Strategy and growth

Globalization, regulation, widespread uncertainty — these are just three of the forces (albeit major ones) companies must factor into their strategic planning today.

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What is it about games that we love so much? Whether it's the engagement, the motivation, or the challenge, businesses have taken notice. Solving business problems with game-based design, the new issue of the Technology Forecast , explores the wide range of game design techniques that can be used in non-game environments for business benefit, including motivating customers and employees and raising their levels of engagement.

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Improving the customer and employee experience with gaming technology

The many benefits behind incorporating gaming techniques into business processes include...

Features

Getting past the hype of gamification

How to get past the hype of gamification and convince leadership of the benefits of implementing the methodology.

Solving business problems with game-based design

This issue of the Technology Forecast examines the wide range of video game design techniques that can be used in non-game environments for business benefit.

Elements of effective game-based emotion design

Bill Fulton of Ronin User Experience describes his empirical yet emotional approach to game design and how it relates to customer engagement.

Employees seeing business through a CEO’s eyes

Milt Riseman describes how business simulation at Advanta Mortgage Services was effective, even before the web.

A game publisher’s view of gamification

Learn about how game developer and publisher Electronic Arts (EA) has applied what it has learned about gaming to its internal training. Its training platform, called EA University.

Features

Interviews

Harnessing customer demand to drive growth

Consumer-packaged goods (CPG) companies, retailers, and their business partners often tout the ways they put customers at the center of their strategies. But while many companies do a good job of understanding their customers, perhaps not as many create demand by coordinating across marketing, sales, and innovation—functions and activities that now encompass the demand chain. This 10Minutes explores ways companies can capitalize on knowing their customer with demand functions pulling in the same direction.

Internet of Things: Evolving transactions into relationships

This issue of the Technology Forecast examines the impact of Internet of Things trends on businesses and the IT organization. It analyzes how businesses now have the ability to continue the relationship with customers after the sales transaction by helping them achieve the goals for which they buy the products.

Using technology to help customers achieve their goals

Businesses that embed capabilities to understand usage in their products in service of customers’ goals stand to reap unparalleled value.

Building the customer-centered organization

What does a customer-centered organization look like? What investments are needed to take you there, and what might that journey look like? This 10Minutes discusses these questions and how companies who focus on creating a customer-centered organization may reap real dividends.

Managing your wealth: Guide to tax and wealth management

PwC’s 2013 year-end guide to tax and wealth management offers guidance for strategic tax planning, managing your portfolio, charitable giving, estate and gift planning, business succession planning and other topics.

Cities of Opportunity: Analysis and forecast of global urban economic centers: PwC

Download the 2012 edition of PwC’s Cities of Opportunity. This year’s report, our fifth, analyses in depth the trajectory of 27 capitals of finance, commerce, manufacturing and/or culture across 60 variables -- and offers insight into what factors and conditions make cities function best, plus customized, interactive tools for exploring the data.

US Manufacturing Resurgence

Signs point to a potential surge in domestic manufacturing, and US companies are carefully watching seven key factors that are impacting the trend. They also need to consider what a potential move or expansion of manufacturing facilities to the US could mean for all aspects of their business.

Retailing 2020: Winning in a polarized world

Retailing 2020: Winning in a polarized world identifies economic drivers that will shape the future US retail landscape and success factors winning retailers and suppliers will likely need to manage to drive growth in the retail landscape of 2020.

APEC 2012 CEO Summit survey report: Addressing challenges. Expanding possibilities.

PwC's report, building on a survey of more than 370 business leaders and interviews from across the region, confirms the necessity of regional cooperation for our companies' futures.

APEC 2012 CEO Summit: Improving supply chain integration to make them more reliable

One of the challenges for the continued economic growth of the APEC territories, are integrated supply chains that are reliable. Removing key trade bottle necks will facilitate faster, less expensive, and more secure intra-APEC trade.

APEC 2012 CEO Summit: Economic integration an imperative for continued economic growth

For the continued economic growth of the APEC territories, the need for economic integration, both between the APEC territories, and beyond is established reality. The fastest growing APEC economies will account for about two-thirds of overall APEC trade, up from about half in 2011.

Academic medical centers

Academic medical centers (AMCs) are the nucleus of the U.S. health system, yet they face multiple challenges.

Eurozone sovereign debt crisis

As Europe continues to grapple with sovereign debt problems, austerity measures, and recession, the Eurozone is changing and will likely emerge from the ongoing crisis looking quite different from the one we know today. Because the world is so interconnected, virtually every company will be affected and needs to figure out the impact on their companies worldwide - from strategy and operations to execution - and start preparing now.

Eurozone sovereign debt crisis: Minimizing surprises despite Eurozone uncertainties

How will the effects of the European debt crisis impact US businesses? PwC shares its views on what companies can do to manage the changes that lie ahead.

APEC 2012 CEO Summit: APEC's path to green growth

A global market for green goods and services offers benefits of prosperity and job creation. PwC's report offers CEO insights on this and other topics.

Point of view: Beyond the bid: The legacy of mega-events in intellectual capital

Intellectual capital abounds at mega-events; capturing that legacy allows all stakeholders to benefit from one another’s skills, knowledge, and innovation.

APEC 2012 CEO Summit: Food security: Can APEC feed itself?

Increasing agricultural production on a sustainable basis is key to long term food security in the region. PwC's report offers CEO insights on this and other topics .

Behind the Numbers, 2013

This PwC Health Research Institute (HRI) report looks at the projected increase in the cost of medical services for 2013. Read how medical cost trends affect your business.

Business continuity management

The best disaster survival manual may be obsolete if it doesn’t anticipate major disruptions to the supply chain or at outsourced operations. As a result, business continuity management programs are being designed to continually assess— as well as counter—risks stemming from the interdependencies integral to running a business.

CEO Agenda 2012

For 2012, US CEOs show measured optimism as they face wide disparities in their operations around the world. Slow recovery at home and the crisis in Europe are immediate concerns. But they are taking deliberate steps to grow in priority markets.

View issue 15

In this issue of PwC's View, companies can learn how to keep pace with change, and design a fiercest competitor as part of the strategy. Other articles look at cyber security and doing business in emerging markets.

Gaining ground: As the APEC region grows, talent shortages rise

The latest APEC CEO survey reveals that business leaders in the Asia-Pacific region are eager to grow but must adapt their talent strategies in an increasingly competitive environment

Designing your fiercest competitor: Mastering change by making it real

Imagining a scenario that would destroy your business enables a company to outlast and outsmart the competition

Embracing a new dynamic: Foresight and risk taking in a changing global marketplace

Bob Moritz's insights of Asian and developed word CEOs about business growth and risk.

All in the family: Private companies voice their challenges and opportunities

Family-owned businesses face challenges like competition, government policies and market conditions

Health industry goldrush

The healthcare industry is innovating itself into four categories: fixers, connectors, retailers, implementers

Cybersecurity: The new business priority

Biggest cyberthreats and how companies can protect themselves

Navigating the risks and opportunities in emerging markets

The rate of growth in emerging markets for the past decade and a half has been twice that of advanced countries, and this trend is unlikely to abate anytime soon.

Beyond the BRICS: How to succeed in emerging markets (by really trying)

Emerging markets offer cost-effective investment opportunities for businesses eager to grow globally—now

Are you designing a disruptive business model to keep your fiercest competitor at bay?

Designing a disruptive business model to keep your fiercest competitor at bay.

Ranking business-friendly cities

PwC ranks the cities that are most business-friendly, as well as what characteristics make them ideal.

Capital projects and infrastructure: The next test for nuclear

Nuclear power may be the solution of the future for global electricity needs.

Technology Forecast: Reshaping the workforce with the new analytics

This edition of Technology Forecast explores the impact of the new analytics and a culture of inquiry enterprises can foster with the help of emerging data analysis tools and services.

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The art and science of new analytics technology

Natural language processing and social media intelligence

How CIOs can build the foundation for a data science culture

The third wave of customer analytics

Customer impact

Designing and delivering truly exceptional customer experiences has become the key to achieving sustainable, profitable organic growth. In fact, new socio-economic and demographic conditions have fused themselves with technological innovation to redefine the very nature of customer value and how businesses should go about delivering it.

Medical innovation

The way we assess value in medical technology is changing radically. Payers are refusing to pay for incremental innovations that do not significantly improve health or reduce cost.

Expanding business in Asia Pacific

As Asia Pacific economies continue their rapid growth and become more deeply integrated, multinational companies are changing how they're expanding in the region for the long-haul--from setting up regional hubs and distribution networks, to developing local talent, to building brand loyalty amongst the region's rapidly growing number of middle class consumers.

WSJ CEO Council: Addressing scarcity and growth

For companies able to manage risks, resource scarcity will create opportunities.

WSJ CEO Council: New approaches to global health

Improving health conditions and offering greater access to care around the world will require a new set of tools, including public-private partnerships, emerging technologies and evolving regulation.

WSJ CEO Council: Building a US export economy

Increasing US exports may be crucial to the resolution of global economic imbalances and the ability of US firms to capitalize on the rise of emerging economies. But US firms are struggling to extend their domestic competitiveness to export markets. Executives are looking to improve education and regulation to change that dynamic.

WSJ CEO Council: Forging a stronger US-China relationship

The US-China relationship has been pivotal to global economic stability, providing significant benefits to both nations. Today the relationship hangs in a balance.

WSJ CEO Council: Encouraging and protecting business innovation

From the education of global talent pools, to national immigration policies, regulation and international intellectual property protections, the public policy issues on the new innovation landscape are abundant and complex.

APEC 2012 CEO Summit: Interviews

The 2011 APEC CEO Summit provides opportunities for dialogue between business and governments on key trends and issues of significance to APEC member countries, and beyond.

Boardroom agenda

In this short report, PwC discusses new governance regulations, new risks, and issues of executive compensation and succession planning.

Why you want to get into healthcare

Healthcare will reach nearly 20% of the US GDP by 2019 and is bursting with new products and services. It is also enticing more and more businesses to enter this marketplace. Here’s why you should take note.

Investing in Africa

Africa has some of the world’s fastest-growing economies and offers the highest risk-adjusted returns on foreign direct investment among emerging economies. To succeed, investors must look beyond dazzling returns and one-off projects, and sign on as participating partners in Africa's long-term growth and development.

The CIO’s role in social enterprise strategy

Social technology offers considerable promise, but CIOs and business units are struggling to figure out how to use it effectively. A key reason is that most social media outside the enterprise is just pure communication. Making the same use of these tools inside the enterprise only imposes more channels on already overwhelmed staff. What alternatives exist to help alleviate communications overload?

The Future of revenue recognition

Revenue, or the “top line,” is a closely monitored measure of an entity's growth and market share. The FASB and IASB are currently in the process of replacing existing revenue guidance with a new global accounting standard for all revenue transactions. How will this change affect your business?

The anytime, anywhere business opportunity

No longer viewed as a strictly consumer phenomenon, smart devices enabled by wireless data networks are getting down to business. Companies operating within all kinds of value chains are embracing them to improve processes, enhance collaboration, and reduce costs. But those benefits are only the beginning. Where do the real payoffs come from for companies using them?

Defining a new CEO agenda

As shown by the results of our 14th Annual Global CEO Survey,¹ about half of all CEOs are confident about revenue growth going forward. But how will they achieve it? Here PwC's Tom Craren outlines eight key strategies for seizing the opportunities at hand.

Making over healthcare

While there’s still a great deal of uncertainty around the specifics of healthcare reform, one thing’s clear: The healthcare industry in the US will never be the same. And 2011 is shaping up to be a makeover year for healthcare providers, health insurers, pharmaceutical and life sciences companies, and employers. But what are the most significant issues in play? A recent report identifies six.

Seeking shared agendas with governments

By helping create jobs in the private sector and by investing in infrastructure, governments can help create an environment conducive for growth. In fact, almost half of CEOs surveyed say that improving the country’s infrastructure and fostering a skilled workforce should be government’s top priorities. But how can CEOs enter strategic and collaborative relationships with governments to pursue their own growth agendas?

The technology powering business mobility

Operating systems, devices, wireless networks, and other IT components all comprise business mobility. But the real power lies in the convergence of the technologies and in how each organization applies them to redefine the way it works. While the chief information officer will lead the charge here, it's important that the rest of the leadership team understand the choices and issues that pertain to the following technology building blocks.

Striking the innovation balance

History is littered with companies that have failed to innovate, but innovation is now climbing to the top of the CEO agenda as a primary strategy for achieving profitable growth in a post-crisis economy. Is your company innovating to its full potential -- and what are the tensions that most affect a company’s ability to innovate successfully?

Measuring innovation

What is innovation? And how do you measure and benchmark it in your organization, be it private, public or academic?

Doing deals in China

Companies seeking growth in China are exploring alternatives to outright M&A strategies, acquisitions, traditional joint ventures, wholly foreign owned entities (WFOEs), and dollar-denominated private equity funds to succeed. Here we discuss their approach.

How business innovation happens: Technology forecast: PwC

Is radical innovation conceived in a single, stunning act of invention and delivered as an entirely new offering? No. Innovation is a process that taps into genius, but it need not be the accidental province of the madly brilliant. Here we look at how organizations can develop, manage, and continually improve an end-to-end process, supported by technology, in which innovations are more likely to be discovered, better assessed, and better converted into profits—what PwC calls the idea-to-cash process.

The strategic CIO’s new role in innovation

Innovation is the next frontier for all CIOs, and now is the time for the CIO to prepare and take action. What is your CIO doing to get in the game?

CEO agenda

The changing global economy, emerging markets and a renewed focus on growth — how are companies capitalising on opportunities to increase revenue, create innovative products and services, and fill skills gaps in unfamiliar parts of the world?

Mobile technology’s journey from peril to promise

Once viewed as an oddity to be kept at arm’s length, mobile devices are now seen as a potentially powerful platform for enterprise value. PwC sorts out the drivers, and the ramifications, of this sea change.

Doing business in a changing China

As the fastest-growing major economy in the world, China continues to offer global companies attractive investment and business opportunities, but doing business there also means navigating the complexities that arise from China’s unique historical, political, and cultural contexts. Despite the challenges, what are leading US companies doing to succeed in China? For one, they're developing collaborative relationships with Chinese stakeholders and demonstrating the agility to continuously adapt their strategies to the country’s dynamic environment. What other steps are they taking?

Trust but verify: From transparency to competitive advantage

“Trust but verify” was a slogan used during the Cold War to describe the basis for transparency in political relationships. Today, the term can be used to describe a strategy for narrowing the “trust gap” not between nations, but between companies and stakeholders. Whether you are trying to prevent a trust-eroding event or repair the damage after one has occurred, transparency is key. But it's not the only factor of a successful solution. You need credibility to back up the promise of transparency. What can companies do to achieve both?

Customizing healthcare: How a new approach to diagnosis, care, and cure could transform employer benefits in a postreform world

Healthcare reform in the US will change funding, insurance coverage, and regulation will affect virtually everyone—including large employers, the majority of which are self-insured. What are proactive companies doing already to consider how reform will change plan eligibility, plan design, underwriting rules, tax deductions, and more and how are they reevaluating their benefits strategies accordingly?

View 13: Weighing in on the world’s cities

What makes a city great? Surely factors like livability, abundant resources and thriving business come to mind. But other factors show that intellectual capital is also at the core of a city’s appeal; a strong intellectual base not only attracts investment but can also foster innovation, while a brain drain deflates a city’s potential for vibrancy. Here we take a closer look at the factors revealed in the Cities of Opportunity study and what the keys to a well-balanced city are.

The rise of the public-private partnership

The benefits of PPPs can be compelling. Public-private partnerships don’t simply provide much-needed capital for projects; they can also serve as models of efficiency and reliability and be champions of high levels of accountability and transparency. In addition, PPPs can be cost-effective and time efficient. But are PPPs applicable to all capital projects? We break down the issues in greater deal in this edition of View.

Making the extensible enterprise a reality

When it comes to the extensible-enterprise strategy, CEOs will need to consider what cloud computing can do for business growth, and CFOs will need to recognize the ramifications for governance and risk. For their part, The CIO should help identify new cloud-based business opportunities and deliver the network of business platforms to support them.

How CFOs should audit the cloud balance sheet

Initially viewed simply as a way to create more agile, efficient IT organizations, cloud computing is fast becoming the means for a new type of growth based on an opportunity that PwC calls the extensible enterprise. How can CFOs use cloud computing to help the enterprise grow, while dealing with the new challenges it presents around governance, risk, and compliance?

Supply chain management: Achieving agility through the sales inventory operations planning process

Developing a vibrant supply chain that responds with agility to changing conditions is essential to achieving a competitive advantage. The direct route to this is through a rigorous sales inventory operations planning (SIOP) process. But how effective are corporate leaders’ SIOP processes? PwC stresses the urgent for a review to make sure the process can control costs, reduce capital expenses and improve customer service.

The situational CIO: IT problem solver, cost cutter, strategist

During the recession, CIOs and other executives had to focus on tactical issues like efficiencies and cost cutting, rather than on developing new business strategies. Here, PwC explains how that may change and outlines ways the CIO can become more strategic while handling other responsibilities – an idea we call the “situational CIO”.

The future of the CIO: Business strategy and technology innovation

Every Chief Information Officer (CIO) knows that the job has become more complex. The changes of the past 20 years will seem mild compared with those of the next five. CIOs will face unprecedented pressures, and our research shows that many executives expect CIOs to point the way for agile business in today's volatile economy. So how can your CIO help define and execute forward-looking business strategies for your company? Here, we offer some ideas.