The sixth annual Best Countries report reveals the importance
of social justice as a global ambition, the unexpected societal
byproduct of the COVID-19 crisis and the influence of conspiracy
theories.
WASHINGTON, April 13, 2021 /CNW/ -- For the first time,
Canada takes the top spot overall
in the 2021 Best Countries Report, a ranking and analysis project
by U.S. News & World Report; BAV Group, a unit of global
marketing communications company VMLY&R; and the Wharton School
of the University of Pennsylvania.
This year, the model that powers this report has evolved in
response to a transformational year since the start of the COVID-19
pandemic. Cultural, economic, political and technological
influences remain important, and two new categories have been
added: social purpose and agility. Together, this broad range of
categories determines how the 78 countries studied are ranked on
the world stage.
"Nations are impacted on many critical fronts by how they are
perceived globally – from foreign relations to international
business to tourism. These perceptions are ever-evolving in a
rapidly changing world," said Kim
Castro, editor and chief content officer at U.S. News. "The
2021 Best Countries analysis combines data and storytelling to
explore how countries compare on a host of global issues."
Key themes from the 2021 Best Countries Report
- For the first time, Canada
is the No. 1 overall country. Japan and Germany finish Nos. 2 and 3, respectively,
while Switzerland, the previous
No. 1 overall country, falls to No. 4. Australia remains as the No. 5 overall country
followed by the United States,
which rises one position to No. 6 overall.
- Canada ranks No. 1 in
quality of life and social purpose. It is also perceived as
having a good job market, caring about human rights and is
committed to social justice. Additionally, the country finished No.
1 in being viewed as not corrupt and respecting property
rights.
- Social justice is a global ambition. Eighty percent of
global citizens feel aligned with social justice, a broad term that
refers to movements calling for addressing racial and gender
inequities, while 76% also agree that a country is stronger when it
is more racially and ethnically diverse. Canada and the Nordic countries are viewed as
the most committed to social justice, while the U.S. sits at No.
18. And on the specific topic of racial equality, the U.S. only
manages to achieve No. 69, behind both China and Iraq.
- Women are viewed as effective leaders. Eighty-three
percent of global citizens believe there is a leadership crisis in
the world today. The majority of respondents view women leaders in
a positive light, as 68% agree that countries led by women tend to
be better managed.
- A nation's perceived agility is the most important driver of
strength in 2021. Across the countries measured, agility
accounts for per capita GDP variations the most – underscoring that
it is essential for any country to be seen as adaptable,
progressive and responsive. The new Agility subranking carries the
greatest weight among the 10 subrankings. The U.S. leads the world
in perceived agility, but is not among the top 10 in adaptability,
coming in at No. 13 on this attribute.
- The influence of conspiracy theories. A majority of
respondents (75%) agree that conspiracy theories are a threat to
society. However, 39% believe that governments have made up the
COVID-19 pandemic to control their citizens.
"This year the model behind the Best Countries report has been
updated and evolved in response to 2020, a year like no other,"
said John Keaveney, WPP advisor and
head of Analytics & Insight, BAV Group. "From the death of
George Floyd and the subsequent rise
of the social justice movement, to the need for quick and decisive
action by our governments and scientists to tackle the threat from
COVID-19, all such seismic events now play a role in the way
citizens rate a nation and its society as a whole. By combining
more traditional measures of a nation's power and influence with
our new dimensions of Social Purpose and Agility, we are now able
to more accurately measure the strength and perceptual equity of
any country in 2021."
In addition to the overall rankings, the report also
includes:
- 25 subrankings and "Best for" Lists
- The third annual Origin Index, in which respondents were
asked to pick the countries they would prefer to buy goods from as
a measure of each country's brand power.
- Articles examining gender inequality, a closer examination of
Canada's vaccine rollout and
treatment hesitancy among the country's First Nations communities,
how well the world is recovering economically and the impact the
Jan. 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol
has had on views about the United
States.
The 2021 Best Countries rankings methodology gathered from a
proprietary survey of more than 17,000 business leaders; college
educated individuals that are middle class or higher; and general
citizens who are nationally representative of their country.
"Countries should care about their image – it is not just a beauty
contest. The impressions others have of a country affects its
economy through tourism, foreign trade and foreign direct
investment," said David Reibstein,
professor of marketing at the Wharton School.
The Best Countries project includes in-depth news articles,
an interactive data explorer, photos and commentary from global
experts in government, business and academia. It is part of U.S.
News' Government Rankings initiative, which measures government
performance at the international, state and local levels and
includes the Best States and Healthiest Communities
projects.
To view the full rankings and search country profiles,
visit https://www.usnews.com/news/best-countries and follow
coverage on Facebook and Twitter using
#BestCountries.
2021 Best
Countries rankings
|
*See the full
rankings here.
|
Overall
|
1. Canada
|
6. United
States
|
2. Japan
|
7. New
Zealand
|
3. Germany
|
8. United
Kingdom
|
4.
Switzerland
|
9. Sweden
|
5.
Australia
|
10. The
Netherlands
|
Most
Powerful
|
Most
Agile
|
For Social
Purpose
|
1. United
States
|
1. United
States
|
1. Canada
|
2. China
|
2.
Australia
|
2. Denmark
|
3.
Russia
|
3.
Canada
|
3. New
Zealand
|
For
Women
|
Most
Forward-Looking
|
For Racial
Equality
|
1. Sweden
|
1. South
Korea
|
1. The
Netherlands
|
2.
Demark
|
2.
Singapore
|
2. Canada
|
3.
Norway
|
3. United
States
|
3. New
Zealand
|
About U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report is the global leader in quality
rankings that empower people to make better, more informed
decisions about important issues affecting their lives. A digital
news and information company focused on Education, Health, Money,
Travel, Cars and News, USNews.com provides consumer
advice, rankings and analysis to serve people making complex
decisions throughout all stages of life. More than 40 million
people visit USNews.com each month for research and guidance.
Founded in 1933, U.S. News is headquartered in Washington, D.C.
About BAV Group
BAV Group is a global consultancy with
expertise in consumer insights and brand marketing strategy. Using
BrandAsset® Valuator, a proprietary brand management tool and
global database of consumer perceptions of brands, BAV informs
strategic and creative solutions that drive business results. Over
28 years, BAV has captured data and consumer insights on more than
60,000 brands in 50 countries around the world, evaluating 75 brand
image and equity dimensions that matter. BAV Group is a unit of
global marketing communications company VMLY&R, a WPP company
(NYSE: WPP). Visit bavgroup.com to learn more.
About the Wharton School
Founded in 1881 as the first
collegiate business school, the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania is recognized globally
for intellectual leadership and ongoing innovation across every
major discipline of business education. With a broad global
community and one of the most published business school faculties,
Wharton creates economic and
social value around the world. The School has 5,000 undergraduate,
MBA, executive MBA, and doctoral students; more than 9,000
participants in executive education programs annually and a
powerful alumni network of 94,000 graduates. For more information,
visit http://seicenter.wharton.upenn.edu.
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SOURCE U.S. News & World Report