Trends Identified
Growing abroad: East meets west
Nearly half the CEOs interviewed for our survey are involved in cross-border mergers and acquisitions, but the stereotypes of acquiror and target are set to change.
2007
10th Annual global CEO Survey
PWC
From cost to collaboration: Redefining the value chain
Outsourcing (both supply chain and traditional back office functions)1 has been a regular feature of business life for many years. Through their responses to this survey, CEOs have indicated a marked shift in their motivation for using external suppliers, from simply as a mechanism to lower cost to a means of achieving a more strategic, collaborative framework. In tandem, CEOs tell us of an increasing trend to expand the scope of activity that is covered by outsourcing arrangements, from the traditional component supplies and IT infrastructure to other activities that, in the past, were held sacrosanct, including human resource management (HRM) and R&D.
2007
10th Annual global CEO Survey
PWC
Defining the role of business leaders in society: A business imperative
Ask a classically trained financial economist about the role of the company in society and the response is likely to be to maximise shareholder returns. The 10th Annual Global CEO Survey reinforces a growing recognition among academics and practitioners alike that this traditional view of the long-term objective of a company is too narrow; that to sustain long-term financial growth, management need to balance the needs of the shareholder against those of other stakeholders – most notably the employee and society.
2007
10th Annual global CEO Survey
PWC
A New Optimism: Opportunities, Challenges, Strategies
Ask five experts to assess the global economy, and they are likely to provide as many different answers. Whether related to trade imbalances and currency fluctuations or to skyrocketing energy costs and increasing regulations, uncertainties abound. Yet the CEOs in this survey are optimistic about their prospects for growth and are investing today to secure future success. Is their optimism unbridled? No. It is an optimism grounded in reality and tempered by caution.
2005
8th Annual global CEO Survey
PWC
GRC: Armed to Succeed or Behind the Curve?
In today’s global business environment, governance, risk management, and compliance form a triad that no CEO can afford to ignore. Costly? Yes. Onerous at times? Undoubtedly. But among the respondents are CEOs who are beginning to see GRC in a new light as an integrated set of concepts that can provide significant benefits for their organisations. Do such benefits come easily? Decidedly not. On one hand, the CEOs acknowledge that achieving effective GRC is a battle. On the other hand, they affirm that it is a battle worth waging.
2005
8th Annual global CEO Survey
PWC
Achieving Higher Levels of Performance
Clearly, when it comes to effective GRC, some CEOs are doing better than others. What sets them apart? What gives them a distinct advantage over their peers? Emerging from the survey data are a group of CEOs who are taking GRC to a higher level. Both in implementing effective GRC and in reaping its benefits, they are pointing the way towards GRC excellence.
2005
8th Annual global CEO Survey
PWC
Artificial intelligence
Software algorithms are automating complex decision-making tasks to mimic human thought processes and senses. Artificial intelligence (AI) is not a monolithic technology. A subset of AI, machine learning, focuses on the development of computer programs that can teach themselves to learn, understand, reason, plan, and act when blasted with data. Machine learning carries enormous potential for the creation of meaningful products and services — for example, hospitals using a library of scanned images to quickly and accurately detect and diagnose cancer; insurance companies digitally and automatically recognizing and assessing car damage; or security companies trading clunky typed passwords for voice recognition.
2017
The Essential Eight - Your guide to the emerging technologies revolutionizing business now
PWC
Augmented Reality
Augmented reality (AR) is a visual or audio “overlay” on the physical world that uses contextualized digital information to augment the user’s real-world view. AR-enabled smart glasses help warehouse workers fulfill orders with precision, airline manufacturers assemble planes, and electrical workers make repairs. We’re currently seeing mainstream gaming examples of AR that span age demographics. The power of bringing information to the point of action in a seamless, unobtrusive manner is undeniable. This blending of the physical and virtual worlds is cracking open a new realm for businesses across the board to explore.
2017
The Essential Eight - Your guide to the emerging technologies revolutionizing business now
PWC
Blockchain
A blockchain is a distributed digital database or, more broadly, a digital ledger that uses software algorithms to record and confirm transactions with reliability and anonymity. The record of events is shared between many parties and information once entered cannot be altered. Blockchain has the potential to usher in an era of autonomous digital commerce.
2017
The Essential Eight - Your guide to the emerging technologies revolutionizing business now
PWC
Drones
Depending on their design, drones vary greatly in their capacity. Some drones need wide spaces to take off, while quadcopters can squeeze into a column of space. Some drones are water based; others can operate and navigate autonomously (via remote control) or fully autonomously (via onboard computers). Companies are using drones for wide-ranging reasons, including surveillance, survey, sport, cinematography, and delivery.
2017
The Essential Eight - Your guide to the emerging technologies revolutionizing business now
PWC