Current and classic content 

This research reveals how smart phones and tablets are the driving force towards the monetisation of the digital era with content 'on the move' proving to be increasingly popular, especially among 18-34 year olds. However, an apparent willingness to pay for content from such devices has not translated into a willingness for consumers to pay for content on their desktops. The rise of the smart phone and tablet highlights the potential for mobile advertising, especially to the elusive 18-34 year old demographic, meaning that this potential may be about to be realised.  

The latest snapshot of the key concerns affecting European business leaders reveals a strong focus on wanting to prepare the organisation for future challenges. As part of the ‘Succeeding in a Changing World’ campaign, this survey also reveals a strong desire to achieve sustainable improvements in cost efficiency and to develop strategies for growth. This research highlights the differing priorities across 10 European countries and 12 different industry sectors as companies look to put the crisis firmly behind them.

Interview-based research which highlights the way in which banks are having to develop new business models which reflect their altered circumstances and which can restore a measure of stability and growth to their operations. The report paints a picture of a two-tier industry whereby banks in the developed world have been hardest hit and are having to undertake a more fundamental reconsideration of their business models, while banks in Latin America, Africa and Asia (which have been less affected) are refining existing strategies rather than rewriting them. 

This is the final instalment of a three part survey series looking at the world’s infrastructure problems. In this survey, respondents from the public sector validate the earlier surveys’ assertion that government effectiveness and financing are the key challenges to delivering infrastructure projects. The report highlights government officials’ desire to have in place long-term infrastructure investment strategies to meet the needs of their respective countries. 

The first instalment in the Changing Face of Infrastructure survey series, this research laid bare private sector infrastructure providers’ concerns over the factors deemed to be slowing or preventing their delivery of much-needed infrastructure improvements. Private sector providers are expected to play an increasing role in infrastructure provision, yet they were concerned about government effectiveness, the politicization of infrastructure priorities, financing, insufficient investment and long-term skills training. Much of this highlighted how the private sector and government need to learn how to work together better in facing this infrastructure challenge. Bearing in mind the long-term  - and global - nature of this challenge, it has to be hoped they found a way to manage this. 

Research from early 2009 which shows how, despite everything going on around them, many private banks remained optimistic about their growth prospects and expected to see consolidation accelerating within their sector. However, with many banks under pressure to look at their operational structures and costs, there was a sense of needing to get their own houses in order before hitting the acquisition trail, meaning that many expected to adopt a wait-and-see approach themselves. Furthermore, there was perceived to be a lack of attractive acquisitions; a further factor which may have slowed any anticipated consolidation. Two years on, this is one to revisit to see how those predictions panned out.

A research study from the height of the financial crisis which looked at the role to be played by the finance function. While the temptation may have been great to simply revert to the “control and compliance” activities of the past, the report suggested that true leaders in finance would partner with business leaders to address the key issues head-on and to better position the company for the future. However, there was a delicate balance to be struck with finance functions also needing to fulfil their traditional accounting and compliance responsibilities with maximum efficiency. Three years on, the debate over what a leading edge finance function looks like continues unabated, making this content as relevant now as it ever was..

A sobering piece of research from 2009 which aimed to understand what public servants thought about the impact of the economic downturn on the public sector. The results showed that many public sector organisations didn’t appear to understand that they may need to radically change their strategy to prepare themselves for the full implications of the downturn. With governments around the world urgently needing to save money, the report suggested that unless governments acted quickly, the quality of the services that citizens received from the public sector was likely to decline dramatically. You’ll have to judge for yourselves how well they reacted.