Cornerstone Survey Shows Business Leaders Upbeat
Annual worldwide survey of business leaders by Cornerstone International Group shows majority
back in growth mode and seeking opportunity, despite lingering economic gloom.
(PRWEB) June 11, 2010 -- Business leaders around the world appear determined not to let the drawn-out woes of
the global economy hold back their operations, according to a recent survey of senior management worldwide.
Although only a third feel the global recession may be over, corporate leaders have their foot back on the
accelerator, with 76% of respondents in a growth mode compared to just 53% in 2009.
A focus on opportunity in specific markets may be driving the rising optimism. In contrast to the global gloom,
more than 53% feel their local economies are recovering, up from 38% a year ago.
This surprisingly bullish strategizing is highlighted in the annual survey of business leaders by the Cornerstone
International Group, one of the world’s largest retained search & HR consulting organizations. The survey is
distributed in the first quarter to executives in 40 countries to assess management opinion and trends.
“I think this year’s survey shows us two things,” said William Guy, Chairman and CEO of Cornerstone
International Group. “One is that business leaders by default see the opportunity over the challenge and, two, that
market focus can be quite different from the global view of the economists and analysts.”
Guy cautioned, however, that the survey responses were made before the latest European debt crises came to a
head in April-May.
“I’m not sure that would have changed much,” he added. “The beauty of this survey is that the opinions are so
grounded in the immediate business reality.”
Reality would seem to have left a dismissive attitude towards government initiatives to counter the crisis. A year
after more than 30 national governments injected trillions of dollars to avert calamity, a 65% majority of
respondents consider these interventions have had little or no