New Accenture research of Chief Strategy Officers around the world found that disruption-ready companies are strategizing and operating in remarkably different ways. See three new imperatives for utilities to thrive in the face of devastating disruption.

1. Thriving on Disruption:
How utilities can become fearless in
the face of devastating innovation

2. 2
Only 30% of Chief Strategy Officers from utilities
organizations believe their company is prepared
for sudden industry disruption.
Copyright © 2016 Accenture All rights reserved.
What can utilities do to prepare?

3. 3Copyright © 2016 Accenture All rights reserved.
New Accenture research, of more than 560 Chief
Strategy Officers representing 10 industries and 11
countries, found that disruption-ready companies are
both strategizing and operating in remarkably different
ways—an approach Accenture calls thriving on
disruption.

4. 4
Don’t face disruption alone.
Deepen and broaden alliances with a diverse array of
companies in and beyond the industry.
Make yourself indispensable.
Become a critical part of the integrated solutions that
customers demand.
Embrace operational flexibility.
Consider what organizational changes will be needed to be
more collaborative and open.
Copyright © 2016 Accenture All rights reserved.
What it takes to thrive in the face of devastating
disruption
Three new imperatives:

5. 5Copyright © 2016 Accenture All rights reserved.
Don’t face disruption alone
A growth agenda based on collaboration with
partners
Take action:
• Collaborate with greater intensity
• Embrace a wide range of partners
• Seek out non-traditional partnerships to help evolve into new market
opportunities
• Use collaborative partnerships to pivot on core strengths—with the
potential to grow into entirely new offerings
50%of Utilities CSOs state*
that their company’s growth
agenda will rely on collaborative
partnerships in the next 5 years
(*significant/to a very large extent)

6. 6
Make yourself indispensable
A key ingredient for disruption preparedness:
Platform investment
Invest in new platform business models that can unlock hidden value for customers,
partners and the organization.
% of Utilities CSOs stating that their company engages in this practice somewhat more/significantly more than five years ago
78%
Integrate new technology,
techniques and knowledge
into the business
76%
Use acquisitions to bring new
technology, techniques
people into the business
71%
Integrate the company’s
offerings into a larger
network of offerings
Copyright © 2016 Accenture All rights reserved.

7. 7
Break through complex business processes and traditional corporate cultures,
accelerating operational changes to nurture external collaborations simply and effectively.
Embrace operational flexibility
A rethink of operations to build greater
flexibility
Implement new operating procedures in collaboration
with partners
Change internal processes to ensure the company
can quickly shift resources to address critical needs
Provide incentives for employees to engage in
alliances with other companies
Copyright © 2016 Accenture All rights reserved.
% of Utilities CSOs stating that their company engages in this practice somewhat more/significantly more than five years ago
73%
68%
71%

8. 8
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About Accenture
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About the Research
The Accenture Institute for High Performance surveyed 561 chief
strategy officers between November 2015 and February 2016.
Our goal was to identify the attitudes and behaviors of companies
that reported being most prepared for disruptive innovation in
their industries. The questionnaire was a combination of open-
response interview questions as well as closed-response single-
or multiple-choice selections. Participating CSOs represented
companies headquartered in 10 industries and 11 countries,
all with reported revenues of over US$1 billion.
Learn more about Thriving on Disruption.
Copyright © 2016 Accenture All rights reserved.
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Delivered are trademarks of Accenture.