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The case describes the knowledge management practices at McKinsey & Company(McKinsey). Managing knowledge effectively is of prime importance especially forconsultancies like McKinsey which depended heavily on knowledge for their existence andgrowth. The expertise McKinsey gained over the years was put into optimal use throughknowledge management. Knowledge was spread in the firm through training sessions,

seminars, workshops, sharing of the findings of the projects. The other KM efforts thatMcKinsey undertook included development of centers of competence, practice informationsystem, practice development network and knowledge resource directory. The case examineshow McKinsey promoted a culture of knowledge sharing within the firm.

In July 2006, US-based McKinsey & Company (McKinsey) earned recognition as one of thecompanies committed to growth through innovation and managing enterprise knowledge tocreateintellectualcapital. McKinsey figured in the Most Admired Knowledge Enterprises(MAKE) Report 2006, published by Teleos. At that time, the company termed itself as'management engineers,' with the focus on improving the efficiency of the clients' operations.Marvin Bower (Bower) joined McKinsey in 1933, to manage its newly opened New York

office. One of the first high profile projects that the company undertook was conducting acomprehensive analysis of the businesses of leading retailer Marshall Field and Company(Marshall Field) in 1934. JOMC was asked to analyze the reasons behind the company's hugelosses since 1931.Commenting on the winners, Rory Chase, Managing Director of Teleos,said, "These organizations have been recognized as global leaders in effectively transformingenterprise knowledge into wealth-creating ideas, products, and solutions.They are building

portfolios of intellectual capital and intangible assets which will enable them to out-performtheir competitors now and in the future."McKinsey was also inducted into the Global MAKEHall of Fame for being a Global MAKE finalist for five years in a row. On McKinsey, theMAKE report wrote, "McKinsey & Company, founded in 1926, is perhaps the mostknowledge-oriented firm within the global management consulting industry. McKinsey is notthe largest consulting company in the world (US$ 3.5 billion in annual revenues and 10,000staff working in more than 80 offices in 44 countries), but it is among the most profitable andmany consider that it has the strongest brand image.

Since its inception, McKinsey's management had focused on capturing, managing, anddisseminating knowledge across the company. In the year 1920, James published a bookPrinciples of Accounting. In 1922, he published a textbook on budgetary control. In the book,he expressed his view that accounting should essentially emphasize the understanding of theentire organization, and should serve as an integrating device to understand the

problems.McKinsey's 'one-firm' culture helped in creating informal networks that facilitated

knowledge sharing within the organization. The company's values also helped in the problemsolving approach .However, knowledge sharing was limited to the methodology, like solvingproblems and framing issues. There was no specific attempt to use the learning from oneassignment in the other.Recruitment was given high importance in McKinsey. The companyrecruited graduates from top-tier business schools. Before a candidate was selected, he/shewas interviewed six to eight times by the partners and principals. The company recruitedtalented individuals capable of receiving and spreading knowledge through person-to-personknowledge sharing mechanisms that were present in the organization. At McKinsey, freshmanagement graduates joined as associates. After two to three years, associates who

performed well were promoted to the position of engagement manager.

In McKinsey, the KM system evolved from the need to connect people effectively. Thecompany generally dealt with high level management problems that were difficult to put

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across in standardized formats. Initially, most of the consultants in the company were not infavor of documenting the concepts, as many consultants were suspicious about reusingideas.At McKinsey, all employees had an important role to play and the major roles wereserving their clients, developing knowledge, and building the practice. Knowledgemanagement helped McKinsey in solving the clients' problems effectively through every step

.In 1995, McKinsey had undertaken a project on the impact of the digital economy onservices. In the report, it was said that reducing telecom costs would result in remote services,

by which countries like China and India would provide assistance to customers in the US.

Qs: 1. Examine the role played by the top management in promoting KM within a company.