Boston University fell from second to sixth in overall reputation as Massachusetts business in 2006, according to a survey conducted by 200 local business leaders.
The annual Massachusetts Corporate Reputation Survey, conducted by the Opinion Dynamics Corporation on behalf of strategic communications consulting firm Morrissey ‘ Company, ranks 74 universities, businesses and hospitals in the commonwealth based on how well their services compare to each other, including criteria on workplace, social responsibility, ethics and corporate governance and financial stability.
Morrissey ‘ Company Director Margaret Brady said the scores are largely based on the ranking of companies as compared to each other.
“The scores are not meant to reflect performance, but rather the views and opinions of area executives in response to a particular set of questions year after year,” she said in an email. “Beyond the actual number, it’s how the scores of the individual companies and institutions relate to one another that determines the rank order.”
Brigham and Women’s Hospital ranked first, with Dunkin’ Donuts, Children’s Hospital, Boston College and Tufts University following, respectively.
“It’s always nice for Boston University to be considered among the most highly regarded institutions in New England,” said BU spokesman Colin Riley.
Eight Massachusetts universities placed among the top 40 businesses. Brady said universities frequently have high rankings because many people can relate to their experiences at these institutions, raising their reputations among the general public.
“Students, alumnae and the actual physical presence of the school all play a big part in creating the identity and the credibility of Massachusetts,” Brady said. “Ask anyone about their experiences or knowledge of Massachusetts — they will usually talk about their experience as a student or their choice to work in the Boston area because of its reputation.”
BU outranked seventh-place Harvard University, which fell from its number one spot for the first time since the survey’s creation in 2003.
Alan Stone, Vice President of Government, Community and Public Affairs at Harvard, declined to comment and said he is unfamiliar with the survey.
According to the 2006 survey, Morrissey ‘ Company said organizations with strong, positive reputations receive “more successful sales initiatives and more consistent financial performance, greater trust with investors and partners, stronger customer satisfaction and loyalty, higher quality employees, better publicity and deeper community relations.”
The MCRS survey is the only annual survey ranking the reputation of the state’s leading private and public organizations.
“In many organizations, financial success is the bottom line, but its reputation is its most valuable asset,” Brady said. “We are advocates of this philosophy. Reputation is the enduring character of an enterprise. It is the feeling people get when they think of your company or organization.”
Morrissey ‘ Company President and CEO Peter Morrissey, a College of Communication associate professor, did not return phone calls or emails to comment on the survey’s results.
COM professor Stephen Quigley, who has been at BU for 20 years, said Morrissey is a valued professor at the university.
“[Peter Morrissey is] one of the most respected professionals anywhere,” he said. “He is known nationally as someone with a very strong focus in reputation management. We are really lucky to have him as a faculty member.”
Quigley said although he is unfamiliar with the specifics of the MCRS, he stressed the importance of reputation in general.
“Any organization should make every effort to assess its reputation in any way it can and do anything in its power to make it a positive one,” he said.