Corporate Images, Attributes and the UK Pharmaceutical Industry

Abstract

This paper presents the findings of a research exercise carried out to determine the attributes used by UK General Practitioners and Pharmacists to form images of ethical drug manufacturers. Using attributes from similar studies in the USA and Greece, this omnibus-based research program finds that Drug Effectiveness is the main attribute used by the medical profession to form images of pharmaceutical companies. All the attributes tested appear to contribute to the images formed of these companies. General practitioners appear to form distinct images of pharmaceutical companies, unlike pharmacists whose indirect and direct rankings suggest a more variable perception. Glaxo and AstraZeneca are perceived to be the most reputable of the companies in the sample.