Global Instability Now the Norm, Say Execs

Globalisation always proved something of a mixed blessing. As fears for the eurozone's "PIGS" economies spreads, it wouldn't be surprising to expect execs to view it with a more jaundiced eye.

But while they foresee instability as a constant, they remain optimistic about the opportunities globalisation offers to business.

According to consultancy McKinsey's sixth annual global trends survey, executives see the forces shaping the world economy in largely the same way as in previous years.

The research finds that global recession and economic downturn have not disrupted the perceived importance of these trends to potential profitability over the next five years.

In fact, 64 percent of respondents feel positive about consumer growth in emerging markets, which is where they see the most scope for development. Execs also see globalisation as having a positive impact on the free flow of information worldwide and on global labour markets -- the major trends that over 50 percent of those polled are tackling today.

These also present major challenges for businesses with global aspirations, as the OECD's latest economic forecasts support.

Sixty-three percent expect a economic volatility to become a permanent feature, and another 23 percent see this undermining global robustness. This is what we're feeling in the UK, with public sector jobs a casualty that could push graduates to apply for emerging market jobs.

Do you agree, or are you at a loss of how to keep your company running in our current economic situation?