Microsoft, like all companies doing business in Europe, believes that mission-critical operating systems must be able to seamlessly integrate the Euro symbol. Microsoft is committed to supporting its customers through a smooth transition to the Euro currency symbol. Microsoft is helping customers identify problems and devise solutions, and is working with hardware manufacturers and other partners on key Euro issues.
Microsoft Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) sponsored a survey of business leaders throughout Europe in early April to find out how aware the business community is of the Euro currency symbol. Although a small sampling, some of the findings are interesting as Europe prepares to enter the transition phase from local currencies to the single Euro currency. Results and methodology follow.
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Survey shows that the European business community has a 100% awareness of the Euro currency symbol (with the exception of the UK with 89% awareness).
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40% of businesses leaders said that they knew the symbol for the Euro.
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However, 62% of the European business community was able to correctly identify the Euro among a sheet of similar logos.
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Awareness of the Euro
Survey shows that the European business community has a 100% awareness of the Euro, except in the UK where the awareness is only of 89%.
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Claim to know the Euro symbol
Survey shows the 40% of business leaders feel that they know what the symbol for the Euro is, ranging from 64% in Germany to 27% in the UK. Recognition was fairly consistent between respondents in medium and large businesses (respectively 48% and 49%) while only 26% of respondents in small businesses feel they know the symbol.
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Correct Identification of the Euro Symbol
When shown several symbols, including the Euro, the European business community average correct identification rate was of 62%, the German managers being the most likely to correctly identify the Euro symbol (73%) and the British the least (50%). Among the business community, 71% of respondents from medium sized businesses correctly identified the Euro symbol, decreasing to 64% for large business respondents and only 51% for small business respondents.
When shown a sheet including the Euro symbol, 19% of managers who previously said they knew the symbol were unable to correctly identify it, while 51% of managers who had previously said they didn’t know the symbol were able to correctly identify it.
It can be said that 32% of decision makers in the business community feel confident they know the Euro symbol and are able to correctly identify it. Another 30% of decision makers do not feel confident they know the Euro symbol however they can correctly identify it. And 38% of these business decision makers cannot identify the Euro symbol.
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Interviews conducted with business decision makers (senior managers and higher). Drawn from random business samples.
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602 total interviews in 6 countries as follows: France (100), Germany (102), UK (100), Italy (100), Switzerland (100) and Belgium (100).
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Interviews were roughly split between small businesses (1-99 employees): 212 interviews, medium businesses (100-999 employees): 210 interviews and large businesses (1000+ employees): 180 interviews.
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Interviewing conducted April 4-8, by NOP Research Ltd., in London.
