How Companies Can Address Barriers for Consumers with Disabilities

Business Disability Forum & Open Inclusion

IPR is featuring research throughout October in support of National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM).

Business Disability Forum and Open Inclusion researched the experiences and preferences of consumers with disabilities.

A survey of 1,001 adults in Great Britain was conducted from Nov. 26 – Dec. 5, 2021. 457 respondents had disabilities, which included sensory, physical, neurodiverse, mental health, cognitive, and long-term conditions.

Key findings include:

• 65% of respondents with disabilities said they felt that their choices of what they buy were "limited on a daily basis due to barriers."
• 90% of respondents with disabilities said either limitations of design, available information, or how information was presented on products impacted their decision of whether to purchase a product.
• 27% of respondents with disabilities said they were unable to "request adjustments or identify my preferences or needs when I try to buy a product or service."
• Companies can provide "more detailed and transparent communication up-front" and opportunities for "in-depth conversations with product/service providers" to address barriers for consumers with disabilities.



Read more about purchase experiences for consumers with disabilities

How to Safely Integrate Generative AI into Your Communication Workflow

James Holland, Highwire

This blog is provided by the IPR Digital Media Research Center

Generative AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude AI have caused a flutter of cautious optimism among communication professionals. Could the days of drafting tedious copy, counting clips, and performing media analysis be over?

The prospect of each PR pro having a robot underling is a tempting one. But research suggests it’s wise to proceed with caution. 

While generative AI holds great promise, it also comes with risks around accuracy, security, plagiarism, and trust. A recent Salesforce survey suggests a third of IT leaders view generative AI with skepticism, citing security risks and bias as their main concerns. So how can communicators explore the upsides of AI, while avoiding the pitfalls?

According to The Conference Board, as of August 2023, less than 50% of organizations have even begun to work on company-wide guidance, and only 26% have published a policy on Generative AI use. This blog provides best practices to integrate generative AI safely and effectively...

Learn more about organizational policies on AI use in communications

What Happens When a CEO Takes a Public Socio-Political Stance?

Simon Sauter, Ph.D., University of Heidelberg & Marc Jungblut, Ph.D., University of Munich

This summary is provided by the IPR Organizational Communication Research Center

Dr. Simon Sauter and Dr. Marc Jungblut examined how public stances taken by CEOs impact perceptions of corporate reputation. 

An online survey of 330 participants was conducted in German from May – June 2021.

Key findings include:

• Respondents who opposed a CEO’s socio-political stance had less favorable perceptions of the organization the CEO worked for.
• Negative views of the CEO’s socio-political stance impacted non-financial aspects of corporate reputation most.
• e.g., Perceptions of leadership were more impacted than perceptions of core products and services.
• People who have a stake or interest in a company (such as investors, employees, or customers) may be more critical and upset when the CEO takes a position they don't agree with, compared to when the CEO takes a position they do agree with.

Learn how CEOs' public stances can impact consumer perceptions of a corporation

Gender and Leadership in American Businesses

Pew Research Center

This summary is provided by the IPR Center for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Pew Research Center analyzed Americans' opinions on women in top business leadership positions and the obstacles they face in obtaining those roles.

A survey of 5,057 U.S. adults was conducted July 17-23, 2023.



Key findings include:

• 55% of respondents thought there are too few women in top executive business positions.
• 65% of female respondents and 45% of male respondents said there are too few women in top executive business positions.
• Among these respondents, 79% said it would be ideal to have the same number of women and men in top business positions.
• 58% of respondents said a majority of women are not in top leadership positions because they have to prove themselves more than men.
• Respondents also said this was due to gender discrimination (50%) and family responsibilities (48%).
• 48% of respondents said "it’s only a matter of time" before there are as many women as men in top executive positions in business. 

Find out more about the state of gender in business leadership