1. NSW KM Forum – September 2010
KM Challenges in a Global Environment
How Baker & McKenzie meets the challenges
Mark Andrews – Director, Knowledge & IT
2. Outline
– What we think…
– Alternate perspectives
– Describing culture
– Global challenges
– About Baker & McKenzie
– Meeting the challenges
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3. What we think…
– Individualist Vs collectivist
– No fear of loosing face Vs fear of
loosing face
– Small Vs large power distance
– Monochronic Vs polychronic
Score each between 1 and 10
Total score out of 40
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4. Alternate perspectives – Western
– Rational (Plato, Descartes)
– Knowledge is the result of an ideal mental model (as in
mathematics)
– Experimental (Aristotle, Locke)
– Knowledge is deducted from what we experience with our senses
– Favour objective and “true” knowledge – ie. explicit
– Can “true” knowledge exist?
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5. Alternate perspectives – Eastern
– Unity of mankind and nature
– Experience is dominant not theorization : an individual in its
environment
– This is translated in the language
– Unity of body and soul
– Emotions, perceptions of the environment are central to knowledge
– Wisdom derives from the entire personality
– Unity of myself and the other
– Importance of the collective
– Favour subjective and “contextual” knowledge and hence tacit
knowledge
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6. Describing culture
– The way we do things
– A sense of belonging
– Defines what is acceptable and what is not acceptable
– Emergent not designed
– Often tacit
– Influences all interactions
– Cannot be changed easily
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7. Global challenges
– Culture
– country, race and ethnicity
– company, head office, other offices
– Language
– Scope and scale
– Technology
– Ability to influence
etc
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8. Global challenges for law firms
– Jurisdiction
– Legal Professional Privilege
– Educational paradigm – degree to which dialogue based pedagogy is
used
– IP protection
– Return on local investment
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9. About Baker & McKenzie
– A leading Global Law Firm
– 39 countries
– 67 offices
– 60 nationalities
– Admitted to practice in almost 250 jurisdictions
– More than 70 languages spoken
– Educated at over 1,200 institutions
– 17 major areas of practice with numerous
specialisations
– Over 10,000 lawyers, supporting professionals
and staff
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11. Meeting the challenges – our Global approach
– Governance and Practice & Industry Group leadership
– Knowledge Management team
– Global
– Local
– Development framework, appraisals and time recording
– Technology
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12. Governance and Leadership
– Executive Committee liaison
– Global KM Director
– Global Knowledge and Talent Management Steering Committee
– Knowledge responsibilities for Practice and Industry Leaders
– Knowledge Partners – Office and Practice Group level
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13. Knowledge Management team
– Knowledge Management team
– Global Directors and PSLs
– Australia and London management roles
– Local PSLs
– Other professional support functions
– Relationship with Global and Local IT
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14. Baker & McKenzie Development Framework
– Key Result Areas
– Business Development
– Client Service
– Legal Knowledge and Expertise
– Matter Management
– People Management
– Personal Qualities
– Intellect
– Dedication
– Humanity
– Gravitas
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16. Technology
– Microsoft
– Office Suite and Email
– SharePoint – intranet
– OpenText
– DM
– Recommind
– Mindserver
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17. NSW KM Forum – September 2010
KM Challenges in a Global Environment
Developing a culture of knowledge sharing
THANKYOU
Mark Andrews – Director, Knowledge & IT