Philip Morris International, 4SiGHT, conduct GCC survey on perception of transformation

A new survey conducted in Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and Kuwait has revealed a prevailing opinion that transformation is fundamental for businesses seeking new opportunities and growth. The survey, conducted independently by leading Dubai-based market research company 4SiGHT, was commissioned by Philip Morris International to understand the public’s perspective on business transformation. The survey also gauged opinion on companies that are currently undergoing transformation of their own, including PMI, which today is working to deliver a smoke-free future.

Drawing on the opinion of more than 2,000 respondents across the three GCC states, the survey revealed that, among KSA and UAE participants, the majority (84% and 82% respectively) agree that changing with the times encourages companies to innovate and create better business opportunities. Meanwhile, among respondents in Kuwait, the majority (82%) agreed that transformation will help businesses to grow and provide them with a better chance of thriving post-pandemic.

Digging deeper to understand the foundation of this success, the survey identified the most important initiatives for business transformation to focus upon. In KSA and the UAE, ensuring gender equality in the workplace was noted as the most important transformative initiative among companies by 79% and 83% of respondents respectively. In Kuwait, the largest number of respondents (45%) highlighted the need to align corporate transformation to the national agenda as the most important transformation-related initiative.

Respondents across the three markets did agree that companies are taking the necessary action to transform at the pace that’s required for the best results. The majority of participants in each market also agreed that they would be more likely to engage with a company that is currently undergoing transformation.

“These survey findings underline the need for businesses to commit to transformation and constant innovation because it is the consumers themselves who recognize the importance of business evolution to both progress in society and a company’s future prospects,” commented Tarkan Demirbas, PMI’s Area Vice-President for Middle East. “In fact, tangible change that are aligned with wider society provides a competitive advantage, because consumers are more likely to engage with these businesses,” added Demirbas.

The survey comes at a highly relevant time in PMI’s own evolution as the company continues to transform the tobacco industry to create a smoke-free future and replace cigarettes with better alternatives. Towards this future, the 4SiGHT survey revealed respondents’ perspectives on how the tobacco industry has adopted change.

In KSA, the highest percentage of respondents (43%) believed that the industry can embrace change better than other industries, while in the UAE, the largest majority (39%) believe that the industry has changed with time to innovate through science-based products. In Kuwait, 49% of respondents believe transformation is a fundamental pillar for long-term sustainability and industry success.

Looking at PMI, the majority (32%) of KSA respondents consider the company to be one that can embrace change as one of the most efficient within the industry. In Kuwait, the majority (37%) consider new innovation-driven opportunities as the main reason for transformation in the organization, while also agreeing that transformation is a fundamental pillar for long-term sustainability and success. Among UAE survey participants, the majority (33%) consider PMI as an organization that is shifting its core business model towards smoke-free practices.

“We are on our own journey to deliver a smoke-free future, and it is satisfying to see such a depth of understanding among the public on the importance and consequences of change for a business today,” said Demirbas. “As society moves forward, so too must the companies that serve consumers — regardless of their sector.”