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New Research reveals anti globalisation protestors dismal failure to influence UK companies

Originally Published 5 November 2001
New research conducted for the University of Warwick by Echo Research reveals that anti globalisation protests have failed dismally to have any significant influence on how UK companies draw up their corporate plans. The research will be revealed at a special Warwick Debate entitled Globalisation: problem or opportunity? organised by the University of Warwick at this year's CBI conference in Birmingham on Monday 5th November.

Delegates attending the CBI conference were presented (by the University of Warwick) with a list of possible key influences on company policy including; customers, the local community, anti globalisation protestors etc, and they were then asked to state which groups they pay the most attention to when forming corporate plans and actions. Unsurprisingly the analysis of the results by Echo the customer remains king with over 80% of companies ranking their customers as the top influence but - much more surprisingly - anti globalisation protestors actually came bottom of the list of most important influences. They were ranked below employees, Government, shareholders, local communities, and even NGOs. Only 1% of companies polled ranked anti globalisation protesters as a major influence on their business strategy.

This research will be discussed at the debate by a panel including Anita Roddick OBE, Professor Howard Thomas (Dean of Warwick Business School), Mark Godyer (Director, Centre for Tomorrow's Company), and Sandra Macleod (Chief Executive of Echo Research).

Note for Editors:

The debate will take place in the Conference Suite of The Birmingham REP in Centenary Square Birmingham starting at 5pm on Monday 5th November with a drinks reception following at 6pm. The event is invitation only but journalists are welcome, contact the Public Affairs Office for further details.


Further information about the above press release and all other media services at the University of Warwick can be obtained from:

Peter Dunn, Press Officer
Public Affairs Office
Senate House
University of Warwick
Coventry, CV4 7AL
West Midlands
Tel: 024 76 523708
Email: puapjd@admin.warwick.ac.uk