The Enterprise of the Future: Implications for the CFO

In the IBM Global CEO Study , "The Enterprise of the Future, " we spoke with 1,130 business and public sector leaders worldwide to understand their perspectives on strategic issues such as new and changing customers, global integration and business model innovation. In this edition, we examine more closely the implications for CFOs and their finance organizations.

CEOs anticipate staggering amounts of change ahead. Are CFOs and their organizations shining the headlights in the right direction? Can their analytical expertise help the entire enterprise manage change more effectively?

The Enterprise of the Future is designed to change quickly and successfully; but more than just responding to change, it actually anticipates and leads change. It perceives market and industry shifts not as a mortal threat, but as a chance to surpass the competition. The CEOs we spoke with see change coming from all quarters, but market factors, people skills and technological factors top the list in terms of predicted impact on their organizations. More CEOs than ever – eight in ten – not only foresee dramatic change but also plan to make bold moves in response.¹ Yet the confidence of CEOs to enact that change is not nearly as high.

Enter the CFO – in what will perhaps be his or her biggest role in the CEO agenda. With capabilities to manage both performance and risk, the CFO is well-positioned to help the organization change rapidly and effectively. Therefore, perhaps it is no surprise that CFOs place increasing importance on measuring and monitoring performance.

To read the full report, download the PDF file at the top of this page.

References

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