What are the characteristics of a "good and responsible" company that wants to do business in Asia-Pacific markets? Increasingly, they're non-tangible factors, like doing
something for the community and making products that impress other people, says the second annual Edelman/Wirthlin Asia Pacific Stakeholder Research Study.
The survey, which was released last week, took the pulse of 540 people representing six different stakeholder groups in nine Asia-Pacific markets.
These respondents included C-level decision-makers, government officials, media reps, NGO/trade association executives, middle- to upper-class consumers who work in
multinational corporations and employees working in the drug, healthcare and technology/ telecommunications industries.
The study presents senior PR execs (working for global companies) with information on the tools they need to build relationships in nine Asia-Pacific markets (many of them
still emerging, see PRNews Oct. 27): Australia, China (Beijing, Guangzhou, and Shanghai), Hong Kong, India (Delhi and Mumbai), Japan (Tokyo), Korea (Seoul), Malaysia
(Kuala Lumpur), Singapore and Taiwan (Taipei). PRN
| IN 2004 SOCIAL FACTORS RECEIVED A HIGHER PRIORITY AND - IN SOME AREAS - HAVE RIVALED TANGIBLE BUSINESS FACTORS | ||
|---|---|---|
| Characteristics of a Responsible Corporation in Asia Pacific |
2003
|
2004
|
| Offers top quality products/services |
82%
|
78%
|
| Stands behind its products/services when something goes wrong |
76%
|
72%
|
| Listens to customer attitudes and opinions on satisfaction |
65%
|
65%
|
| Provides senior leadership that can be trusted |
55%
|
56%
|
| Works hard at building relationships with core audiences |
--
|
52%
|
| Operates in an open and transparent fashion |
50%
|
51%
|
| Provides good training and development for staff |
54%
|
49%
|
| Provides profits for its owners and / or shareholders |
58%
|
49%
|
| Makes products that really impress other people |
58%
|
44%
|
| Communicates frequently and openly with employees |
41%
|
42%
|
| Educates customers about the impact of its products and services on society |
36%
|
37%
|
| Concerned about/active in doing something about community welfare |
29%
|
36%
|
- Significantly, more respondents ranked "concerned about/active in doing something about community welfare" (36%) as essential in 2004 compared with 2003 (29%).
- Significantly less respondents ranked "provides profits for owners/shareholders" (49%)as essential in 2004 compared with 2003 (58%).
- Significantly less respondents ranked "makes products that really impress other people" (44%) as essential in 2004 compared with 2003( 58%).