A similar sentiment can be seen in the French outlook for the future: none would predict an increase of any real significance, although just over half felt that the level of complexity may increase moderately. This could relate to the fact that French respondents were about 10 percent more likely than their global peers to cite the recession and increased competition as the two top factors driving complexity in the past (cited by 33 percent and 28 percent of French respectively), and respondents may expect these challenges to become less acute over the near future.
Regulatory compliance and market controls also seem to be causing increased complexity for French businesspeople, with more than half citing these as among the most influential factors governing their current level of complexity. In this regard, only respondents in South Africa (60 percent) and the UK (59 percent) seem to show more concern.
While French responses were largely consistent with global norms when asked about the top challenges that their companies are facing as a result of increased complexity (83 percent said increased risk and 74 percent cited the need for new skills), they also displayed a significant concern about complexity making it more difficult to implement change (cited by 74 percent of French respondents versus 58 percent globally). Conversely, respondents from France were less inclined to be concerned about the increased cost of complexity (68 percent versus 78 percent globally) or its impact on their ability to make management decisions (42 percent versus a global average of 58 percent).
But although French businesspeople might seem relatively relaxed about the challenges of complexity, at least by global standards, they do tend to be among the least optimistic about the opportunities that complexity may deliver to their companies. Only two thirds of respondents agreed that opportunities may be created, and where gains were expected, these tended to focus on increased efficiency (85 percent), expansion into new markets (76 percent), creating competitive advantage (68 percent) and creating new and better business strategies (65 percent).
An overwhelming majority of French respondents (85 percent) considered information management to be their top concern going forward, with regulatory issues trailing in second place at just over 75 percent. In this regard, French respondents stand out as the only group surveyed that considered information management to be the leading future cause of complexity over the next two years.
This may prove to be prescient. Across almost every country surveyed, respondents overwhelmingly pointed to information management as being their top action to manage complexity, both today and in the future. In France, 82 percent responded that information management is a current tool for managing complexity, and 77 percent cited its potential use in the future, which would reinforce the view that added complexity in this area is on the horizon.
Survey responses from France also seem to indicate a pent-up desire to expand into new international markets. More than three quarters of respondents felt that increased global complexity created opportunities for their companies to expand; more than half are considering investing in new geographies as a way to address complexity over the next two years; and – when asked to consider future causes of complexity – more than 60 percent believe that managing operations in more countries will be a leading issue. At the same time, however, only 36 percent of French respondents were able to point to any recent foreign expansions, versus almost 50 percent amongst their global peers.
In summary, French businesspeople do seem relatively at ease with the increased pace of complexity. This may be a result of a perceived level of confidence that – having already weathered the complexity of increased regulation, fierce competition and economic crisis – French businesses are now taking measured, but proactive steps to manage complexity better in the future, and to take advantage of the opportunities it might bring.
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