Microsoft is the butt of many complaints and criticisms, but in terms of being inventive and innovative it’s rated joint-highest of the 27 corporations, industries, institutions and places listed, along with the Japanese auto industry (both with strong means of 4.0).

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 73% rated the Japanese auto industry as pioneering innovation/innovative.
o 70% rated Microsoft as pioneering innovation/innovative.
 

Of the big U.S. industry sectors evaluated:

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 Silicon Valley and the U.S. IT industry scored highest with a mean of 3.5, narrowly ahead of the U.S. military and the U.S. advertising industry (3.4).
o Despite all the advances in CGI, Hollywood and the U.S. movie industry netted a lower overall 3.3, as did the U.S. music industry.
o The U.S. food industry comes pretty low down the list with a mean of 3.2, while the U.S. auto industry at 3.0 is a whole mean point lower than the Japanese auto industry in a lowly second-bottom position.

Among the corporations:

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 Microsoft’s 4.0 puts it comfortably ahead of Google and eBay (each with good means of 3.8), at least in terms of perceived innovation.
o Apple Corporation rated a strong 3.6.
o P&G, IBM, Disney Corporation and DuPont all scored a respectable mean of 3.4—the same as the U.S. advertising industry.
o General Electric Corp.’s 3.3 mean puts it on the same footing as Starbucks.