The Enterprise of the Future: Implications for the workforce

According to interviews with over 1,100 leaders from around the globe, the Enterprise of the Future will need to be hungry for change and disruptive by nature, innovative beyond customer imagination, global integrated, and genuine, not simply generous in their corporate social responsibility efforts. Each of these issues has clear implications for the workforce, and for the leaders of the Human Resources function who are working to enhance organizational effectiveness. In this report, we will identify the human capital challenges stemming from the IBM Global CEO Study and highlight areas where employees can play a key role in driving the Enterprise of the Future.¹

BUILDING THE ENTERPRISE OF THE FUTURE: THE WORKFORCE DIMENSION

The IBM Global CEO Study provides a unique window into the ideas and concerns of senior leaders from 40 countries. Based on interviews with CEOs from a variety of industries, company sizes and geographies, the study offers important insights into the future of organizations and their keys to success. Overall, CEOs were consistent on their vision of the Enterprise of the Future. These organizations will be:

• Hungry for change and disruptive by nature
• Innovative beyond customer imagination
• Globally integrated
• Genuine, not just generous.

Each of these dimensions has clear implications for today's workforce. Without addressing the employee implications of change, innovation, globalization and corporate social responsibility, organizations have little hope for executing the strategies that CEOs have deemed critical to future success. Based on our consulting experience and research in human capital management, we see unique opportunities for organizations to apply the lessons from the CEO Study in managing and developing a work-force that can drive the Enterprise of the Future.

To read the full study, download the PDF files at the top of this page.

Resource
¹ "The Enterprise of the Future: The IBM Global CEO Study." IBM Institute for Business Value. May 2008.