Insights

The hospitality and tourism industry is hotwired into the global economy; how businesses in the sector prepare for and respond to economic shocks is critical to long-term growth prospects.

Three quarters of business leaders would pay more taxes in exchange for greater clarity from authorities on what is acceptable. And while few expect a global agreement any time soon, the majority would like to see their governments take unilateral action to help achieve this aim.

As the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) meets today (22 July 2015) to discuss the 2017 implementation date for new global revenue recognition rules, Grant Thornton is asking the accounting board to delay implementation, as a global business survey finds that many businesses are not expecting to be ready by 2017.

Before Greece’s 'No' vote on Sunday, business optimism in Europe had surged ahead to its highest level in five years, despite the ongoing uncertainty over the future of Greece and its continued membership of the single currency.

Low productivity growth is a concern for policymakers across the globe. Steve Perkins, global leader for technology, says boosting R&D is the way to compensate for ageing populations and slower employment growth.

In the years leading up to the financial crisis, investors from developed economies poured money into emerging economies looking for big returns from in the world's fastest growing markets. But now investment is increasingly flowing from 'East' to 'West' as emerging markets slow, boosting the growth prospects of real estate and construction (REC) businesses in Europe and North America.

Companies outsource back-office business processes mainly to boost efficiency and reduce costs. Payroll, HR and accounting processes – the most common to be outsourced – are heavily transactional, and many companies determine that external specialists can execute these far more cost-effectively than they can themselves.

More businesses are spurred on by a ‘fear of missing out’ (known colloquially as ‘FOMO’) than by a positive desire for growth when expanding abroad, according to new research from Grant Thornton's International Business Report (IBR). Business leaders are a fifth more likely to expand when presented with a negatively framed scenario than with the exact same scenario that was framed positively.

Ed Nusbaum advises businesses not to forget the pain of the financial crisis: History will look back on the financial crisis that began in 2008 as a major shock to the global economy. IMF managing director, Christine Lagarde, has talked about the "scars" it left behind. Just as when a sportsman or woman suffers a severe injury, it takes time for economies to rediscover their best form.

Drawing on data and insight from the Grant Thornton International Business Report (IBR), the Grant Thornton Global Dynamism Index (GDI), the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), this short report considers the outlook for Latin America in 2015

Established players in the hospitality and tourism sector are having to work harder than ever to find growth. A series of recent events have disrupted demand in the short-term, but longer term, the rise of the digital economy is threatening traditional operating models and sales channels. Businesses in the sector need to be alive to the challenges posed by online travel agencies and aggregators (OTAs), as they try to build their brand and maintain market share.

The European recovery is gaining momentum according to Grant Thornton's International Business Report (IBR). However, drawing on interviews with more than 1,100 regional executives, the report uncovers a number of threats, from Greek debt negotiations to high unemployment, which continue to undermine European stability and long-term business growth prospects.

Businesses across Europe have greater concern about the prospect of the UK leaving the EU than Greece leaving the eurozone, according to new research from Grant Thornton. This comes just as the UK is about to go the polls in an election where a potential EU referendum is a major policy battleground, and just ahead of Greece’s deadline to repay almost €1billion to the International Monetary Fund in May.

Almost three months on from the launch of the European Central Bank's quantitative easing programme, new research from the Grant Thornton International Business Report (IBR) reveals a jump in business optimism in the eurozone in the first quarter of 2015, with confidence moving back up towards pre-crisis levels.

Companies are increasingly focused on high-quality strategic transactions, with less time spent on investigating peripheral opportunities, according to our International Business Report (IBR), a survey of 5,400+ business leaders in 35 economies.

Francesca Lagerberg explains why we continue to call for greater gender diversity in business and explains how our 2015 report - The path to leadership - adds to the debate.