An unsettled global political environment has not shifted CEOs‘ focus on profits and growth in 2017. Growth is the No. 1 business priority for 58 per cent of CEOs, according to a recent survey of 388 CEOs by Gartner, Inc. This is up from 42 per cent in 2016.
Product improvement and technology are the biggest-rising priorities for CEOs in 2017 (see Figure 1). „IT-related priorities, cited by 31 per cent of CEOs, have never been this high in the history of the CEO survey,“ said Mark Raskino, vice president and Gartner Fellow. „Almost twice as many CEOs are intent on building up in-house technology and digital capabilities as those plan on outsourcing it (57 per cent and 29 per cent, respectively). We refer to this trend as the reinternalisation of IT — bringing information technology capability back toward the core of the enterprise because of its renewed importance to competitive advantage. This is the building up of new-era technology skills and capabilities.“
CEO Understanding of Digital Business Is Improving
While the idea of shifting toward digital business was speculative for most CEOs a few years ago, it has become a reality for many in 2017.
Forty-seven per cent of CEOs are being challenged by the board of directors to make progress in digital business, and 56 per cent said that their digital improvements have already improved profits. „CEO understanding of the benefits of a digital business strategy is improving,“ said Mr Raskino. „They are able to describe it more specifically. Although a significant number of CEOs still mention e-commerce or digital marketing, more of them align it to advanced business ideas, such as digital product and service innovation, the Internet of Things, or digital platforms and ecosystems.“ „Gartner Survey Shows 42 Per Cent of CEOs Have Begun Digital Business Transformation“ weiterlesen