Executives rely on trusted, credible thought leadership, and that’s why we are so proud to announce that the IBM Institute for Business Value has been ranked the #1 thought leadership producer by Source Global Research for quality of thought leadership among leading consultancy and technology firms.
The ranking, based on Source’s White Space quality assessment methodology, evaluates 19 leading consultancy and technology firms by reviewing a random sample of each firm’s thought leadership. The IBM Institute for Business Value (IBV) is IBM’s thought leadership think tank, and has appeared in the top three since 2012 when the ranking was first established, finishing in the #1 spot five times out of the last 13 years, including this year.
The evaluation is based on four categories: differentiation, appeal, resilience, and prompting action. IBM appears in the top two in all categories, leading in appeal and prompting action.
The four pillars of the Source methodology
 | Differentiation:
|
 | Appeal:
|
 | Resilience:
|
 | Prompting action:
|
The quality analysis includes this analysis by the Source evaluators:
IBM excels in uncovering novel perspectives within familiar territories, often delving deeply into overlooked subjects, thereby crafting reports that stand out in both scale and depth.
With an even higher score than previous years, IBM continues to impress with its refined presentation and the seamless transition from engaging landing pages to well-designed reports. Its adept use of clear data visualization and compelling case studies enhances the appeal of the firm’s content. One report stands out: Seven Bets: It’s Time to Bet on the Future. From its captivating landing page to its well-structured content and compelling case studies, this report exemplifies IBM’s ability to create truly engaging and informative material.
Seven Bets was featured at IBM meetings during the 2023 World Economic Forum, and was presented to a standing-room-only crowd at the IBM Think conference in 2023 by Salima Lin and Jesus Mantas.
Three IBV reports also appear in the top 10, more than any other organization:
- Make Quantum Readiness Real, which introduces a quantum readiness index and reflects the impact of preparedness. The Source analysts had this to say: This report features strong data visualizations, providing a clear and engaging representation of the findings. The specificity about how IBM can assist in quantum computing is particularly notable, as it highlights the company’s unique capabilities and resources. Additionally, the report’s recommendations are detailed and actionable, accompanied by numerous specific quantum resources and links. Overall, the piece demonstrates a high level of expertise in the field of quantum computing, making it a standout in its sample.
- Modernize Record to Report, which illustrates how proper data management and the combination of automation and AI can modernize the record-to-report finance function.
- Women in Leadership, a report co-published with Chief, which analyzes the reasons the pipeline of women in leadership roles continues to stagnate.
Why is thought leadership important to executives?
Fake thought leadership is everywhere – especially now when any fledgling prompt engineer can use generative AI to create content.
Thought leadership is a critical tool for executives operating in uncharted territory. It provides provocative, evidence-based insights and lets business leaders explore challenges without the bias inherent in internal brainstorms. Building on primary research, external expertise, and practical examples, it delivers distinctive, evidence-based intelligence that helps leaders make smarter, faster business decisions. It builds trust and credibility—which may be why so many executives regularly spend time with thought leadership. IBV research shows that almost nine in ten (88%) executives say they spend about two hours each week consuming thought leadership.
Why are they so invested? Almost all (96%) business leaders who consume thought leadership say they make better decisions as a result. And those results inspire them to take action: 87% of US executives say they made a specific purchase decision in the previous 90 days as a direct result of consuming thought leadership.
So what IS thought leadership anyway?
Thought leadership is a distinct type of content. It is a narrative that analyzes a business challenge using distinctive, evidence-based intelligence which results in insight that helps leaders make smarter, faster business decisions. There are three requirements for thought leadership that other types of content do not have:
- It must be evidence-based. Meaning it has to be backed by rigorous, credible research. It can’t simply offer a point of view or someone’s opinion like a blog, a podcast, or an explainer.
- It must identify a new business challenge or examine an old business problem and deliver new insights. It can’t simply report or repeat what is already known like a news story or feature article.
- It must offer actions that help leaders move toward a solution to the business challenge. However—and this is essential—thought leadership cannot veer into marketing or sales by pitching specific products or services like an advertisement or endorsement.
Getting the definition and execution right matters because—as our research has revealed—the best thought leadership has a measurable and material impact on those who consume it. To influence decisions and drive long-term, mutually-beneficial client relationships, it must be bias-free, trusted, supported by data, and clearly actionable. When it is, it’s one of the best relationship-building investments any business can make.
Because there is so much interest in, confusion about, and opportunity for thought leadership, the time is right for a professional association to represent those who produce bona fide thought leadership.
Introducing the Global Thought Leadership Institute (GTLI)
On 11 June, APQC, the organization known for quality, benchmarks and productivity, announced the establishment of a new Global Thought Leadership Institute (GTLI). The GTLI is a not-for-profit organization advocating for the standardized practice, production, and promotion of high-quality thought leadership. Through its network of world class thought leaders, researchers, marketers, editors, designers, influencers, and others, GTLI promotes the development of distinctive, evidence-based intelligence that gives business leaders the insights they need to make better decisions.
The IBM Institute for Business Value is a founding organizer of the GTLI, and holds two seats on the board of advisors, filled by Anthony Marshall, who serves as chair, and Cindy Anderson. They are joined on the board by leaders from McKinsey, EY, KPMG, and Accenture.
One of the first tasks this organization will undertake is to build a capability maturity model and metrics that measure the value of thought leadership, with a view to creating a certification framework for thought leadership.
Congratulations to Salima Lin, Peter Korsten and the entire IBM Institute for Business Value team on these important achievements!
