Too detailed and far too long for most readers.
Feature image credit: Rahul Upadhyay (via Unsplash)
If corporations were people, then McKinsey would be a megalomaniac.
When McKinsey Comes to Town is a well-researched book about a bunch of corporates who crave power, money and are nepotistic and corrupt. All the while, they hide under a good corporate marketing strategy of being an ethical, values-driven, and sustainable company.
After the introduction for the uninitiated are 14 chapters divulging the secrecy of business dealings by a company that has worked for 80% of the Fortune 500 companies, ending with an epilogue and list of resources. In detail, we discover how integrated politics, corporations, governments, the media, and the law really are, and how strategically they work together to boost the wealth of the already wealthy. This often comes at the expense of people’s health, the environment, workplace safety, and the majority public.
No doubt this type of text is essential for the general public, and a necessary exposure. However, although written in a relatable format, it felt like reading more of the same and lacked spark. In many cases, the same story appears to feature over and over again in different business areas, be it tobacco, gaming, or insurance. This monotony is to do with the nature of McKinsey work, yet the examples chosen by the authors could have benefited by selecting unique examples of their influences in particular industries to keep the reader engaged.
Only on the odd occasion did a chapter seem unique, such as the reporting of the uprising of staff against McKinsey working with a particular firm, or when McKinsey was finally taken to court for their appalling behaviour in South Africa (the latter being an unusual situation). These variations in the behaviours of the staff or the united community reactions to McKinsey’s make for less monotony in the stories told.
Walt Bogdanich is a highly accomplished reporter for The New York Times, his credibility validated in having won the Pulitzer Prizes for investigative journalism three times. Co-author and colleague Michael Forsythe (also at The New York Times) was part of a team that won the George Polk Award in 2013 whilst he was at Forbes.
Reviewed by Rebecca Wu
The views expressed in this review belong to the author and not Glam Adelaide, its affiliates, or employees.
Distributed by: Penguin Books Australia
Released: October 2022
RRP: $35.00
More News
