African management accountant)'Being sent to IPI says that the company has recognized your potential. That's what symbolizes. When you're there, it's not about acquiring any real skills, you should b good at what you do anyway. It's networking that matters, and the idea of just being there. Just being there is very important for your career, so if you want it you know you have to work hard for it.' (Argentinian commercial director)Questions remain, however, about how closely the 'thousands who do not go to the head office and IP University' really identify with the totem and corporate culture. While it clearly acts as an inspirational force for ambitious managers, some managers admitted there was some resentment amongst 'outsiders'. It may be reasonable to speculate, therefore, that the importance of the totem of IPI is shared by managers who believe they have a fair chance of getting there, and may not necessarily apply to all managers. In this regard, the symbolic aspect of 'IP University' (and, more generally, MTD for international expertise) must be treated, at least initially, as the totem of a clan of high-fliers rather than the flag of the IP community.The symbolism attributable to MTD and 'IP University' is a double-edged sword: on the one hand, its putative integrative nature denies the existence of a political and ideological dimension. On the other hand, networking and lobbying signify a highly contested conception of MTD, as noted above. The distinction between the cultures at the Centre and the subsidiary companies shows how the reality of politics has emerged. While the subsi...
