McKinsey Global Surveys

Conducting research with global executives on the pressing business, economic, and management issues they face.

Since 2004, McKinsey Global Publishing’s survey team has polled our panel of thousands of executives and managers to generate new and distinctive insights on today’s critical business topics. The findings from our surveys help business leaders to understand best practices, compare their companies’ ways of working and performance with a global benchmark, and make informed and effective decisions.

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Our Latest Survey Research

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Why accelerated resource allocation matters in the age of AI

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In an era of rapid AI disruption, the winners may not be the companies that predict the future most accurately, but those that learn, reallocate resources, and adapt faster than their competitors.

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The age of AI

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Survey
McKinsey Global Tech Agenda 2026
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Our Global Tech Agenda 2026 shows that top CIOs are rewiring their companies for growth, deploying agentic AI and data monetization to create measurable business value.
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The state of AI in 2025: Agents, innovation, and transformation
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Almost all survey respondents say their organizations are using AI, and many have begun to use AI agents. But most are still in the early stages of scaling AI and capturing enterprise-level value.
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The state of AI: How organizations are rewiring to capture value
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Organizations are beginning to create the structures and processes that lead to meaningful value from gen AI. While still in early days, companies are redesigning workflows, elevating governance, and mitigating more risks.
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Gen AI’s next inflection point: From employee experimentation to organizational transformation
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As many employees adopt generative AI at work, companies struggle to follow suit. To capture value from current momentum, businesses must transform their processes, structures, and approach to talent.
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The state of AI in early 2024: Gen AI adoption spikes and starts to generate value
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As generative AI adoption accelerates, survey respondents report measurable benefits and increased mitigation of the risk of inaccuracy. A small group of high performers lead the way.

Transforming the business for the future

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How top economic performers lean into their competitive advantage to guide their strategy
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Top economic performers understand their competitive advantage at more granular levels than their peers and use it to derisk and help accelerate growth.
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Four dos and don’ts for CFOs leading transformations
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In a new survey, CFOs report a continued push to transform their organizations. Here’s how they can best support those efforts.
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Investing in innovation: Three ways to do more with less
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In times of disruption, many organizations freeze their innovation spending despite its critical importance for long-term growth. Here’s how to avoid that trap.

Economic sentiment

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Economic conditions outlook, June 2026
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In early June, executives were more downbeat on the economy than they have been in years and reported divided expectations for the coming months. Energy prices loomed large, and companies have been making defensive changes in response.
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Economic conditions outlook, 2025
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In a reversal from earlier in the year, economic sentiment turns more optimistic, with declining focus on trade policy and growing confidence in companies’ prospects.
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Survey results: Expectations for company performance, by industry
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Compared with the first three quarters of 2025, survey respondents share more optimistic views for their companies’ future profits and demand.

Long-term perspectives on finance

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Tying short-term decisions to long-term strategy
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A new survey confirms the well-founded principles behind the allocation of resources for long-term value creation.
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CFOs’ balancing act: Juggling priorities to build resilience
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As surveyed CFOs concurrently manage defensive and growth-oriented considerations, they expect major changes in the months ahead and see two pivotal paths for strengthening their organizations.
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In the face of volatility, CFOs—and their organizations—adapt
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Our newest survey of CFOs finds that despite their growing concern over volatility and inflation, finance leaders plan to keep their organizations moving forward.

MORE INSIGHTS

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Economic conditions outlook, 2024
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A month after the US elections, potential changes to trade relationships and other policies are top of mind for executives. Expectations for the global economy remain largely stable.
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Five steps to strengthen M&A capabilities, no matter the starting point
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The most experienced acquirers continue to outpace competitors, and their approach can guide companies with less extensive—or rusty—M&A capabilities.
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Better together: Three ways to boost board–CEO collaboration
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As the board’s role becomes ever more complicated, stronger partnership with management, especially the CEO, can help directors create the most value for their organizations.
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Economic conditions outlook during turbulent times, 2023
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With geopolitical concerns the highest they have been all year, respondents’ views on the global economy continue to sour—but remain cautiously optimistic about economic conditions at home.
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CEOs’ choice for growth: Building new businesses
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Business leaders and investors see now as an opportune time to build new businesses. New survey data reveals what’s really needed.
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The seven habits of programmatic acquirers
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Our latest research shows that programmatic acquirers continue to create value from this approach to M&A and identifies the capabilities and practices these companies use to deliver their M&A strategies.
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Five key questions to get a tech transformation right
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The most financially successful companies approach tech transformations differently from the rest, and their methods suggest a road map for success that others can follow.
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How to implement transformations for long-term impact
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When it comes to implementing large-scale organizational change, the most successful organizations commit themselves fully to the effort from start to finish.
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ESG momentum: Seven reported traits that set organizations apart
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Survey respondents reporting increased ESG impact say their organizations focus on both protecting and creating value.
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Stop wasting your most precious resource: Middle managers
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In the modern workplace, middle managers face many challenges. A new survey finds three areas where organizations can better support their managers and help them accomplish more.
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Into the storm: CFOs pivot to managing financial headwinds
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The latest McKinsey Global Survey shows that CFOs have been reshuffling priorities as the global economy grapples with a slew of financial risks.

McKinsey’s Global Survey Panel is a community of more than 33,000 participants around the world. Members of the panel receive an exclusive first look at the survey results before they are published, as well as membership in a private LinkedIn group and immediate access to carefully curated McKinsey knowledge on the survey topic.

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About us

Heather Hanselman is a senior editor in McKinsey’s Atlanta office, and Daniella Seiler is an executive editor in the Washington, DC, office.