Case Study Question

Read headline "Health rates as top social issue". Would you expect management to worry about attitudinal surveys, such as the one described in Headline below. Explain you answer, as well explaining how such surveys might impact on the disclosure policies of an organisation.

CANBERRA: Health has taken over from crime as the most important social issue seen to be facing Australia, figures showed yesterday.

The survey of people's views of environmental issues found the environment rated fifth in importance-----even though three in four

Australians had at least one environment concern.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures showed 29% of respondents believed health was the most important social issue.

This was followed by crime (24%) education and unemployment (both 16%) and environmental problems (16 %).

In 1996, crime was seen as the most important social issue, followed by health, education, unemployment, the environment.

In the latest survey, dated March 1998, health was the most important issue to older people and least important to people aged 35-44.

In general, younger people were more concerned about long-term environmental problems although 19-24 year olds, as well as 45-54 year olds were most concerned about unemployment.

But the survey said 71% of Australians were concerned with at least one specific environmental problem.

The figure was up from 68% in 1996 but down from 75% in 1992.

People living in ACT were most concerned while Tasmanians were the least concerned about environmental problems.

Air pollution continued to be the problem of greatest worry for Australians, with 32% reporting it as their major concern.