How Enterprise Technology Affects the CEO's Vision
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How Enterprise Technology Affects the CEO's Vision
CEOs believe that in a digital world, they must work harder than ever to ensure that their company's purpose is reflected in its values, culture and behaviors. -
Personnel Inventory
52% of the global CEOs surveyed plan to hire more employees over the next 12 months, compared to 16% who expect to cut headcount. -
Man and Machine
Of CEOs who plan to decrease headcount, 80% said this decision is driven, at least to some extent, by automation and technology. -
Standout Skills
77% of the CEOs said it's very difficult to recruit candidates who are creative and innovative, and 75% said it's challenging to recruit individuals who display strong leadership traits. -
Extended Outlook
79% are looking to drive company expansion and profitability via organic growth over the next 12 months, and 62% plan to do so through cost reductions. -
Partnership Plan
48% of the CEOs surveyed intend to drive company expansion and profitability via new strategic alliances and joint ventures, and 41% expect to do so through mergers and acquisitions. -
State of Conviction
93% said it's more important than ever before to develop a strong corporate purpose that's reflected in the company's values, culture and behaviors. Nearly 70% said it's harder for businesses to gain and keep trust in these digitally driven times. -
Vulnerable Area: Breaches
91% said that cyber-security breaches of business information and/or critical systems will negatively affect stakeholder trust levels over the next five years, and the same percent said breaches of both data privacy and ethics will. -
Vulnerable Areas: Outages and Disruptions
90% of the CEOs surveyed said that IT outages and disruptions will negatively impact stakeholder trust levels over the next five years. -
Distinctive Quality
64% said that companies can differentiate themselves in this increasingly digital world by how securely they manage data. -
Top Threats to Organizational Growth
Uncertain economic growth: 82%, Excessive regulations: 80%, Unavailability of key skills: 77%, Geopolitical uncertainty: 74%, Speed of technology change: 70% -
Cyber CEOs
55% of the CEOs surveyed said they have strong digital skills, and 46% said they use home automation systems, while 43% said they're active on social media.
In an era of swift, technology-enabled changes, CEOs believe it is critical to establish greater trust among stakeholders and customers, according to a recent survey from PwC. PwC's "20th CEO Survey" report reveals that today's executive leaders believe that in an increasingly digital world, they must work harder than ever to ensure that their company's purpose is reflected in its values, culture and behaviors. CEOs are also concerned that the constant risk of cyber-security breaches, as well as IT outages and disruptions, will threaten corporate trust. Given that, the majority of CEOs have concluded that they can present their business in a positive light by better managing proprietary and sensitive data, including data related to customers. "Globalization and technological advances demand a new style of leadership to manage heightened anxieties," according to the report. "The enduring winners will be those who can successfully navigate technology and preserve the human touch. Competitive advantage will go to those with the greatest capacity to build relationships built on trust, which comes from sharing deep, sustainable values and purpose." The findings include additional insights about hiring plans and business growth inhibitors—as well as how CEOs have become tech-savvy in their everyday life—and we've included some of these insights here. Nearly 1,380 global CEOs took part in the research.