Marvin Bower
Encyclopedia
Marvin Bower was the son of the deputy recorder at Cuyahoga County. He grew up in Cleveland, Ohio
and attended public schools there. He earned his bachelor's degree from Brown University
in 1925. His father advised him to study law, and Bower graduated from Harvard Law School
in 1928. Bower then attended Harvard Business School
, graduating in 1930. Following completion of his studies, Bower worked as an associate at Jones, Day, Reavis & Pogue
in Cleveland.
In 1933, Bower was hired by James O. McKinsey
in the new Chicago
firm of James O. McKinsey & Company to manage a newly-acquired branch in New York
. Following McKinsey's death in 1937, the two offices split up and Bower resurrected the New York firm, with the assistance of New York partners, as McKinsey & Company
in 1939. He served as managing director from 1950 to 1967, and remained a leadership figure at McKinsey as director and partner until 1992.
According to the Harvard Business School
, Bower "is considered the father of modern management consulting
." His principled insistence on impeccable professional standards in substance, ethics, and style; his dedication to the professional development of his colleagues; and his candor, all served as a role model for several generations of management consultants, both within and outside McKinsey.
He published several books and articles, among them:
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
and attended public schools there. He earned his bachelor's degree from Brown University
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
in 1925. His father advised him to study law, and Bower graduated from Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
in 1928. Bower then attended Harvard Business School
Harvard Business School
Harvard Business School is the graduate business school of Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts, United States and is widely recognized as one of the top business schools in the world. The school offers the world's largest full-time MBA program, doctoral programs, and many executive...
, graduating in 1930. Following completion of his studies, Bower worked as an associate at Jones, Day, Reavis & Pogue
Jones Day
Jones Day is an international law firm founded in Cleveland, Ohio on March 1, 1893, by Judge Edwin J. Blandin and William Lowe Rice. Jones Day is the eighth largest law firm in the world by revenue, and the fourth highest grossing firm in the US with annual revenues of US$1.4 billion...
in Cleveland.
In 1933, Bower was hired by James O. McKinsey
James O. McKinsey
James Oscar McKinsey was the founder of McKinsey & Company.Management theory was still in its infancy when James O. McKinsey founded the firm that bears his name in 1926...
in the new Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
firm of James O. McKinsey & Company to manage a newly-acquired branch in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. Following McKinsey's death in 1937, the two offices split up and Bower resurrected the New York firm, with the assistance of New York partners, as McKinsey & Company
McKinsey & Company
McKinsey & Company, Inc. is a global management consulting firm that focuses on solving issues of concern to senior management. McKinsey serves as an adviser to many businesses, governments, and institutions...
in 1939. He served as managing director from 1950 to 1967, and remained a leadership figure at McKinsey as director and partner until 1992.
According to the Harvard Business School
Harvard Business School
Harvard Business School is the graduate business school of Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts, United States and is widely recognized as one of the top business schools in the world. The school offers the world's largest full-time MBA program, doctoral programs, and many executive...
, Bower "is considered the father of modern management consulting
Management consulting
Management consulting indicates both the industry and practice of helping organizations improve their performance primarily through the analysis of existing organizational problems and development of plans for improvement....
." His principled insistence on impeccable professional standards in substance, ethics, and style; his dedication to the professional development of his colleagues; and his candor, all served as a role model for several generations of management consultants, both within and outside McKinsey.
He published several books and articles, among them:
- The Will to Lead: Running a Business With a Network of Leaders, ISBN 0-87584-758-7
- The Will to Manage: Corporate Success Through Programmed Management, ISBN 0-07-006735-X
- Perspective on McKinsey - internal McKinsey publication