In today’s enterprise IT environment, risk is no longer just about downtime or data breaches—it's geopolitical. From tariffs and trade restrictions to emerging AI regulations, technology leaders are adjusting their strategies to respond to a wave of macro-level disruptions. ETR’s latest Macro Views Survey, fielded from March 4 to April 3, 2025, sheds light on how organizations are reacting in real time and how those responses differs across industries and company sizes.
Cybersecurity concerns linked to global tensions were cited as the most disruptive force, with 40% of respondents either actively adjusting or having already implemented changes to their IT strategy. The Industrials and IT/TelCo sectors are leading this response, reflecting their heightened exposure to international operations and supply chain complexity.
Economic uncertainty and inflation rank as the second most influential external driver, showing that organizations continue to face a blend of global political and financial pressures as they shape their technology roadmaps.
While only 5–6% of organizations have already made changes due to U.S. government tech policy shifts or trade restrictions, a significantly larger group are actively preparing for these changes. Notably, 56% of respondents in the Industrials sector are already adjusting to trade restrictions, tariffs, and supply chain disruptions, compared to 42% across all industries.
Among the respondents adjusting to these external forces, the top two strategies center on vendor risk mitigation:
Enterprises are also increasingly leaning on software and cloud solutions to reduce hardware dependency. In fact, 33% are delaying hardware purchases, while 28% are building surplus inventory. Interestingly, for Financials/Insurance, the priority shifts—with 47% increasing cloud/software usage as their primary response.
When it comes to AI and data privacy regulation, enterprises are walking a fine line:
Very few are pulling back—with just 6% slowing, 2% pausing, and 1% scaling back due to regulatory concerns. These numbers vary significantly by company size. Among Global 2000 organizations, zero respondents reported pausing or scaling back. Instead, 29% are accelerating. In the Financials/Insurance sector, that figure jumps to 40%.
Overall, 51% of enterprises are taking a strategic, measured approach to AI and cloud adoption. Another 22% are monitoring developments, but haven’t yet taken action—though that number falls as company size increases:
Aggressive investment in emerging tech is also a minority strategy—but one worth watching. 11% of all respondents are charging ahead, growing to 18% among the Global 2000. Meanwhile, 7% are maintaining the status quo, and 8% admit they’re struggling to keep up—steady across roles but variable by enterprise size.
The results paint a picture of an enterprise landscape that’s no longer just adapting to technology—but adapting because of global politics, regulation, and emerging risk. Leaders across sectors are focusing on resilience, flexibility, and strategic acceleration. As new external threats emerge, it’s clear: those who plan ahead and diversify today will be better positioned to thrive tomorrow.
If you are looking for more Macro Views Survey data, a downloadable summary is now available.