McKinsey & Company : Managing Knowledge and Learning

This case tell us about how McKinsey and Company applied Knowledge Management practices in their company. McKinsey started to applied the knowledge management to face four things

1. the effect of economic turmoil of the oil crisis,
2. the slowing of the divisionalization process that had fueled the European Expansion,
3. the growing ot sophistication of client management, and
4. the appearance of the new focused competitors like Boston Consulting Group 

here are some short explanation about

History of knowledge management practices

in the McKinsey & company

Daniel

Not only to serving its clients but also developing its consultant

In 1977

1. Assembled working groups to develop knowledge.
2. Asked fred gluck to

• Doing 3 days meeting to share ideas
• Develop agenda for strategy service

3. Asked bob waterman
Assemble a group that could articulate the firm’s existing knowledge in the organization

In 1980
Daniel asked gluck to join the small group to comprised the firm office and focus on the knowledge building agenda arena.

Fred Gluck

Wanted to bring an an equally stimulating intellectual environment to McKinsey

- Convert his partner held beliefs that “knowledge deveopment had to be core, not a peripheral firm activity”

- Trying to change internal status hierarchy based on size and importance of one’s client base.

- Created Client Impact committee

In 1987
- Gluck lunched knowledge management building.

After five month study, the team made three recomendation
1. Major commitment to build databaes of knowledge
2. Ensure data bases maintained and used
3. Expand its hiring practices and promotion policies

Bill matassoni and brook manville doing the task to Implementating the three recomendation
1. Focusing the firm practice information system (FPIS) computerized database of client.
2. Selected the documents that provided the critical mass, then launch PDNet

Clientele and Pofessional Development Committee (CPDC) held
The objective

-Replacing the leader driven knowledge creation and Dissemination process-
with a “stewardship model” of self governing practices focused on competence building

Conclusion

“...... professional make a career in McKinsey by emphasizing specialized knowledge development. Than based problem solving skillls and client development orientation”

Rajat Gupta

In 1994
Launched a four-pronged attack
first Capitalized on the firm’s long term investment supported by PDNet and FPIS
second Building on an experiment a grass roots Knowledge Development approached called practice olympics

In 1995

third Internal and external expertise develop “state of the art”
- Focused on the shape function of corporation
- Creating and managing strategy growth
- Capturing global opportunities

fourth Expand the model of McKinsey Global institute

Gupta challange

1. Must ensure that knowledge sharing within the company takes place through a variety of mediums, including traditional face-to-face interactions such as the Practice Olympics and the practice development.
2. Gupta should be su.re that his approach to moving the organization forward includes a comprehensive evaluation of all the stakeholders’ interests in the firm.
3. To guarantee that his four-pronged plan brings success to his company, however, Gupta must be sure that information sharing is always accompanied by tangible benefits.