| Topic Name: |
McKinsey in decline? |
| Message Name: |
Sorry for the typos |
| Date Posted: |
12/28/2005 |
| In Reply To: |
1/
If you ask, during a MBA info session, what %age of McK work is "strategy", the answer will be "Abou 30 - 40% of our engagements are categorised as 'Strategy'" The next comment will be that any kind of engagement done as a "startegic" component to it (e.g. lean manufacturing is a key strategic tool for a company that builds its competitive advantage in terme of cost leadership), as therfore the classification is more or less pointless.
That is why very few consulting firms actually describe themselves as "Strategic consulting firms". For example, McK uses the "Top-management" wording to describe its positionning... because top-management is concerned by much more than just strategy.
Everybody knows that (or should know it), and that is not the poiint of the discussion.
2/
I very much doubt you have any facts about the relative positionnning of McK, Bain and Booz in Energy, Transportation and Public sector (*). What is your metric (billing hours, number of clients, aggregate Revenues of clients?), what is the scope (US, Europe, Christian Western Countries, worldwide?) and how do you know the facts? How do you have any idea of the relative connectiions of M/B/B partners with local governments??? Please...
Any differences in terms of industry client base must be LOCAL hen talking about M/B/B (and others)... E.g. if you say that McK has no Metal & Mining client in Canada (or even maybe North America), you might be right... saying it has no Metal & Mining clients at all, you are just plain wrong.
3/
About havng McK on the CV, I reckon you are right, with a fe mitigations / variations
- Better have 2 yrs at MCk than 2 yrs at Deloitte when looking for a job... same with 3, 4 or n years. Your example compares 2 yrs at McK with 3-4 yrs at Deloitte: I wonder why...
- The alumni network does matter when looking for a job. It is not all-powerfull, by far, but it does matter. So, again, better be at McK than Deloitte (to take your example, again).
Everything else being equal, McK still has a little better value proposition than BCG or Bain (or others) for new hires provided that:
- one does not want to work as a specialist in a boutique (some small firms are excellent in their field)
- one actually has a career plan and does leverage its experience at the firm (network + engagements) to get closer to his goal
3.
About lowering the standards.
That is likely to be true in Asia (China, Singapore, mainly) and maybe in a few other places. It is not true for the main offices: do you really believe that NY or SF are short of candidates? Please...
s.
(*) By the way, Energy and Transportation companies are still state-owned in quite a lot of countries... could you be more specific in your comment? |
| Message: |
But I had at least I glass of Chateau-Neuf du Pape too many...
(One of my favorite wines, by the way:
- easy to enjoy / goes well with namy dishes
- relatively cheap at EUR 8 - 15 per bottle)
s.
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