How successful firms guide innovation: insights and strategies of leading CEOs

Purpose This report by the IBM Institute for Business Value, part of long-term study of C-suite executives, probes the perspectives of the 818 CEOs to find out what they think the future will bring and how they’re positioning their organizations to prosper in the “age of disruption.” Design/methodology/approach The report also focuses specifically on what a subset of the 818 – CEOs of the most successful enterprises surveyed – do differently. Findings IBM analysis identified a small group of organizations that have both a strong reputation as leading innovators and an outstanding financial track record. Lead by so-called Torchbearer CEOs the firms are exploring opportunities to leverage emerging technologies and ecosystems to pursue entirely new revenue streams and models. Practical implications CEOs recognize the confluence of technologies magnifies their impact across markets and economies. Emerging technologies intersect and combine in new and different ways, enabling enterprises to redefine how they engage with their customers and partners. Originality/value Two-thirds of executives surveyed plan to reassess their strategic direction and explore the potential for novel, non-traditional forms of growth. They’re actively pursuing opportunities to play a new or different role in the ecosystems they inhabit.