Signal Organizational rigidity (38%) is the top barrier to managing global fragility

Summary

McKinsey's 2026 survey asked leaders what makes it hardest to cope with growing global fragility, and organizational rigidity came out on top at 38 percent. Local regulations followed at 32 percent, resistance from organizational culture at 29 percent, and weak technology and data foundations or legacy systems at 26 percent. Other barriers such as a lack of regional talent, a limited capability footprint, and single dependencies were cited less often. The report observes that larger organizations feel the weight of local regulation more, likely because of wider footprints and closer scrutiny. Respondents in Australia, Brazil, India, and South Africa were especially focused on local rules. The ranking suggests that internal constraints matter at least as much as external shocks.