Indians trust local JVs more than MNCs: Survey

Edelman's fourth annual Asia Pacific Stakeholder Research in India has found that 63 per cent people trust Indian joint ventures more than foreign multinationals. The study covered 140 opinion leaders across the country.

Among multinationals, US-based MNCs are the most trusted, with a top rating of 51 per cent, followed by Europe-based companies at 46 per cent and Asia-based companies at 29 per cent.

"Corporations need to address the rising trend towards employee relations in order to successfully manage their business. Successfully managing multiple stakeholder relationships is the key to driving business success in this rapidly evolving market," said Roger Pereira, chief executive officer, R&PM: Edelman.

"The results highlight the need for business to shift from managing perceptions as drivers of trust and reputation to managing open, interactive and information-rich relationships as drivers of trust and influencers of business outcomes," said Alan VanderMolen, Asia Pacific president, Edelman.

The media is the most trusted institution, with a top rating of 50 per cent, followed by business at 44 per cent. Government and non-governmental organisations are the least trusted institutions, with equal ratings of just 32 per cent.

The study, part of global public relations firm Edelman's annual Asia Pacific Stakeholder Study conducted by Harris Interactive Inc, looks at seven stakeholder groups across 10 Asia-Pacific markets.

These groups were the government, media, NGOs, employees, upscale consumers, institutional investors, and senior business executives.