GALLUP NEWS SERVICE
PRINCETON, NJ -- There has been a significant increase over the
last year in the positive image of most segments of American
business and industry -- particularly for accounting, whose
positive rating has jumped 14 points compared to last August.
Overall, the computer industry continues to be the highest rated of
any industry tested in Gallup's assessment of industry images,
followed by the restaurant and grocery businesses. The three
industries with the most negative images of those tested include
the oil and gas industry, healthcare, and the legal field.
Positive and Negative Images
Each year, Gallup measures the images of various business and
industry sectors within the United States based on a simple
question that asks Americans to rate their overall view of each of
25 industries as very positive, somewhat positive, neutral,
somewhat negative, or very negative. Criteria for the rating are
not specified, meaning that the results measure a basic, "gut
instinct" reaction on the part of respondents when they hear each
business named.
Respondents give almost all of the 25 industry sectors tested
this year more positive ratings than they did in August 2002, and
many have more positive ratings than they did two years ago, in
August 2001.
The table below displays the results of these ratings for the
last three years. The numbers represent a net positive score
derived by subtracting the percentage of Americans giving each
business or industry a negative rating from the percentage giving
that business or industry a positive rating.
|
Images of Industries and Business
Sectors
|
|
% Positive Minus % Negative
|
|
2001 net positive
|
2002 net positive
|
2003 net positive
|
2003 vs. 2002
|
2003 vs. 2001
|
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
|
Computer industry
|
57
|
53
|
64
|
11
|
7
|
|
Restaurant industry
|
54
|
53
|
58
|
5
|
4
|
|
Grocery industry
|
44
|
42
|
51
|
9
|
7
|
|
Retail industry
|
30
|
41
|
38
|
–3
|
8
|
|
Real estate industry
|
26
|
30
|
35
|
5
|
9
|
|
Travel industry
|
37
|
25
|
34
|
9
|
–3
|
|
Automobile industry
|
19
|
27
|
33
|
6
|
14
|
|
Farming and agriculture
|
44
|
35
|
32
|
–3
|
–12
|
|
Banking
|
27
|
22
|
32
|
10
|
5
|
|
Internet industry
|
17
|
22
|
31
|
9
|
14
|
|
Publishing industry
|
29
|
18
|
31
|
13
|
2
|
|
Accounting
|
39
|
0
|
31
|
31
|
–8
|
|
Education
|
18
|
11
|
21
|
10
|
3
|
|
Sports industry
|
5
|
2
|
17
|
15
|
12
|
|
Electric and gas utilities
|
–16
|
1
|
14
|
13
|
30
|
|
Television and radio industry
|
6
|
10
|
14
|
4
|
8
|
|
Advertising and public relations industry
|
6
|
–1
|
14
|
15
|
8
|
|
Telephone industry
|
2
|
–3
|
13
|
16
|
11
|
|
Movie industry
|
–8
|
–1
|
11
|
12
|
19
|
|
The federal government
|
|
|
6
|
--
|
--
|
|
Airline industry
|
7
|
1
|
6
|
5
|
–1
|
|
Pharmaceutical industry
|
1
|
–10
|
5
|
15
|
4
|
|
The legal field
|
–16
|
–17
|
–2
|
15
|
14
|
|
Healthcare industry
|
–7
|
–19
|
–3
|
16
|
4
|
|
Oil and gas industry
|
–30
|
–19
|
–8
|
11
|
22
|
Accounting's Image Recovers
The one industry whose image has improved the most compared to
last year is accounting, which has risen from a net rating of 0%
last year (i.e., as many people gave it a negative rating as gave
it a positive one) to a +31% this year. This obviously represents a
significant improvement, although the industry has still not
recovered to the +39% rating it received in 2001, before Enron and
other scandals cast such negative light on accounting firms' roles
in these companies' alleged malfeasance.
Other industry sectors whose positive images have risen
significantly compared to last year include healthcare, the
telephone industry, the legal field, pharmaceuticals, advertising
and public relations, and the sports industry. (Many of these
remain near the bottom of the image list, despite their relative
gains.)
Only two sectors have slightly lower image ratings this year
than they did last year: the retail industry, and farming and
agriculture, both of which dropped by 3 points.
Perhaps more importantly, there are no industries rated this
year whose images are nearly as negative as several measured in the
2001 survey. At that point, the oil and gas industry had a
–30% rating, and the legal field and electric and gas
utilities had –16% ratings.
Basic Ratings 2003
The range of industry ratings this year is quite large,
stretching from the computer industry at the top of the list, with
a net positive rating of +64% (i.e., 70% of Americans have a
positive image of the computer industry, compared to just 6% who
have a negative image), to the oil and gas industry at the bottom,
with a net negative rating of –8% (35% have a positive image
of the oil and gas industry, while 43% have a negative image).
In addition to the computer industry, two business sectors
relating to food also have net positive ratings above the 50%
level: restaurants and the grocery business.
At the bottom of the list, there are two business sectors that
-- along with the oil and gas industry -- have net negative
ratings: the healthcare industry and the legal field. Industries
with low net positive ratings include the pharmaceutical sector,
the airline industry, and the federal government.
|
SUMMARY TABLE: BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY
RATINGS
|
|
2003 Aug 4-6
(sorted by "net positive")
|
Total positive
|
Neutral
|
Total negative
|
Net
positive
|
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
|
Computer industry
|
70
|
20
|
6
|
64
|
|
Restaurant industry
|
66
|
25
|
8
|
58
|
|
Grocery industry
|
63
|
24
|
12
|
51
|
|
Retail industry
|
54
|
29
|
16
|
38
|
|
Real estate industry
|
53
|
28
|
18
|
35
|
|
Travel industry
|
49
|
33
|
15
|
34
|
|
Automobile industry
|
52
|
27
|
19
|
33
|
|
Farming and agriculture
|
52
|
27
|
20
|
32
|
|
Banking
|
52
|
26
|
20
|
32
|
|
Internet industry
|
51
|
25
|
20
|
31
|
|
Publishing industry
|
46
|
37
|
15
|
31
|
|
Accounting
|
45
|
37
|
14
|
31
|
|
Education
|
51
|
18
|
30
|
21
|
|
Sports industry
|
44
|
26
|
27
|
17
|
|
Electric and gas utilities
|
45
|
23
|
31
|
14
|
|
Television and radio industry
|
45
|
24
|
31
|
14
|
|
Advertising and public relations industry
|
41
|
29
|
27
|
14
|
|
Telephone industry
|
43
|
26
|
30
|
13
|
|
Movie industry
|
42
|
25
|
31
|
11
|
|
The federal government
|
41
|
23
|
35
|
6
|
|
Airline industry
|
37
|
30
|
31
|
6
|
|
Pharmaceutical industry
|
43
|
18
|
38
|
5
|
|
The legal field
|
36
|
24
|
38
|
–2
|
|
Healthcare industry
|
42
|
12
|
45
|
–3
|
|
Oil and gas industry
|
35
|
22
|
43
|
–8
|
Survey Methods
The most recent results are based on telephone interviews with
1,003 national adults, aged 18+, conducted Aug. 4-6, 2003. For
results based on the total sample of national adults, one can say
with 95% confidence that the margin of sampling error is ±3
percentage points.
In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical
difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into
the findings of public opinion polls.
For each of the following business sectors in the United
States, please say whether your overall view of it is very
positive, somewhat positive, neutral, somewhat negative or very
negative. How about -- [RANDOM ORDER]?
A. Accounting
|
Very positive
|
Somewhat
positive
|
Neutral
|
Somewhat negative
|
Very
nega-
tive
|
No
opin-
ion
|
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
|
2003 Aug 4-6
|
8
|
37
|
37
|
10
|
4
|
4
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2002 Aug 5-8
|
7
|
24
|
32
|
19
|
12
|
6
|
|
2001 Aug 16-19
|
10
|
37
|
40
|
7
|
1
|
5
|
B. Farming and agriculture
|
Very positive
|
Somewhat
positive
|
Neutral
|
Somewhat negative
|
Very
nega-
tive
|
No
opin-
ion
|
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
|
2003 Aug 4-6
|
17
|
35
|
27
|
16
|
4
|
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2002 Aug 5-8
|
16
|
35
|
28
|
12
|
4
|
5
|
|
2001 Aug 16-19
|
23
|
36
|
24
|
10
|
5
|
2
|
C. Automobile industry
|
Very positive
|
Somewhat
positive
|
Neutral
|
Somewhat negative
|
Very
nega-
tive
|
No
opin-
ion
|
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
|
2003 Aug 4-6
|
12
|
40
|
27
|
14
|
5
|
2
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2002 Aug 5-8
|
10
|
36
|
31
|
12
|
7
|
4
|
|
2001 Aug 16-19
|
11
|
34
|
28
|
20
|
6
|
1
|
D. Electric and gas utilities
|
Very positive
|
Somewhat
positive
|
Neutral
|
Somewhat negative
|
Very
nega-
tive
|
No
opin-
ion
|
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
|
2003 Aug 4-6
|
12
|
33
|
23
|
21
|
10
|
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2002 Aug 5-8
|
9
|
27
|
27
|
24
|
11
|
2
|
|
2001 Aug 16-19
|
9
|
22
|
21
|
30
|
17
|
1
|
E. Oil and gas industry
|
Very positive
|
Somewhat
positive
|
Neutral
|
Somewhat negative
|
Very
nega-
tive
|
No
opin-
ion
|
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
|
2003 Aug 4-6
|
9
|
26
|
22
|
29
|
14
|
*
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2002 Aug 5-8
|
6
|
19
|
28
|
28
|
16
|
3
|
|
2001 Aug 16-19
|
7
|
17
|
21
|
33
|
21
|
1
|
|
* Less than 0.5%
|
F. Banking
|
Very positive
|
Somewhat
positive
|
Neutral
|
Somewhat negative
|
Very
nega-
tive
|
No
opin-
ion
|
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
|
2003 Aug 4-6
|
13
|
39
|
26
|
15
|
5
|
2
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2002 Aug 5-8
|
12
|
34
|
29
|
17
|
7
|
1
|
|
2001 Aug 16-19
|
12
|
35
|
31
|
13
|
7
|
2
|
G. Restaurant industry
|
Very positive
|
Somewhat
positive
|
Neutral
|
Somewhat negative
|
Very
nega-
tive
|
No
opin-
ion
|
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
|
2003 Aug 4-6
|
15
|
51
|
25
|
6
|
2
|
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2002 Aug 5-8
|
16
|
45
|
28
|
7
|
1
|
3
|
|
2001 Aug 16-19
|
15
|
47
|
28
|
6
|
2
|
2
|
H. Grocery industry
|
Very positive
|
Somewhat
positive
|
Neutral
|
Somewhat negative
|
Very
nega-
tive
|
No
opin-
ion
|
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
|
2003 Aug 4-6
|
16
|
47
|
24
|
8
|
4
|
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2002 Aug 5-8
|
18
|
40
|
25
|
13
|
3
|
1
|
|
2001 Aug 16-19
|
18
|
39
|
29
|
11
|
2
|
1
|
I. Healthcare industry
|
Very positive
|
Somewhat
positive
|
Neutral
|
Somewhat negative
|
Very
nega-
tive
|
No
opin-
ion
|
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
|
2003 Aug 4-6
|
11
|
31
|
12
|
28
|
17
|
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2002 Aug 5-8
|
10
|
20
|
19
|
32
|
17
|
2
|
|
2001 Aug 16-19
|
11
|
26
|
19
|
29
|
15
|
*
|
|
* Less than 0.5%
|
For each of the following business sectors in the United
States, please say whether your overall view of it is very
positive, somewhat positive, neutral, somewhat negative or very
negative. How about -- [RANDOM ORDER]?
J. Internet industry
|
Very positive
|
Somewhat
positive
|
Neutral
|
Somewhat negative
|
Very
nega-
tive
|
No
opin-
ion
|
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
|
2003 Aug 4-6
|
16
|
35
|
25
|
15
|
5
|
4
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2002 Aug 5-8
|
14
|
29
|
26
|
16
|
5
|
10
|
|
2001 Aug 16-19
|
14
|
30
|
26
|
20
|
7
|
3
|
K. The legal field
|
Very positive
|
Somewhat
positive
|
Neutral
|
Somewhat negative
|
Very
nega-
tive
|
No
opin-
ion
|
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
|
2003 Aug 4-6
|
8
|
28
|
24
|
24
|
14
|
2
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2002 Aug 5-8
|
4
|
18
|
35
|
24
|
15
|
4
|
|
2001 Aug 16-19
|
7
|
22
|
24
|
28
|
17
|
2
|
L. Advertising and public relations
industry
|
Very positive
|
Somewhat
positive
|
Neutral
|
Somewhat negative
|
Very
nega-
tive
|
No
opin-
ion
|
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
|
2003 Aug 4-6
|
9
|
32
|
29
|
19
|
8
|
3
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2002 Aug 5-8
|
7
|
24
|
34
|
23
|
9
|
3
|
|
2001 Aug 16-19
|
10
|
28
|
28
|
23
|
9
|
2
|
M. Television and radio industry
|
Very positive
|
Somewhat
positive
|
Neutral
|
Somewhat negative
|
Very
nega-
tive
|
No
opin-
ion
|
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
|
2003 Aug 4-6
|
11
|
34
|
24
|
23
|
8
|
*
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2002 Aug 5-8
|
11
|
31
|
24
|
23
|
9
|
2
|
|
2001 Aug 16-19
|
11
|
31
|
22
|
24
|
12
|
*
|
|
* Less than 0.5%
|
N. Movie industry
|
Very positive
|
Somewhat
positive
|
Neutral
|
Somewhat negative
|
Very
nega-
tive
|
No
opin-
ion
|
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
|
2003 Aug 4-6
|
12
|
30
|
25
|
19
|
12
|
2
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2002 Aug 5-8
|
12
|
22
|
27
|
22
|
13
|
4
|
|
2001 Aug 16-19
|
9
|
24
|
23
|
24
|
17
|
3
|
For each of the following business sectors in the United
States, please say whether your overall view of it is very
positive, somewhat positive, neutral, somewhat negative or very
negative. How about -- [RANDOM ORDER]?
O. Sports industry
|
Very positive
|
Somewhat
positive
|
Neutral
|
Somewhat negative
|
Very
nega-
tive
|
No
opin-
ion
|
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
|
2003 Aug 4-6
|
16
|
28
|
26
|
18
|
9
|
3
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2002 Aug 5-8
|
15
|
20
|
28
|
22
|
11
|
4
|
|
2001 Aug 16-19
|
14
|
24
|
28
|
21
|
12
|
1
|
P. Publishing industry
|
Very positive
|
Somewhat
positive
|
Neutral
|
Somewhat negative
|
Very
nega-
tive
|
No
opin-
ion
|
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
|
2003 Aug 4-6
|
12
|
34
|
37
|
11
|
4
|
2
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2002 Aug 5-8
|
8
|
30
|
37
|
15
|
5
|
5
|
|
2001 Aug 16-19
|
12
|
35
|
32
|
13
|
5
|
3
|
Q. Pharmaceutical industry
|
Very positive
|
Somewhat
positive
|
Neutral
|
Somewhat negative
|
Very
nega-
tive
|
No
opin-
ion
|
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
|
2003 Aug 4-6
|
12
|
31
|
18
|
22
|
16
|
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2003 Aug 5-8
|
11
|
22
|
22
|
25
|
18
|
2
|
|
2001 Aug 16-19
|
12
|
27
|
22
|
24
|
14
|
1
|
R. Real Estate industry
|
Very positive
|
Somewhat
positive
|
Neutral
|
Somewhat negative
|
Very
nega-
tive
|
No
opin-
ion
|
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
|
2003 Aug 4-6
|
13
|
40
|
28
|
13
|
5
|
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2002 Aug 5-8
|
12
|
35
|
32
|
13
|
4
|
4
|
|
2001 Aug 16-19
|
12
|
34
|
32
|
16
|
4
|
2
|
S. Education
|
Very positive
|
Somewhat
positive
|
Neutral
|
Somewhat negative
|
Very
nega-
tive
|
No
opin-
ion
|
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
|
2003 Aug 4-6
|
13
|
38
|
18
|
20
|
10
|
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2002 Aug 5-8
|
12
|
35
|
16
|
27
|
9
|
1
|
|
2001 Aug 16-19
|
13
|
37
|
18
|
23
|
9
|
*
|
|
* Less than 0.5%
|
For each of the following business sectors in the United
States, please say whether your overall view of it is very
positive, somewhat positive, neutral, somewhat negative or very
negative. How about -- [RANDOM ORDER]?
T. Retail industry
|
Very positive
|
Somewhat
positive
|
Neutral
|
Somewhat negative
|
Very
nega-
tive
|
No
opin-
ion
|
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
|
2003 Aug 4-6
|
7
|
47
|
29
|
14
|
2
|
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2002 Aug 5-8
|
12
|
42
|
30
|
11
|
2
|
3
|
|
2001 Aug 16-19
|
12
|
35
|
34
|
14
|
3
|
2
|
U. Travel industry
|
Very positive
|
Somewhat
positive
|
Neutral
|
Somewhat negative
|
Very
nega-
tive
|
No
opin-
ion
|
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
|
2003 Aug 4-6
|
9
|
40
|
33
|
11
|
4
|
3
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2002 Aug 5-8
|
9
|
33
|
35
|
15
|
2
|
6
|
|
2001 Aug 16-19
|
11
|
39
|
35
|
11
|
2
|
2
|
V. Telephone industry
|
Very positive
|
Somewhat
positive
|
Neutral
|
Somewhat negative
|
Very
nega-
tive
|
No
opin-
ion
|
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
|
2003 Aug 4-6
|
11
|
32
|
26
|
20
|
10
|
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2002 Aug 5-8
|
10
|
24
|
27
|
24
|
13
|
2
|
|
2001 Aug 16-19
|
10
|
29
|
24
|
27
|
10
|
*
|
|
* Less than 0.5%
|
W. Airline industry
|
Very positive
|
Somewhat
positive
|
Neutral
|
Somewhat negative
|
Very
nega-
tive
|
No
opin-
ion
|
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
|
2003 Aug 4-6
|
6
|
31
|
30
|
24
|
7
|
2
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2002 Aug 5-8
|
7
|
24
|
33
|
24
|
6
|
6
|
|
2001 Aug 16-19
|
10
|
27
|
29
|
23
|
7
|
4
|
X. Computer industry
|
Very positive
|
Somewhat
positive
|
Neutral
|
Somewhat negative
|
Very
nega-
tive
|
No
opin-
ion
|
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
|
2003 Aug 4-6
|
24
|
46
|
20
|
5
|
1
|
4
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2002 Aug 5-8
|
20
|
42
|
24
|
5
|
4
|
5
|
|
2001 Aug 17-19 ^
|
27
|
40
|
20
|
9
|
1
|
3
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
^ BASED ON -- 326 -- NATIONAL ADULTS INTERVIEWED AUG. 17-19,
2001.
|
Y. The federal government
|
Very positive
|
Somewhat
positive
|
Neutral
|
Somewhat negative
|
Very
nega-
tive
|
No
opin-
ion
|
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
%
|
|
2003 Aug 4-6
|
9
|
32
|
23
|
22
|
13
|
1
|
