Business
The Tradeoff Economy: New Research from CBIZ, The Ohio State University and the National Center for the Middle Market Reveals How Middle Market Leaders Navigate High-Stakes Decisions Amid Uncertainty
Research finds that 9 out of 10 leaders who prioritize innovation reported year-over-year revenue growth, with 51% growing by 10% or moreCleveland, March 18, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CBIZ, Inc. (NYSE: CBZ), a leading national professional services advisor, today released a new report, “The Tradeoff Economy: How Decision-Making Mindsets Shape Middle Market Performance,”developed in partnership with the National Center for the Middle Market (NCMM) and The Ohio State University Fisher College of Bu
About this update from Cbiz, Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":"Research finds that 9 out of 10 leaders who prioritize innovation reported year-over-year revenue growth, with 51% growing by 10% or more","length":137,"tagName":"p"},{"type":"text","content":"Cleveland, March 18, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CBIZ, Inc. (NYSE: CBZ), a leading national professional services advisor, today released a new report, “The Tradeoff Economy: How Decision-Making Mindsets Shape Middle Market Performance,”developed in partnership with the National Center for the Middle Market (NCMM) and The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business.","length":370,"tagName":"p"},{"type":"text","content":"According to NCMM, there are nearly 200,000 U.S. middle market businesses that represent one-third of private sector GDP, employing approximately 44.5 million people. These businesses outperformed through the financial crisis (2007–2010 period) by adding 2.2 million jobs across major industry sectors and U.S. geographies, demonstrating their importance to the overall health of the U.S. economy.","length":397,"tagName":"p"},{"type":"text","content":"“The Tradeoff Economy,” based on a survey of 400 U.S. middle market CEOs, CFOs, and COOs, explores how middle market leaders manage the rising number of critical decisions they face to stay competitive in today’s complex business landscape. Amid ongoing challenges such as cost pressures, talent shortages, regulatory hurdles, and economic instability, executives must often weigh conflicting priorities—including growth versus profitability and speed versus precision.","length":469,"tagName":"p"},{"type":"text","content":"The report shows that a leader’s approach to these tradeoffs, not just the decisions they make, can greatly impact company performance. This helps explain why similar companies in the same markets often achieve very different outcomes.","length":235,"tagName":"p"},{"type":"text","content":"“This research emphasizes that middle market leaders constantly face tradeoffs as they aim for growth and margin improvements,” said Brad Lakhia, Chief Financial Officer at CBIZ. “Understanding the decision-making mindset behind those choices provides leaders with a clearer framework for managing investments —in technology, artificial intelligence, talent, and innovation—and how to maintain performance amid uncertainty.”","length":424,"tagName":"p"},{"type":"text","content":"Ke...