The McCrindle Blog

Our recent release, Top Leadership Styles and Characteristics, has attracted an array of media flurry, featuring in The Australian, The Herald Sun, 612 ABC Brisbane, Leading Company, and HC Magazine. 

In our research, 38% of Australians stated that leadership and management determine the outcomes of whether a business grows and flourishes or struggles and declines.

Visit our blog or click below for the full report on the Top Leadership Styles and Characteristics:

For a more comprehensive look at McCrindle Research in the media, click here to go to our Media page.

What Australians look for in their boss The Australian	Flourishing or struggling: Ideal Leaders 612 ABC Brisbane
Screw 'inspirational,' workers prefer competent: study on preferred leadeship traits Leading Company	What makes an ideal leader? HC Magazine

An effective leader is someone who can communicate rationally, connect relationally, manage practically and lead directionally and strategically. Effective leaders demonstrate not just IQ but EQ – they share knowledge and information yet understand emotion and connection.

A recent McCrindle Research study surveyed over 580 Australian on their desired leadership styles and the characteristic values they would like to see in their ideal leader.

Leadership : Most important factors in growth or decline

When asked to comment on the factor which has the largest impact on determining whether a business grows and flourishes or struggles and declines, the number 1 response of Australians, given by 38% of respondents, was that leadership and management determine these outcomes.

The tasks of direction setting, leading the team, and managing business movements that determine the success or failure of the business are primarily dependant on the leadership and management team, Australians noted.  34% of Australians stated that employees – particularly their attitudes and work ethics – have the largest impact on determining business growth or decline, followed by products and services (17%), suppliers and clients (7%), and systems and procedures (5%).

Leader authority versus team participation and ownership

Australians prefer greater levels of team participation and ownership over leadership authority. 57% of Australians surveyed indicated that they prefer a high level of team participation and ownership, compared with 45% who prefer a high level of leader authority.

The ideal Australian leadership is an environment in which team participation is encouraged and direction is given by strong leadership – only 3% of Australians indicated a preference for low levels of leadership involvement, and only 2% indicated a low level of team participation. In fact, when asked about flexible working options in the workplace, 96% of Australians deemed it necessary to gather and collaborate in order to achieve maximum output and develop cultural cohesion.

Ideal leadership values

When Australians were asked to rank the leadership values of their ideal leader, competence was ranked as the highest priority. Australians prefer a leader who is driven towards outcomes and objectives, with ambitious being the second-ranked ideal leadership value. Broad-mindedness was next on the list, with Australians desiring to be led by individuals who are open to new ideas, innovation, and change. Australians ranked caring as fourth, showing a desire for empathy in their working environment. Cooperation also made it into the Top 5 ideal leadership values, showing the Aussie desire for mutual teamwork.

Find out more in the full report on the Top Leadership Styles and Characteristics:

The McCrindle Research Strategic Research™ Model is a holistic approach to market research which ensures that the findings are actionable and the insights have strategic impacts. The eight phases to our Strategic Research Model begin with the areas covered by traditional research but take the research data and apply it to the business operations. Data and research is an asset, yet many organisations end up warehousing this valuable asset because it has not been designed functionally, communicated effectively, nor implemented strategically.

The massive problem with a warehoused research asset is that it ages and depreciates quickly to the point that the investment in this significant research becomes largely wasted. Our methodologies and experience show that with a small investment in clever design, innovative communication of the findings and strategic facilitation can maximise the research investment and transform products, operations and organisations.

The eight stages of our strategic process are:

1. Briefing

Good research asks good questions, and this begins at the briefing stage. The history, the context and the current needs inform and shape the process.

2. Planning

While we’re known for our innovative output forms, it’s our innovative research methods and effective research process which ensure actionable outcomes.

3. Scoping

From environmental scans to industry assessments, from demographic analysis to reviewing existing reports, our approach is to maximise the existing research assets.

4. Researching

Conducting research, whether it be qualitative, quantitative, ethnographic or meta-analysis, is central to our process- it is the core, but it’s not the whole.

5. Analysing

Our focus of building the bridge between the research data and the business operations, enables us to multi-layer the data, identify the patterns and develop the insights.

6. Communicating

When research tells a story, when it can be seen and not just read, when it is communicated in accessible and understandable ways, only then can it be understood across the organisation and applied to make a difference.

7. Implementing

Research is not an end in itself, but conducted so that answers can be found, improvements made, consumers identified and solutions applied. Through our report recommendations, strategy sessions, staff workshops, communications collateral, video summaries and ongoing strategic consulting, we ensure the research becomes a growth asset not a cost.

8. Reviewing

Our strategic research model is focused on adding value and ensuring that the research has an ongoing impact for our clients. And this is assisted through our long term commitment to ongoing engagement and review process.

Want to know more? Download our Strategic Research Model:

A YEAR OF BLOGGING BY THE NUMBERS

Over the last year, we have had more than...

n 130 posts

n 1000 pages of content uploaded

n 300,000 views

n 4 SlideShare “Presentations of the Day” status

n 3 visual.ly “Front page” status

n And more than 100 research topics summarised and presented!

We’re delighted that the blog has just been recognised by the National Library of Australia as being of national cultural significance and is now archived as part of the PANDORA collection. 

Thank you for your interest and we will keep posting as much of our commissioned and independent research as we are able to, making Year 2 of our blog even bigger than Year 1!

There is an earthy humility in our self-image. In defining Australia, the most mentioned quality in a recent McCrindle study was that this is the land of the “fair go”. For many Australians this is about equality for all and giving everyone a go – 68% define “fair go” as “equality – same rules and benefits for all”.

Additionally, almost one in four (23%) Australians believe that this “fair go” quality is about supporting those in need such as refugees. Our lives are increasingly busy and complex yet our culture is down-to-earth.

As Dan from Victoria mentioned in the research: 

“Where else in the world can you call a complete stranger ‘mate’?” 

While mateship is a term traditionally used among men, its definition is now more inclusive – 70% of Australians agree with the statement that mateship is “helping anyone in need regardless of who they are”. The vast majority of males (80%) as well as females (74%) agree with this statement.

Australia is collaborative rather than individualistic. This teamwork, a mix of mateship and altruism, sets us apart from other cultures. It gives us a sense of belonging to something bigger than the individual, and empowers a “can do” attitude. Ian from Belaire in South Australia states: 

“Australians are legendary for their generosity and ability to collaborate to get things done. We also have a great sense of humour and a larrikin nature that endears us to all.”

Whether at a street, city, state or national level, the Australian spirit unites us, not just to celebrate success, but also to battle adversity. Having experienced diverse and sometimes harsh environments and situations, Australians do not shy away from hardship, but bond together to tackle it.

In the survey, Tim from Camberwell, Victoria, said: 

“What makes Australia great is the way we band together when things get tough.”

The Australian values of mateship and a fair go have often been linked to our convict heritage, the 1850s gold rush, the trenches and battlefields of Gallipoli, our Judeo-Christian roots and, of course, the hardship endured by battlers, shearers and squatters in the harsh Australian bush. As our research shows, even in the 21st century, it’s still the essence of the Australian spirit. While these values are not confined to the Australian community, they are part of our national character and commonly celebrated on national holidays and in Australian literature, poetry and songs.

True stories of great kindness from total strangers can be found in Mark’s book, The Power of Good, available for purchase here.

The McCrindle Research Consumer Trends Wheel is our proprietary device for assessing the impact of 6 key areas on existing or prospective consumers. Demographical, social, generational, financial, technological and attitudinal factors are analysed in this consumer trends scan process. Here is a general example with some of the key impacts transforming today's global consumers. For individualised or targeted consumer trends analysis, do not hesitate to get in contact.

Click here to download the McCrindle Consumer Trends Wheel:

Teleworking and telecommuting are concepts (and terms) that have been around since the early 1970’s, but have become a recent reality for many as technology and work culture are shifting.  By 2020, through the completion of the National Broadband Network, the government aims to provide greater opportunities for Australians to work remotely, with the aim for 12 percent of all public servants to regularly telecommute.

A recent McCrindle Research survey of over 580 Australians shows that Australians are eager to make significant changes to their working styles, embracing the freedom to work from home or remote of their primary location of work.

Most would stay longer if offered teleworking

80% of those surveyed stated that they would more likely stay longer with an existing employer should that employer provide them with the flexibility of working remotely or from home. Women expressed this in a greater capacity than men, with 82% of women agreeing this to be true for them, compared to 78% of men. The desire for flexible working arrangements was greatest among full-time workers, 86% of whom expressed the potential for increased longevity in their current role should teleworking be made available to them.

Most would take a pay cut for teleworking

Most employees (52% of men and 51% of women) are prepared to forego a percentage of their pay in exchange for greater flexibility in their working arrangements. While a lesser percentage of Baby Boomers showed such a capacity to forego pay, still almost half (46%) of them would be prepared to put a price on flexibility.

28% of Australians would be willing to earn 5% less for significant flexibility, and 14% of Australians would be willing to earn around 10% less to telework. 1 in 16 Australians would even be willing to compromise 20% of their pay – an entire day’s pay on a full-time load – in exchange for the opportunity to work remotely or from home.

Most are more productive working from home

55% of Australians reported being slightly or significantly more productive working from home than in an office environment. Productivity from home increases with age: While only 45% of Gen Ys report being more productive from home, this number rises to 52% for Gen Xs and 61% for the Baby Boomers. The Builder generation, those 68 and older, report the greatest personal productivity in a home-working environment, with 73% of them reporting greater personal productivity.

Australians spend most of their time working in one location

46% of Australians currently spend all of their working time in their primary location of work. 31% spend anywhere up to 20% of their time working from a remote location, 13% spend between 20 and 80% working remotely, and 10% of Australians work remotely more than 80% of their working time.

1 in 5 Australians work in 3 or more locations

While employers have shown a greater degree of flexibility for telecommuting than in the past, 54% of Australians still work from one central office location. However, 25% of Australians have a second location from which they conduct at least one hour’s work every week, 12% of Australians have 3 or 4 locations that they are based from, and 10% of Aussie workers work across 5 or more locations every single week.

Most want to do some work from home

When given the choice, 78% Aussies expressed a desire to spend at least a certain amount of their time working from home. Of these, 36% expressed a desire to work mainly in the workplace but partly at home, 24% desired to work half their working time in both places, and 40% expressed that they would like to work mainly at home and partly at home.

81% of those employed on a part-time basis showed a desire to work at home at some capacity, compared to only 70% of those who are employed full-time.

More popular and productive for introverts

The benefit of teleworking for introverts is greater than for extroverts. Introverts are 30% more productive working from home than extroverts. If given the choice, over a third of introverts (34%) would choose to work mainly at home and only partly in the workplace, whereas only 1 in 5 extroverts (22%) would choose the same. Conversely, extroverts are 32% more likely than introverts to want to work mainly in the workplace and only partly at home.

But gathering centrally is still essential

In terms of culture and output, the majority of Australians value the group collective, stating that in order to promote the best team outcomes, times for gathering and brainstorming as well as the capacity to work with varying degrees of flexibility is key. Only 18% of Australians feel that collective productivity is greatest when everyone is working in one place with no teleworking options. Over two thirds of Aussies (68%) stated that the culture and output of a workplace is best when everyone is working in one place with a degree of flexibility for teleworking, or when there is a time for gathering and working together but also a significant time for working remotely. Only 1 in 10 Australians would say that productivity is best when workers largely work independently with occasional gathering, and very few Australians (4%) report seeing no need for workers to gather in order to achieve maximum output or develop cultural cohesion.

About this Study: This research was conducted by McCrindle Research in May 2013 based on a nationwide study of 586 respondents.

Click here for the full report:

Australia has always been an entrepreneurial nation, with small business the backbone of the economy and the labour force. The Australian spirit of independence, a DIY attitude and the courage to give things a go are strongly demonstrated in these latest business statistics. The tough economic times and the terrain in which small business operates is having an impact, however, with only half (51%) of new business starts surviving 4 years in operation. For many Australians, the entrepreneurial dream is still alive but as demonstrated by the survival rates of new businesses, without better support, only a minority will achieve success.

Small businesses still dominate

Small businesses continue to dominate the Australian economy, with 3 in 5 Australian businesses not employing staff, and 9 in 10 businesses employing less than 20 workers. Just under a third of all businesses (29.0%) have a turnover of less than $50,000 annually, with another third (34.5%) turning over between $50,000 and $200,000 each year.

More businesses than ever but slow growth:

There is almost 1 actively trading business for every 10 Australians – more than 2.14 million of them. The total number of businesses has grown by 3.4% in the last 4 years*, while the national population has increased by 6.8%, and the GDP has grown a total of 8.5%.

Tough conditions and half new businesses don’t survive:

Highlighting the tough business environment, of all the new businesses started 4 years ago, almost half (51.0%) are no longer operating. Of the more than 2 million businesses operating in Australia 4 years ago, 2 in 5 no longer exist (38.2%), with established businesses being more likely to survive than new businesses. The longer a business is in operation the higher its chances of survival.

Independent, local and not highly technological:

97% of Australian businesses are 100% Australian owned, 95% are independently operated (not part of a group or franchise) and 87% conduct all their functions independently (are not part of joint marketing, a buying group or collaborative ventures). 93% of businesses are non-exporting (Australian sales only). 1 in 5 businesses sought a business loan or equity in the last year and for 3 in 4 of these the reason was business survival and to boost short term cash flow with just 20% seeking a financial injection for reasons of expansion. Just 43% of Australian businesses have a website and just 28% receive orders or sales via the web and internet revenue accounted for just 7.5% of all business revenue.

What kinds of businesses have been getting the most, and least, traction in our changing economic environment?

Which are the key factors that come into play in determining the success or failure of a business?

Find out in our 2013 Small Business Nation Report. Click here to download the full report.

Whether intentional or not, religious influence was definitely evident when we compiled the 2013 National Baby Names Report. In fact, more than 1 in 5 boys names (23 in total) in the Top 100 list derive their name from Biblical origins.

Four of the names from the Top 10 boys’ list are derived from Biblical apostles or the Old Testament—Noah (4th), Ethan (5th), Thomas (6th) and James (8th).

Other names in the Top 100 that derive their origin from a religious background include the Biblical apostles Matthew, Andrew, and John plus other Old Testament names such as Joshua, Jacob, Samuel, Isaac, Daniel, Levi, Eli, Elijah, Zachary, Michael, Nathan, Caleb, Jesse, Gabriel, David and Jonathan.

Biblical Old Testament names for girls are also common with Hannah, Abigail, Sarah, Leah and Eve all appearing in the Top 100.

For the first time, the names Ali and Muhammad appear in the Top 100 list for boys reflecting an Islamic influence on baby naming.

Biblical names, along with other traditional European names, are certainly growing in popularity among Australian parents. We are certainly seeing a return to more traditional names:

"I think it will go in waves. There is a real traditional feel to the current list ... and it's not going to be a one-way street of ever more radical names. You will see more of a pendulum effect,” Mark McCrindle said.

The 2013 National Baby Names Report features Australia’s Top 100 Baby Names for both boys and girls. This is Australia’s only national list and analysis of the top baby names that cross Australia’s states and territories.

Download our full report to find out more interesting trends and findings!

Generation Alpha are those born since 2010. They’ll be the largest generation our world has ever seen, the most technologically aware and the most influential.

What will Australia look like in 2034, the year when first cohort of Generation Alphas are in their early 20s?

1. The population of Melbourne will be 5.9 million (that’s larger than the whole of Victoria today).

2. Australia will have reached 32 million (up from 23 million currently).

3. The global population will be 8.8 billion (that’s twice what it was when the parents of Generation Alpha were born in the early 1980’s).

4. India will have surpassed China as the world’s most populous nation.

5. There will be more Australians aged over 60 than under 20 for the first time in our history (a sign of our ageing population).

6. Australia’s median age (where half the population is younger and half is older) will be 40. It was 29 when the parents of Gen Alpha were born.

7. The most common household type will be the couple, no kids households, for the first time ever eclipsing the nuclear family of today (couple with children).

Source: McCrindle Research, ABS

Note: Projections are based on the current growth rates: 1.1% for the world, 1.6% Australia, 1.88% Melbourne, China and India’s numeric growth, and ABS median age forecasts and household type data.

Mark McCrindle's book The ABC of XYZ gives insights and practical strategies to help parents, teachers and managers bridge the gaps and engage with each generation. However, this book is more than a research-based reference work or valuable 'how to' guide - it is also a very interesting read with facts and lists to which members of each generation will reminisce. 

Beyond Z, Meet Generation Alpha: McCrindle Research