2011 International Restructuring Survey
UK plc less confident than global peers about recovery prospects
> UK companies have emerged from the global financial crisis less confident about their ability to compete than businesses in other countries, according to Roland Berger Strategy Consultants’ 2011 International Restructuring Survey
> UK companies are also more sceptical than Western European peers that the financial crisis is over
> Firms in the UK are also less focused on growth
> UK companies see continually restructuring their business as less important than global peers – and were less successful at exploiting the crisis to restructure their operations than others in Western Europe
> Roland Berger calls on UK companies to embrace restructuring to help them keep up with their more competitive and confident international peers
UK companies will struggle to compete following the financial crisis against more confident foreign firms, according to the last study by Roland Berger Strategy Consultants. UK companies generally see continuous restructuring activities as less important than their global peers and there is a link between this attitude and their lack of confidence in their ability to compete on the global stage.
The survey, which has received national press coverage, was conducted with a representative sample of 50 board members of large UK companies and was compared against the responses from over 500 CEOs and senior executives from a range of global companies. The results demonstrate that the economic crisis continues to have an impact on UK companies of all sizes, despite the higher growth now being experienced by a number of the world's leading economies.
“UK companies feel that the recovery is fragile, with a significant risk of the economy going backwards," said Klaus Kremers, the author of the study and Restructuring Partner of Roland Berger Strategy Consultants UK.
"Difficulties in passing on rising raw material and foreign exchange costs are creating risks across the supply chain and a an economic shock could be enough to throw some smaller companies into bankruptcy.
"Diverging patterns of global growth create a need to rebalance global business portfolios. But our studies show that UK companies are less focussed on organic growth.
“Smaller UK companies face a particularly challenging year ahead, as public sector cuts begin to bite and consumer demand and employment struggle to develop. UK businesses urgently need to change their attitude towards restructuring and embrace it like their global peers, who are already reaping the benefits in terms of greater confidence in their ability to compete."
> UK companies have emerged from the global financial crisis less confident about their ability to compete than businesses in other countries, according to Roland Berger Strategy Consultants’ 2011 International Restructuring Survey
> UK companies are also more sceptical than Western European peers that the financial crisis is over
> Firms in the UK are also less focused on growth
> UK companies see continually restructuring their business as less important than global peers – and were less successful at exploiting the crisis to restructure their operations than others in Western Europe
> Roland Berger calls on UK companies to embrace restructuring to help them keep up with their more competitive and confident international peers
UK companies will struggle to compete following the financial crisis against more confident foreign firms, according to the last study by Roland Berger Strategy Consultants. UK companies generally see continuous restructuring activities as less important than their global peers and there is a link between this attitude and their lack of confidence in their ability to compete on the global stage.
The survey, which has received national press coverage, was conducted with a representative sample of 50 board members of large UK companies and was compared against the responses from over 500 CEOs and senior executives from a range of global companies. The results demonstrate that the economic crisis continues to have an impact on UK companies of all sizes, despite the higher growth now being experienced by a number of the world's leading economies.
“UK companies feel that the recovery is fragile, with a significant risk of the economy going backwards," said Klaus Kremers, the author of the study and Restructuring Partner of Roland Berger Strategy Consultants UK.
"Difficulties in passing on rising raw material and foreign exchange costs are creating risks across the supply chain and a an economic shock could be enough to throw some smaller companies into bankruptcy.
"Diverging patterns of global growth create a need to rebalance global business portfolios. But our studies show that UK companies are less focussed on organic growth.
“Smaller UK companies face a particularly challenging year ahead, as public sector cuts begin to bite and consumer demand and employment struggle to develop. UK businesses urgently need to change their attitude towards restructuring and embrace it like their global peers, who are already reaping the benefits in terms of greater confidence in their ability to compete."
For further details on the study, please contact 
