Businesses express Strong Confidence for 2014, predicts Accenture

According to a new research by Accenture and the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), the business executives are optimistic about business and economic prospects in 2014. Although most plan to drive growth by prioritizing exports and new products and services, the research reveals that companies have greater potential to focus their digital investments on driving growth and reaching new customers.

Of the 1041 C level executives surveyed by the EIU in twenty countries for the report, “CEO Briefing 2014 – The Global Agenda: Competing in a Digital World”, 76 per cent are optimistic for their own organizations’ prospects in 2014, significantly higher than the 55 per cent who were positive in the EIU’s 2009 research.

Business leaders are less positive about the 2014 outlook for the economies where they are based, according to the findings. On an average, 61 per cent are optimistic, with respondents in China, the U.S., Canada and Spain most positive.

Bruno Berthon, Managing Director, Accenture Strategy, said, “The next waves of growth will be increasingly dependent on using digital to break into new markets, create new customer experiences and deliver entirely new products and services. But the evidence is that companies are misdirecting their digital investments. If companies are to successfully reach new markets with new products and services, they will have to shift the balance of their digital investments from improving internal efficiencies to seizing market opportunities.”

At the same time, businesses are spreading their interest more evenly, with 60 per cent expecting to shift investment away from the BRICs (Brazil, Russia, India and China) towards other more rapidly-growing markets.