Page 222 - Toyota Under Fire

RESPONSE AND THE ROAD TO RECOVER Y

FIGURE 4.2 TOYOTA NET QUAR TERLY INCOME
($ BILLION)
6

4

2

0
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2
2008 2008 2008 2008 2009 2009 2009 2009 2010 2010
–2

–4

–6

–8

–10
of Toyota vehicles, although they were the ones who were directly
affected by the recalls, felt much more positive about the company
than people who were not customers. A survey conducted by Rice
University and a market research firm in the midst of the worst
part of the crisis found tremendous loyalty among current Toy-
ota owners.* On all aspects of the study, Toyota owners proved to
have a more favorable opinion of the company than non-Toyota
owners. For example, on a 10-point scale, in answer to a question
about whether they would buy a Toyota if they were in the mar-
ket, Toyota owners rated the possibility an 8, while non-Toyota
owners rated it an average of 4. This same pattern of Toyota own-
ers being overwhelmingly positive and non-Toyota owners being

* Vikas Mittal et al., “Does Media Coverage of Toyota Recalls Reflect Reality?”
The Conversation Blog, Harvard Business Review, March 9, 2010; http://blogs.
hbr.org/research/2010/03/does-media-coverage-of-toyota.html.

191