Americans are split over whether companies should express their viewpoints on political and social issues, including the COVID-19 pandemic, racial injustice and abortion rights, according to a new Gallup poll.
The findings, released Tuesday, show 48% of adults in the United States think businesses should express a stance, with 52% saying they should not, according to the Force for Good Survey conducted by Gallup and Bentley University.
The survey asked 5,757 people across the country what they thought about the impact of business, which Gallup says can be a “powerful force for positive change in our society.”
While adults were split over whether businesses should voice political or social stances, the numbers change when age is factored in. For younger adults, 59% believe businesses should take a stance, with the percentage dropping to 43% for those 60 and older.
“Unlike previous generations who believed that individual consumers had the power to effect positive social, political and economic change, millennials and Gen Z have a more sophisticated view,” said Susan Dobscha, professor of marketing at Bentley University.
“They believe businesses should be taking on big problems because they have the ability to improve conditions related to the environment and diversity,” she said.
When it comes to political parties, 75% of Democrats believe businesses should take a stand on social issues, while only 18% of Republicans and 40% of independents agree.
“Democrats see corporate executives as allies in recent social conflicts, but they should be careful what they wish for,” Jeff Moriarty, professor of philosophy at Bentley University, said.
“Eventually, they will find themselves on opposing sides of an issue, and then encouraging corporations to get more involved in politics will seem like a bad idea,” Moriarty said.
The response also shows a difference when racial and ethnic groups are considered. About three-quarters of Asian and Black adults believe businesses should announce their views on political and social issues, while 49% of Hispanic adults and 41% of White adults feel the same.
More women than men prefer to hear businesses speak out, with 52% of all women surveyed and 43% of men believing that companies should take a public stance on current events.
As some companies have issued internal and external statements on political and social issues, others worry about whether those stances could negatively impact their brand with customers or employees.
“As we become more and more interconnected, consumers now have way more information about the companies they patronize than they ever did before,” said Andy Aylesworth, professor of marketing at Bentley University.
“Since everything a brand does or doesn’t do becomes part of its image, and consumers have more points of reference for each brand, they expect the brands they buy to represent who they are to a greater degree,” Aylesworth said. “And if a brand doesn’t share my values, I don’t want to share my money.”
It can be risky for a business to take a stand on controversial issues especially when the information being used is false to begin with. The Disney Corporation is finding that out the hard way. Others were stung in the Georgia voting law when Atlanta lost the All Star Game to Denver, that city having basically the same law on the books for voting. If they want to take a stand, that fine and dandy, but they should be aware of an unintended backlash. One thing for certain is companies should not be bullied into taking stands on public issues if they don’t want to, their business is to serve the public, the total public and not the radicals who feel everyone should have an opinion on everything, primarily one that agrees with their’s!
IMO if they WANT to take a stand, DO SO ONLY AFTER KNOWING the bloody facts…
Mixing business with politics is a money losing proposition for businesses, because for every person you make feel wamer and fussy, 2 more of the oppsing politics will leave your product in the dust. in disgust. Apparently the Alinsky takeover tactics of taking over government have been expanded to the board rooms, now being populated with recent woke business 5th columist graduates. If socialsim is when the government owns AND Controls the businesses, and Fascism is when private parties own the businesses but the government party people control the businesses, I guess under the Biden Crime families our new leaders have all become Fascists, and would recreate WE THE PEOPLE over into their warped failed image. Business survival of the fitest will eventually cull them all out, but now before tons of people ge laid off, and tons of useless social unemployment benefits get paid out to the point where most “Made In America” goods will soon become “Made In China” where only the sellout politicians and board members get rich.
ANd just look at those who bowed to the woke crowd. WHEN MANY OF THAT crowd, don’t even BUY STUFF from those companies..
They essentially peeved off 99% of their base, to appease 3-4%, who DON’T even shop with them..
In a nearly evenly divided country a company is losing half its potential business no matter which side it takes. Smart CEOs keep their mouths shut and make a superior product.
“Democrats see corporate executives as allies in recent social conflicts, but they should be careful what they wish for,”
More women than men prefer to hear businesses speak out, with 52% of all women surveyed and 43% of men believing that companies should take a public stance on current events.
Keep in mind that the disgraceful, dishonest, self-righteous, immoral Democrat Party’s minion media is what convinces “useful idiots” what the current events and agendas are. Most of the time they lie.
I wonder how many of those men surveyed, only answered YES, Because their wives told them to?