EN_QSP x QSP SUMMIT 2025 Study

A MARKET RESEARCH STUDY FOR THE 18 TH EDITION OF

THE NEW STRATEGIC DRIVERS A MARKET RESEARCH STUDY CONDUCTED BY

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THE NEW STRATEGIC DRIVERS

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THE NEW STRATEGIC DRIVERS Leadership, talent, and strategic agility are at the heart of future organizational priorities. This is the starting point for the results of the study “The New Strategic Drivers”, conducted by QSP – Marketing Management & Research, which anticipates the key themes of the 18 th edition of the QSP SUMMIT, taking place from July 1–3, 2025, in Porto and Matosinhos.

Based on responses from professionals across different sectors and hierarchical levels, the study outlines the most urgent axes of organizational transformation: talent, technology, culture, and agility.

More information on www.qspsummit.pt.

THE NEW STRATEGIC DRIVERS

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SAMPLE PROFILE PROFESSIONAL STATUS

INDUSTRY SEGMENT

EMPLOYEE

67,3

OWNER / PARTNER

26,2 %

%

SELF-EMPLOYED | FREELANCER

5,4 %

OTHER

1,2 %

JOB TITLE

CONSULTING, SCIENTIFIC, TECHNICAL & SIMILAR ACTIVITIES

14,9 %

INDUSTRY

12,5 %

BANKING, FINANCE & INSURANCE

10,1 %

RETAIL

8,3 %

ENGINEERING & CONSTRUCTION

8,3 %

EDUCATION

6,5 %

MEDIA

5,4 %

PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

4,8 %

TRANSPORT & LOGISTICS

4,2 %

PRESIDENT, CEO, MANAGER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

36,3 %

HEALTHCARE

3,0 %

DEPARTMENT HEAD

23,8 %

ADMINISTRATIVE & SUPPORT SERVICES

3,0 %

MIDDLE MANAGEMENT

13,7 %

ENERGY

2,4 %

SPECIALIST

8,3 %

ACCOMMODATION, FOOD & BEVERAGE

1,2 %

TEAM LEADER / COORDINATOR , LEAD

7,1 %

AGRICULTURE, FISHING, ANIMAL PROD. & SIMILAR

1,2 %

SENIOR EXECUTIVE

7,1 %

WHOLESALE

1,2 %

MID-LEVEL EXECUTIVE

3,0 %

REAL ESTATE

1,2 %

JUNIOR EXECUTIVE

0,6 %

OTHER

11,9 %

COMPANY SIZE MORE THAN 250 EMPLOYEES

34,5 %

DOES THE COMPANY OPERATE IN PORTUGAL?

BETWEEN 50 AND 249 EMPLOYEES BETWEEN 10 AND 49 EMPLOYEES

25,6 % 23,8 %

YES

97,6 %

LESS THAN 10 EMPLOYEES

16,1 %

NO

2,4 %

AMONG THOSE OPERATING IN PORTUGAL...

COMPANY AGE

IS THE COMPANY LEGALLY BASED IN PORTUGAL?

OVER 20 YEARS

60,7 %

BETWEEN 10 AND 19 YEARS

20,8 %

YES, IT IS IN PORTUGAL

LESS THAN 10 YEARS

18,5 %

NO, THE LEGAL BASE IS ABROAD

93,3 % 6,7 %

Study conducted through online surveys with professionals from various industry segments and roles, between April 23 and May 20, 2025.

A total sample of 168 valid responses was collected, with an associated margin of error of 7,56%, at a 95% confidence level, assuming maximum variability.

THE NEW STRATEGIC DRIVERS

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LEADERSHIP IN TRANSITION AND FUTURE DRIVERS Leadership emerges as one of the key pressure points. The need for transformation is widely acknowledged: 89,3% of respondents believe that the new strategic drivers require new leadership profiles - an opinion that spans diverse professional contexts. This perception is especially strong among employees (93,8%) and self-employed workers/freelancers (100%).

Among business owners and shareholders, there is a wider range of views regarding the urgency of this shift.

NEW STRATEGIC DRIVERS REQUIRE NEW LEADERSHIP PROFILES?

YES

89,3% NO

5,4%

NOT SURE

5,4%

Beyond the consensus on the need for new leadership profiles, there is a critical view of the readiness of current leadership: 59,5% consider that most leaders are unprepared to face emerging challenges, while only 0,6% believe they are truly ready.

ARE LEADERS PREPARED TO FACE THE NEW STRATEGIC CHALLENGES?

59,5%

38,7%

NO, MOST ARE NOT YET PREPARED

THEY ARE REASONABLY PREPARED

THE NEW STRATEGIC DRIVERS

1,2%

0,6%

NOT SURE

YES, THEY ARE WELL PREPARED

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LEADERSHIP IN TRANSITION AND FUTURE DRIVERS The most relevant strategic drivers for the future of organizations are talent and skills management (51,8%), artificial intelligence and automation (47%) and digital transformation (36,9%). Organizational culture, innovation, ethics, and transparency are also seen as key priorities. Topics such as diversity and inclusion, while relevant, are less frequently cited.

WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING ARE THE MOST RELEVANT NEW STRATEGIC DRIVERS FOR THE FUTURE OF ORGANIZATIONS?

TALENT MANAGEMENT AND SKILLS

51,8% ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND AUTOMATION

47,0% TECHNOLOGY AND DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

36,9% ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE AND ENGAGEMENT

35,7% INNOVATION IN BUSINESS MODELS

27,4% BUSINESS ETHICS AND TRANSPARENCY

22,0% STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION AND REPUTATION

17,3% SUSTAINABILITY AND ESG

16,7% EDUCATION AND CONTINUOUS LEARNING

16,7% PERFORMANCE AND RESULTS

14,3% DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION

7,7% OTHER

1,2%

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HOW TO RESPOND: TRAINING, EXPERIMENTATION CULTURE AND AGILE GOVERNANCE To address these new challenges, professionals emphasize the development of more human and adaptive leadership, enhanced continuous training, and the promotion of a culture of experimentation. Agile governance models, strategic alliances, and R&D investment are also valued as key strategies.

WHICH APPROACHES ARE MOST EFFECTIVE IN EXPLORING NEW STRATEGIC DRIVERS?

DEVELOPING MORE HUMAN-CENTERED AND ADAPTIVE LEADERSHIP

50,6% FOCUSING IN CONTINUOUS LEARNING AND RESKILLING

41,1% ADOPTING A CULTURE OF EXPERIMENTATION AND CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

39,9% INVESTING IN INNOVATION AND R&D

38,7% CREATING STRATEGIC ALLIANCES AND PARTNERSHIPS

34,5% IMPLEMENTING AGILE AND FLEXIBLE GOVERNANCE MODELS

32,7% FOSTERING INTERNAL COLLABORATION AND NETWORKING

29,2% ENCOURAGING ACTIVE LISTENING AND TRANSPARENT COMMUNICATION

22,6%

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HOW TO RESPOND: TRAINING, EXPERIMENTATION CULTURE AND AGILE GOVERNANCE However, only 10,7% of companies report having a strategy highly adaptable to changes.

A quarter (25,6%) acknowledge real difficulties in adapting, and 10,1% do not even have a formal strategy in place. Digital maturity emerges as a key factor: more advanced companies in this area also tend to be more agile and resilient.

DO YOU BELIEVE YOUR COMPANY’S BUSINESS STRATEGY IS ADAPTABLE TO RAPID CHANGES?

53,6%

25,6%

YES, MODERATELY ADAPTABLE

NO, ADAPTATION IS DIFFICULT

10,7%

10,1%

YES, HIGHLY ADAPTABLE

WE DO NOT HAVE A FORMALIZED STRATEGY

Organizations are at different stages of digital maturity, and this evolution is significantly influenced by their size. Data shows that companies with over 250 employees tend to be more advanced in their digital transformation: 42,9% are in a transition phase, while 41,1% report having already implemented changes, although still undergoing adjustments. In contrast, smaller organizations (with less than 10 employees) are more frequently in early stages (51,9%) or report having no applicable strategy (28,6%).

IN TERMS OF DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION, WHERE WOULD YOU PLACE YOUR ORGANIZATION?

36,9%

33,3%

19,0%

IN A TRANSITIONAL PHASE

IMPLEMENTED BUT STILL ADJUSTING

AT AN INITIAL STAGE

THE NEW STRATEGIC DRIVERS

6,5%

4,2%

FULLY DIGITALLY TRANSFORMED

NOT APPLICABLE

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CULTURE AND PEOPLE REMAIN AT THE CORE Culturally, the most cited values are customer focus (47,6%), results orientation (38,1%) and excellence and quality (37,5%). Collaboration, ethics, and innovation are also frequently mentioned, highlighting a business culture focused on performance and value delivery.

WHICH CULTURAL VALUES BEST DEFINE YOUR ORGANIZATION?

CUSTOMER FOCUS

47,6% RESULTS ORIENTATION

38,1% EXCELLENCE AND QUALITY

37,5% COLLABORATION AND TEAMWORK

33,3% INTEGRITY AND ETHICS

27,4% INNOVATION AND CREATIVITY

25,6% CONTINUOUS DEVELOPMENT

17,9% SUSTAINABILITY AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

16,1% AGILITY AND ADAPTABILITY TO CHANGE

10,7% LEADERSHIP AND EMPOWERMENT

8,9% INCLUSION AND DIVERSITY

6,0% OTHER

1,2%

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CULTURE AND PEOPLE REMAIN AT THE CORE In people management, the main challenges identified are employee well-being and motivation (31%), talent retention (24,4%) and skills development (18,5%).

WHAT IS THE BIGGEST CURRENT CHALLENGE IN PEOPLE MANAGEMENT?

MOTIVATION & WELL-BEING

31,0%

EMPLOYEE RETENTION

24,4%

SKILLS DEVELOPMENT

18,5%

MANAGING HYBRID / REMOTE TEAMS

7,1%

TALENT ATTRACTION

16,7%

OTHER

2,4%

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CRITICAL SKILLS FOR THE FUTURE The most valued skills for the future include critical thinking and problem solving (57,1%), adaptability (39,9%), ability to work with AI and data (38,7%), emotional intelligence (37,5%) and digital literacy (35,1%). These skills balance technical expertise with relational intelligence and are seen as essential to navigate growing complexity.

WHICH SKILLS DO YOU CONSIDER MOST CRITICAL TO KEEP PACE WITH THE NEW STRATEGIC DRIVERS FOR THE FUTURE OF ORGANIZATIONS?

CRITICAL THINKING AND PROBLEM SOLVING

57,1% ADAPTABILITY AND ROLE FLEXIBILITY

39,9% ABILITY TO WORK WITH DATA AND AI

38,7% EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

37,5% DIGITAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL LITERACY

35,1% COMMUNICATION AND COLLABORATION

24,4% ABILITY TO LEARN AND UNLEARN QUICKLY

20,8% CURIOSITY AND INQUIRY

20,2% ETHICAL AWARENESS AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

11,3% ABILITY TO WORK IN DIVERSE AND INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENTS

8,3%

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THE NEW STRATEGIC DRIVERS “The results of this study reflect a clear awareness among organizations that leadership models, talent structures, and adaptability are critical competitive factors in a context of accelerated change. More than identifying trends, this work is intended as a strategic contribution to help companies reassess their priorities, align their internal cultures, and develop the right capabilities to lead the future with ambition, responsibility, and vision.

In a world where technology plays an increasingly central role, the focus must remain on people – on their adaptability, the development of critical skills, and the building of more agile, inclusive, and continuously learning organizational cultures. It is in this balance between technological innovation and human development that the sustainability of organizations in the near future largely lies.”

Pedro Carneiro - Head of Marketing Research @ QSP

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A MARKET RESEARCH BY

FOR THE 18

TH

EDITION OF