Trends Identified

Regulations: Public & Private
Nearly two-thirds of CEOs – rising to more than three-quarters in some parts of Europe – factor the regulatory framework into their business decisions to ‘a great extent’. Taxation and the labour laws are the two areas of regulation CEOs would most like to see improved. However, there are significant national variations in opinion. More than half of all CEOs support global harmonisation of critical elements of the regulatory regime. Very few CEOs believe that their governments are reducing the regulatory burden or creating a business-friendly environment. A study with the World Bank concludes that there is a win-win on both sides, if government simplifies tax systems, eases the compliance cost on businesses and reduces tax rates.
2008
11th Annual global CEO Survey
PWC
Assessing the global landscape
Our annual survey of CEOs continues to note high levels of global business confidence, both in the short and medium term – an upward trend we have charted in four of the past five years. As figure 1.1 indicates, the outlook for revenue growth continues to be strong over the next year, the CEOs say, with 52% ‘very confident’ and 40% ‘somewhat confident’. Overall, confidence levels have nearly doubled since 2001.
2007
10th Annual global CEO Survey
PWC
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
Cheap solar energy
2006
Global Technology Revolution 2020
RAND Corporation
Rural wireless communications
2006
Global Technology Revolution 2020
RAND Corporation
Genetically modified crops
2006
Global Technology Revolution 2020
RAND Corporation
Filters and catalysts for water purification
2006
Global Technology Revolution 2020
RAND Corporation
Cheap housing for adaptable shelter and energy
2006
Global Technology Revolution 2020
RAND Corporation