International Business Report 2012

Focus on: ASEAN

This report looks at one of the fastest growing and most dynamic regions in the world – Southeast Asia – drawing on economic data from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and business sentiment data from the Grant Thornton International Business Report (IBR), a quarterly survey of 3,000 businesses in 40 economies.

Women in senior management: still not enough

Grant Thornton's International Business Report explores women in senior management positions, why this issue matters, the current state of play and what is being done about it.

The survey reveals a number of key findings, such as the fact that women were found to hold one in five senior management roles globally, which is very similar to the level observed in 2004. Further less than one in ten businesses have a female CEO with women largely employed in finance and human resources roles. Businesses in Russia, followed by Botswana, the Philippines and Thailand have the most women in senior management, whilst those in Germany, India and Japan had the least.

It was also found that many economies, especially in Europe are choosing to implement quotas on the number of women on boards. However, no clear correlation between either flexible working practices or female economic activity and the proportion of women in senior management was found.

Greener fleets: companies consider alternative-fuel vehicles

Companies around the globe are increasingly looking at business vehicles that run on alternative fuels. “Greener fleets: companies consider alternative-fuel vehicles”, from the Grant Thornton International Business Report 2012, finds many factors driving demand for alternative-fuel vehicles, but also obstacles that prevent companies from adopting greener approaches.

This International Business Report (IBR) examines global data on corporate attitudes about alternative-fuel vehicles – interest, motivation, and inhibitors for bringing these types of vehicles into business fleets – and offers perspectives from Grant Thornton partners around the globe.

 

The BRICs: propping up the global economy

This short report looks at the rise of the BRIC economies, their growing importance to the global economy and the trends that will shape their performance. It draws upon the International Business Report (IBR) – a quarterly survey of business leaders, covering 11,500 businesses in 40 economies on an annual basis – as well as forecast data from leading global economists.

Capturing opportunity: Cleantech business booms around the world

Capturing opportunity, the Grant Thornton International Business Report (IBR) cleantech sector focus, reveals that privately held businesses (PHBs) in the cleantech sector are among the most confident enterprises in the world when it comes to future prosperity, far outpacing the optimism found in most global industries – and with good reason.

The global cleantech sector has emerged as viable, thriving and future-oriented. Whereas once activity in the sector was fuelled by startup companies emerging with marketable ideas, products and services, today a vast array of industrialists, service organisations and utilities see the enormous opportunity in the sector and want a piece of this rapidly expanding market.

The future of Europe: clouded by uncertainty

This report looks at the situation in Europe (and the future of the single currency) from the perspective of businesses within the eurozone, those in the EU but outside of the single currency, and neighbouring countries outside of the EU.

Key findings:

• more than three in four businesses in eurozone believe the single currency has benefitted their operations
• support for the euro project is highest in Finland and lowest in Italy
• most businesses want to see the euro survive, but two in five in Germany want to see some countries dropping out
• two in three businesses in both Denmark and Poland want to join the euro, compared to just one in ten in UK
• nine in ten businesses in Turkey would like to see further integration with the EU.

Cross-border mergers and acquisitions: building momentum

Despite the traumatic economic events in the second half of 2011 and the on-going challenges within the banking sector and the eurozone, the results of the 2012 Grant Thornton International Business Report, which surveyed 12,000 businesses in 40 economies, show that businesses across the globe (34%) remain significantly more interested in acquisitions than they were in 2010 (26%), reflecting the upward trend seen in 2011.