As nations from around the world fight it out for Olympic glory, IBM’s third global CEO survey* reveals that leading enterprises also face a tough battle in the corporate sphere.
On multiple levels, the speed of change has increased dramatically, but corporations say it is not always easy to keep pace. Market factors, people skills and technology are the top three change drivers, but environmental issues have also gained ground over the past two years.
In this more dynamic landscape, enterprises must be ‘hungry for change’, and able to adapt quickly with strategies that take advantage of such challenges. Aligned with this thinking, is the requirement to be ‘disruptive by nature’, whereby organisations disrupt elements of their business or industry to create competitive advantage.
Organisations also need to be ‘innovative beyond customer imagination’, producing products and services that meet the needs of sophisticated and demanding customers around the world. Two-thirds of CEO’s believe there is a significant opportunity in targeting the growing communities of affluent consumers in fast-growth markets.
The growing pressure on corporations to be open and honest will continue to force them to be ‘genuine, not just generous’ in their approach to corporate strategy. Corporate social responsibility policies are likely to be extended deeper into the value chain in a bid to be more transparent about their activities.
In terms of the global agenda for enterprises, the issue today is centred around how best to organise and operate the global business. Securing what IBM terms ‘global integration’ opportunities, via collaborations and partnerships is hugely important. The survey found that over half of CEOs are planning to change capabilities, knowledge and assets to better integrate their business globally.
*The IBM Survey questioned 1,130 CEOs, general managers and business leaders in 40 nations and across 32 industries.
The full survey is here
