Ipsos global trends 2023 survey found less than half of Australians (41%) consider their national government good at planning for the long-term future, while 47% rate businesses similarly.
According to the survey by the market research company, the major challenges facing people provide businesses and institutions with a clear mandate to offer plans and solutions.
Australian key findings
In Australia, we see some trends mirror global trends in some cases and differently in others:
1. A growing tension between global and local. We are less likely to view globalisation as good for us personally (50% vs 62% global average) but have a similar proportion seeing it as good for Australia (66%). So while there is a tension between global and local, in Australia there is also some tension between individually good and the greater good.
2. We are concerned about environmental disaster but less so than many around the globe (72% vs 80% global average).Like the rest of the world we are split on whether scientists really know what they are talking about on environmental issues (49% agree that scientists don’t know vs 45% disagree).
3. Ipsos Global Trends shows Australians have clear expectations of brands and business, as do others across the globe. Most Australians surveyed believe business can be a force for good, with 81% agreeing that brands can make money and support good causes at the same time (vs 80% global average)– yet at the same time, 60% don’t trust business leaders to tell the truth (vs 53% global average). And six in ten say they try to buy products from brands that act responsibly, even if it costs more (59% vs 64% global average).
4. Amid rising demand for the regulation of big tech, six in ten (locally and globally) fear that technical progress is destroying our lives – again most of us (78%) also say we can’t imagine life without the internet (vs 71% global average); like what we see at the global level, this encapsulates the cognitive polyphasia so many of us experience in thinking about technology. In Australia, we are even more resigned to losing some privacy because of what new technology can do (87% vs 81% global average).
5. Again, similar to the global findings, we are confident about our own prospects, despite a gloomy global outlook. In fact, Australia is one of the more optimistic nations. Our optimism bias is clear; only 29% are optimistic for the world overall for the coming year, but 70% consider themselves happy (vs 57% global average), and two thirds (67%) are optimistic about how 2023 will pan out for themselves and their family (vs 59% global average).
David Elliott, Ipsos Australia Public Affairs deputy managing director, said: “The Australian findings show that while we see similar trends at a local and global level, there are some important differences that have implications for policy makers around the country.
“The key questions that arise from these overarching findings are – How do we help individuals derive more personal benefit from globalisation? How do we harness the optimism that we hold in Australia and build a future that benefits all Australians?
“This is particularly relevant given the highly publicised data breaches in 2022 – how do we help citizens realise the benefits of the internet without feeling they are compromising their lives or their privacy? And finally, if you believe that scientific evidence and perhaps solutions are key to tackle climate change and environmental degradation, how do we restore faith in environmental science and scientists?
“On a corporate front, it’s encouraging to see that most Australians we surveyed believe business can be a force for good, however, perhaps we are seeing this as more hypothetical than actual given that 60% don’t trust business leaders to tell the truth.”
The global view
The Ipsos global study — comprised of 48,000 interviews across 50 countries, covering 70% of the world’s population and 87% of GDP — highlights clear trends for government and business to monitor and prepare for:
1. A growing tension between global and local.Although many talk of de-globalisation, at least six in ten people across the world believe that globalisation is good for them personally (62%) and for their market (66%). Over the last decade, this figure has been slowly rising – even as geopolitical tensions have worsened.
2. Eight in ten agree we are headed for environmental disaster unless we change our habits quickly.What there is not agreement about is how to address the environment – and even with such high levels of concern, more than half globally agree that scientists do not really know what they are talking about on environmental issues.
3. Despite global divisions, Ipsos Global Trends shows people do have clear expectations of brands and business. Most believe business can be a force for good, with 80% agreeing that brands can make money and support good causes at the same time – yet concurrently, 53% do not trust business leaders to tell the truth. And almost two-thirds say they try to buy products from brands that act responsibly, even if it costs more (64%).
4. Amid rising demand for the regulation of big tech, six in ten fear that technical progress is destroying our lives –but at the same time 71% also say they can’t imagine life without the internet; this encapsulates the cognitive polyphasia so many of us experience in thinking about technology. A larger proportion still – 81% – are resigned to losing some privacy because of what new technology can do.
5. Finally, despite a gloomy global outlook, we are confident about our own prospects. Our optimism bias is clear; while only 31% are optimistic for the world overall for the coming year, most consider themselves happy (57%), and 59% are optimistic about how 2023 will pan out for themselves and their family.
Ben Page, global CEO of Ipsos, said: “Navigating through the ‘Twitchy Twenties’ means detail matters. How can brands, governments and individuals work together to solve the multiple crises facing global society and build on the personal hope and optimism we see?”
Ipsos Global Trends 2023 provides the data needed to make decisions for a range of plausible future scenarios. Ipsos shares the macro forces that will shape the next decade, reviews the changes it sees in its global trends framework and suggests ways to react and build resilience.
The Ipsos report tells a story from the topline data. For a deeper dive into demographic differences, regional analysis and sector- or market-specific insights please contact us for a custom analysis of this incredibly rich data source.