Just like everyone else, U.S. business leaders have a close eye on the 2016 election. In its Trendsetter Barometer Survey, PricewaterhouseCoopers found that almost one third (31 percent) describe its outcome as either critical or very important to their company growth or business planning for the next few years, and 37 percent described it as moderately important.
What companies aren’t doing in any great numbers is delaying their decision-making to wait for the election results. PwC found only 11 percent are holding out for the outcome of November 8. It quotes a senior vice president of one company surveyed as saying, “As long as the economy keeps moving, it doesn’t matter much who wins.”
Of the issues that resonated with business leaders, four rose above the field in PwC’s survey:
Tax Reform: The most significant issue among the companies surveyed, 70 percent said tax reform was important for their business, and 58 percent describe it as critical to the general economy.
Increased Capital Availability: PwC found that 52 percent of companies surveyed describe increased capital availability as important for company growth, and 45 percent said it was critical for U.S. economic growth.
Infrastructure: Fifty-six percent of respondents say that infrastructure spending is critical to the U.S. economy, and 51 percent describe it as critical to their business, specifically.
Manufacturing Incentives: PwC found that 60 percent of business leaders surveyed say that increased manufacturing incentives are very important for national economic growth, and 49 percent said they are important for their company’s growth.