A comprehensive global mining and metals sector talent dynamics assessment for Rio Tinto

Rio Tinto employs people from all over the world to work in their Product Groups. As part of a human capital planning exercise, they needed information to validate the labour market risks they face as they develop their workforce and look to understand labour trends over the short to medium-terms. The EIU developed a three-phased approach: A Human Capital Risk Index that provided an overview of human capital availability and business risks across 52 countries, a series of country/provincial reports that provided a deeper understanding of the mining and

minerals operating and regulatory environment plus a series of labour supply estimates that quantified the outlook for the available labour pool across 20 occupations needed in each country. With this information Rio Tinto made evidenced-based decisions on market priorities, operating conditions in key markets, and conducted detailed human capital planning in priority markets.

Measuring global food security for DuPont

Increasing global population and economic growth in emerging markets have put increasing pressure on food supply networks, raising prices around the world. As a company involved in food and agriculture, DuPont wanted to look at the challenges involved in the production and distribution of food globally, and identify which countries can improve food systems in order to improve overall food security.

The EIU assessed the food security systems of over 100 countries through a selection of approximately 20 to 25 quantitative and qualitative indicators. After assigning a score to a set of select indicators, The EIU created a ranking of the countries and weightings for both the indicators and indicator categories, producing the Global Food Security Index (GFSI). Today, the GFSI highlights where in the world nutritional quality and safety of foods is most at risk based on the underlying drivers most affecting food security.

Patient engagement and health promotion

Media hype about health stories often leads to an increased burden on health resources. It can increase demand on primary care as worried patients seek advice, and on occasion can lead to “social panic” with detrimental effects on health resources.

Together with the NHS, we developed a public health site called ‘Behind the Headlines’. Every morning two stories from the media are identified and our analysts will publish an unbiased critique with detailed reviews of clinical evidence on the NHS choices website by midafternoon.

By reviewing the story, the evidence and the reporting, we provide a much more objective view. This helps to empower patients to make informed choices in self-management of their care and exercise informed choice in making health decisions.

As part of its mission to advance global human capital knowledge, the SHRM Foundation sought credible analysis on critical issues that will affect HR leaders in the coming years.

Through a combination of data-driven research, direct engagement with stakeholders and effective market exposure, the SHRM Foundation's objective was to educate those in HR and business management and position itself as a globally recognized catalyst for shaping Talent Management Thought Leadership.

The EIU partnered with the SHRM Foundation on a multi-phase program to identify, analyse and then promote thought-provoking research on the most important trends affecting human capital management and global workforce dynamics by leveraging a combination of EIU expertise, surveys of business leaders and expert peer panels to identify the most relevant HR topics; creating a series of evidence based analyses and tangent content to educate and prepare HR leaders for key issues in their field; and engaging stakeholders with EIU produced research via events, seminars, online digital content, and broad public relations promotion.

The Association for Suppliers of Printing, Publishing and Converting Technologies (NPES)

The print industry is being disrupted by new technologies and trends putting pressure on the demand for print media. At the same time, rising incomes are boosting demand for printed materials in the developing world.

NPES, a print industry trade association, wanted to inform its members of what print sectors and emerging markets have opportunities for growth. How fast will Turkey's print industry grow? When will China’s print market surpass the United States?

In partnership with NPES, The EIU conducted a global market-sizing and 5-year forecast of 51 countries representing 90% of the global print market and an individual assessment of each country. The EIU’s rigorous and complex study was also comprehensive – including 5 print sectors and the integral markets for printing equipment, consumables, inks, and substrates.

Our client (a major international bank) offers a broad range of services to personal and institutional customers, including governments.

It has significant activities in a large number of countries. Consequently, there are many ways in which changes in business conditions and the economy in a single country or region or globally can adversely impact profitability, whether at the level of the group, individual business units or specific countries of operation.

The bank is a long-time subscriber to The EIU's Country Risk Service. They use the service to understand the threat of sovereign default in individual countries as well as the risks associated with currencies and banking sectors around the world.

The Country Risk Service assists the bank in setting credit limits for countries and in controlling the risks that accompany investment in emerging and developed economies. The service is viewed as an integral part of the bank’s risk management strategy.

Our client is a leading global management consulting firm focussed on serving and shaping the senior agenda of the world's leading institutions. They employ a significant number of staff in offices around the world.

The company subscribes to a range of EIU services including Country Data and Market Indicators & Forecasts from our data services range.

The firm relies on The EIU’s data products to react quickly to information requests from their consultants all over the world, ensuring that client projects are not delayed for want of reliable statistical information.

They are able to draw on over a million data points from the Country Data service covering key indicators such as GDP growth, inflation and exchange rates. Market Indicators & Forecasts provides vital demographic and sectoral supply and demand forecasts to facilitate market sizing and regional strategy projects.

The EIU supplies its information services to many types of academic institutions. Our customers include Ivy League colleges, the highest-ranked European and Asian universities as well as the world's leading business schools.

It is vital for students at these institutions to have a thorough grasp of the political, economic and business environment around the world now and in the future. Equally important is for the source of that information to be reliable and impartial.

Academic institutions typically subscribe to the complete range of EIU Country Reports, covering over 180 countries. Access to Country Reports allows both students and faculty to stay completely up-to-date with the latest economic and political situation in any given country. In addition, the in-depth forecasts contained within Country Reports allow users to see how individual countries will look in two to five years' time.

Forecasting for a household fast-moving consumer goods brand

This client already had a significant presence within China but came to us to find out the next group of cities and provinces that offered the best growth potential for the next decade.

Using an existing Economist Intelligence Unit subscription service, we built a model incorporating the client’s own product demand data to provide industry-specific growth forecasts at a provincial level.

We analysed demographic changes in the provinces and forecast future demand for the client's product at a regional level. Using the province forecasts, we were able to compare data across the provinces and prefectures.

With these findings, the client justified a costly acquisition. Consequently the client now has the resources in place to maximise future opportunities, helping to ensure the company maintains its position as market leader.

A multi-national corporation, that designs and sells consumer electronics, wanted to better understand manufacturing conditions in Chinese provinces and South-east Asia in order to determine ideal manufacturing centres for its products in the future.

To do this, they required research to rate and rank the selected geographies based on criteria specific to their manufacturing operations. The Economist Intelligence Unit developed a baseline assessment to support strategic decision-making in terms of locations for electronics manufacturing. The EIU indexed, and ranked, technology manufacturing conditions for five Chinese provinces and six countries for the next five years.

The research has allowed the client to understand technology manufacturing conditions across key geographies and to make informed decisions on where to manufacture its products.

Hospital investment due diligence

The client, a leading private equity investor in Asia Pacific, was considering investment into an Indonesian hospital group. They needed comprehensive commercial due diligence on the market and asset, to make an informed investment decision.

A team of six full time consultants with specialist skills and local Indonesian knowledge were stationed exclusively in the data room, validating the investment thesis as the deal went live. The Economist Intelligence Unit built a demand-forecasting model using statistical and primary data to assess the achievability of the target’s business case. We also validated the strength of the hospital group's business model through interviews with its insurance partners and targeted patient groups.

Our client was presented with an objective depiction of the commercial circumstances of the target and was able to make an informed investment decision.

Market share, size and competitor study

The client, a global player in in-vitro diagnostics, required annual market monitoring of its market size, share and competitors to better benchmark its performance and evolve its market strategy across 14 markets globally.

The EIU provides an annual engagement that taps on detailed quantitative hospital surveys, qualitative physician and extensive trade interviews to provide a comprehensive and triangulated view of the market in niche segments.

The client is able to retain market leadership supported by up to date, granular and segmented market information.