The 2015 Edelman Trust Barometer has placed Ireland second from bottom in an international league table measuring levels of trust in 27 countries. Overall, levels of trust in Ireland have again declined to those last seen at the height of the recession, despite a nascent economic recovery. The annual study also shows that, Government has recorded a modest five-point recovery in trust over the past 12 months.
2. 84%Chose to buy products or services
WHY TRUST MATTERS IN IRELAND
Where a company is trusted
74%Recommended them to a friend
55%Paid more for products or services
42%Shared positive opinions online
4. PG 4
TRUST IN THE FOUR INSTITUTIONS OF GOVERNMENT, BUSINESS, MEDIA AND NGOS, 2014 VS. 2015
THE EVAPORATION OF TRUST:
NGOS, BUSINESS, MEDIA ALL DECLINE
BUSINESS
66% 63%
2014 2015
#1
53% 51%
2014 2015
#3
59%
57%
2014 2015
#2
45% 48%
2014 2015
#4 GOVERNMENTMEDIA
NGOS
Informed
Public
6. PG 6
TRUST IN THE FOUR INSTITUTIONS OF GOVERNMENT, BUSINESS, MEDIA AND NGOS IN IRELAND, 2014
VS. 2015
TRUST IN INSTITUTIONS
BUSINESS
GOVERNMENTMEDIA
NGOS
Informed
Public
37% 34%
2014 2015
#3
58%
48%
2014 2015
#1
41% 38%
2014 2015
#2
21%
26%
2014 2015
#4
7. PG 7
China 79
UAE 79
Singapore 73
Indonesia 72
India 69
Malaysia 65
Canada 60
Netherlands 60
Hong Kong 59
Mexico 59
Australia 58
Brazil 57
Germany 57
Argentina 53
U.K. 52
S. Korea 51
Sweden 51
S. Africa 50
U.S. 49
France 46
Japan 44
Italy 43
Turkey 41
Ireland 39
Spain 39
Russia 37
Poland 35
NUMBER OF TRUSTER
COUNTRIES AT AN
ALL-TIME LOW
THE TRUST
INDEX:
TRUSTERSNEUTRALDISTRUSTERS
2014
TRUSTERS
from 30% to
22% in 2015
GLOBAL 56
Italy 48
S. Africa 48
Hong Kong 47
S. Korea 47
U.K. 46
Argentina 45
Poland 45
Russia 45
Spain 45
Sweden 45
Turkey 40
Ireland 37
Japan 37
2015
UAE 84
India 79
Indonesia 78
China 75
Singapore 65
Netherlands 64
Brazil 59
Mexico 59
Malaysia 56
Canada 53
Australia 52
France 52
U.S. 52
Germany 50
GLOBAL 55
DISTRUSTERS
from 33% to
48% in 2015
Informed
Public
10. PG 10
FOUR KEY FACTORS
AFFECT TRUST IN BUSINESS
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN
INDUSTRY SECTOR
LEADERSHIP
ENTERPRISE TYPE
BUSINESS
All are showing similar patterns of a post-recovery increase in trust,
followed by new declines in the last 12 – 18 months
11. PG 11
50%
63% 65%
57% 56%
53% 52% 51%
47% 45%
49%
40%
37%
26%
20%
15%
68%
61% 60% 60% 59% 57% 57%
53% 52%
46% 46%
36% 35%
30%
21%
TRUST IN INDUSTRIES 2014 VS 2015, DECLINES COMPARED TO 2014
INDUSTRY SECTORS:
TECHNOLOGY MOST TRUSTED
Informed
Public
2014 2015
More Trust Less Trust
12. PG 12
50%
57%
68%
State-owned Big Business Family-owned
Informed
Public
GLOBAL IRELAND
TRUST IN DIFFERENT TYPES OF BUSINESS, GLOBAL VS. IRELAND
ENTERPRISE TYPE
33%
36%
76%
State-owned Big Business Family-owned
13. PG 13
TRUST IN COMPANIES WITH HEADQUARTERS IN DEVELOPED (U.S., U.K., GERMANY,
FRANCE, JAPAN) VS. DEVELOPING COUNTRIES (CHINA, INDIA, RUSSIA, MEXICO, BRAZIL)
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: DEVELOPING
COUNTRY MULTINATIONALS CHALLENGED
Company’s
Country of Origin Type of Market
Percent in Market
Who Trust the Company
DEVELOPING
Country Multinational
Doing Business…
… in a Developing Country 57%
… in a Developed Country 22%
DEVELOPED
Country Multinational
Doing Business…
… in a Developing Country 77%
… in a Developed Country 58%
Informed
Public
14. PG 14
CREDIBILITY OF SPOKESPERSONS, 2014 VS. 2015 IN IRELAND
LEADERSHIP
68%
56% 56%
53% 54%
49%
29%
36%
78%
62%
57%
54% 53% 52%
34% 33%
Academic or
Industry Expert
Company
Technical Expert
A Person
Like Yourself
Regular
Employee
NGO
Representative
Financial or
Industry Analyst
CEO Government
Official
or Regulator
2014 2015
More Trust Less Trust
Informed
Public
16. PG 16
Lower/Equal Trust in 15 CountriesIncreased Trust in 12 Countries
50%
TRUST IN MEDIA, 2014 VS. 2015
TRUST IN MEDIA:
60% OF COUNTRIES DISTRUST MEDIA
2014 2015
Informed
Public
% Trust
53
78
70 71
60
45
48
40 40
35
42
30
19
79
70
61
63
55
58 59
54
48
63
54
41
44
37
40
51
80 79
76
62
51 50
48 47
44 43 42
20
77
59 57 56
52
47 46 45 43 41 40
38
34 34
31
17. PG 17
TRUST IN EACH SOURCE FOR GENERAL NEWS AND INFORMATION IN IRELAND
MEDIA SOURCES
TRADITIONAL MEDIA MOST TRUSTED
Informed
Public
74%
64%
61%
56%
45%
37%
37% 39%
30%
19%
26%
25%
53%
43%
50%
52%
26%
22%
24%
27%
2012 2013 2014 2015
Online Search Engines
Traditional Media
Hybrid Media
Social Media
Owned Media
18. PG 18
TRUST IN INFORMATION CREATED BY EACH AUTHOR ON SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES, CONTENT
SHARING SITES AND ONLINE-ONLY INFORMATION SOURCES IN IRELAND
MEDIA SOURCES
NEWSPAPERS NOW USED FIRST AND FOREMOST
Informed
Public
TELEVISIONNEWSPAPERS ONLINE SEARCH
The First Source for
General Information
The First Source for
Breaking News
Source Used Most to
Confirm/Validate News
30%
25%
37%
16% 16%
12%
22%
19%
23%
2013 2014 2015
22%
25%
37%33%
25%
16%
19%
21% 18%
2013 2014 2015
25%
23%
33%
25%
28%
21%
27% 28%
27%
2013 2014 2015
20. PG 20
THE PACE OF DEVELOPMENT AND CHANGE IN BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY IN IRELAND TODAY IS …
TRUST IN BUSINESS INNOVATION
44% Too Fast29% Too Slow
Informed
Public
22% Just Right
21. PG 21
24%
30%
35%
54%
66%
70%
Make the World a Better Place
Improve People's Lives
Personal Ambition
Greed/Money
Business Growth Targets
Technology
DRIVERS OF CHANGE IN BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY TODAY ARE PERCEIVED TO BE:
INNOVATIONS PERCEIVED AS DRIVEN BY
TECHNOLOGY, BUSINESS TARGETS AND
GREED/MONEY
Informed
Public
SO WHAT IS TRUST WELLTRUST IS INTANGIBLE BUT ITS ABSENCE OR PRENCE MAKES A VERY TANGIBLE DIFFERENCE
Half of countries are below 50% as it relates to trust in business. 16 of 27 saw a decrease year over year.
This decrease is not necessarily related to economic performance (like it was in 2008/2009). We see huge drops in Canada and Germany, and significant decreases in Australia and Singapore.
This is a sad story for media, with nearly two-thirds of markets distrusting media. Some have seen minimal increases, but those are offset by declines – some of which are massive, such as those in Hong Kong, which beg the question, “should media have been more active in support of protesters?” and raises red flags around the believability of media.
Unsurprisingly, there is a higher level of trust in media in authoritarian countries.
What is driving that feeling?
7 in 10 say Technology is the driver of change, but more alarming is the place “Greed/Money” and “Business Growth Targets” have north of 50%. Less than 1 in 3 believe innovation and change to be motivated a desire for personal and societal improvement.