Recent business events have severely eroded consumer trust in American corporations, according to the Golin/Harris Trust Survey. The survey was conducted in February among
700 Americans and shows 69 percent are skeptical of corporations and will hold companies to higher standards of behavior and communications as a result of that mistrust.
Linda Stone, VP with Microsoft and the company's "ambassador" to partner companies, leaves to write a book. "Stone's leaving will make a difference in terms of public
perception," says Bruce Jeffries-Fox of Jeffries-Fox Associates. "One way [Microsoft could manage this] would be to appoint a successor and make clear this person is expected to
communicate fully and quickly at all times ... this would signal they are committed ... to open communications."
