Google: Most Admired--And Teflon Company?
Apparently, privacy concerns and investigations by the European Union don't count for much: Google has the best reputation of any company in corporate America, according to a new report from Harris Interactive. Last year's number one company was Berkshire Hathaway, which falls to number four in this year's online survey of about 30,000 Americans.
Johnson & Johnson came in second for the second year in a row. Of the 60 companies about which Harris conducted in-depth research, AIG, BP and Goldman Sachs got the worst scores.
How Google Got There
Google ranked among the top five in all but one of the six categories that Harris considers key to a company's reputation:
- vision and leadership
- financial performance
- workplace environment
- products and services
- social responsibility
- Google didn't make the top five on the sixth metric, 'emotional appeal.'
Here are the ten companies with the best reputations, according to Harris Interactive:
- Johnson & Johnson
- 3M
- Berkshire Hathaway
- Apple
- Intel Corporation
- Kraft Foods
- Amazon.com
- General Mills
- The Walt Disney Company
- AIG Delta Airlines
- BP
- Goldman Sachs
- Citigroup
- Chrysler
- Bank of America
- General Motors
- ExxonMobil
- JPMorgan Chase
- Delta Airlines
Whole Foods is the only company for which an improved reputation did not also lead people to say they were more willing to buy the company's stock, although 24 percent said they'd recommend Whole Foods' stock to someone else.
Amazon.com got the highest ratings for customer service. Johnson & Johnson scored highest for ethical standards.
Are these rankings well-deserved? Which company do you admire the most? Or think is the worst?
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Kimberly Weisul is a freelance writer, editor and consultant. Follow her on twitter at www.twitter.com/weisul.