McKinsey is normalized industrial espionage. You pay them to validate what you're doing against your competitors. They'll tell you if you're ahead or behind. McKinsey is in business because McKinsey is in businesses.
That would be way better than why they actually are. It's a bunch of pretentious sycophantic kids who target empty "leadership" types with advice that sounds smart if you don't think to hard but has extremely good production values. There's a reason they exist but it has absolutely nothing to do with bringing anything of value other than reputation and knowing their audience. Actually bringing outside info from competitors would be cool but way too tangible for them.
This and it’s very well known, but don’t discount their talent. There are plenty of smart and effective people at McKinsey, even if they make mistakes like the rest of humanity.
Is it really espionage if it's not secret?
Its collusion.
Wow, powerful stutff. It really shows that capitalism commodotizes all. Even being spied on is given appropriate value. What an insane system we have.