Small-Business Conditions

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South Texas Small-Business Conditions, June 2005
06/01/2005

View the data below for more information on the South Texas Small-Business ConditionsSM survey from June 2005.

Q1. Do you consider the Texas business environment, including government officials, bankers, media outlets, community organizations, etc., to be highly supportive, supportive, neutral, not supportive or not at all supportive of small business?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Highly Supportive 23 6.6 6.6 6.6
Supportive 148 42.3 42.3 48.9
Neutral 82 23.4 23.4 72.3
Not Supportive 41 11.7 11.7 84.0
Not at All Supportive 20 5.7 5.7 89.7
DK 36 10.3 10.3 100.0
Total 350 100.0 100.0
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Q2. Do you believe that business conditions in your market area are CURRENTLY very good, good, just OK, poor, or very poor?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Very good 45 12.9 12.9 12.9
Good 177 50.6 50.6 63.4
Just OK 89 25.4 25.4 88.9
Poor 28 8.0 8.0 96.9
Very Poor 8 2.3 2.3 99.1
DK 3 .9 .9 100.0
Total 350 100.0 100.0
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Q3. Are they improving, deteriorating, or more or less stable?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Rapidly Improving 36 10.3 10.3 10.3
Slowly Improving 62 17.7 17.7 28.0
Improving 16 4.6 4.6 32.6
Stable 196 56.0 56.0 88.6
Deteriorating 6 1.7 1.7 90.3
Slowly Deteriorating 21 6.0 6.0 96.3
Rapidly Deteriorating 6 1.7 1.7 98.0
DK 7 2.0 2.0 100.0
Total 350 100.0 100.0
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Q4. Over last three months, have you upgraded the technology or changed the processes you use in order to make your business more productive?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Yes 151 43.1 43.1 43.1
No 191 54.6 54.6 97.7
DK 8 2.3 2.3 100.0
Total 350 100.0 100.0
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Q5. Over the last three months have you made one or more expenditures to purchase capital equipment or business vehicles, or to up-grade your facilities?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Yes 132 37.7 37.7 37.7
No 212 60.6 60.6 98.3
DK 6 1.7 1.7 100.0
Total 350 100.0 100.0
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Q6. Over the last three months, have you made one or more expenditures directly or indirectly to train or up-grade the skills of one or more employees?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Yes 131 37.4 37.4 37.4
No 214 61.1 61.1 98.6
DK 4 1.1 1.1 99.7
Refuse 1 .3 .3 100.0
Total 350 100.0 100.0
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Q7. Do you currently have one or more job openings?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Yes 59 16.9 16.9 16.9
No 290 82.9 82.9 99.7
DK 1 .3 .3 100.0
Total 350 100.0 100.0
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Q8. Over the last three months, has your average per employee payroll cost risen, fallen, or stayed about the same?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Risen 51 14.6 14.6 14.6
Fallen 15 4.3 4.3 18.9
Stayed the same 263 75.1 75.1 94.0
DK 19 5.4 5.4 99.4
Ref 2 .6 .6 100.0
Total 350 100.0 100.0
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Q9. Which cost pressures are greater for your business, [ROTATE] employee wages or employee benefits?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Wages 197 56.3 56.3 56.3
Benefits 91 26.0 26.0 82.3
Both the same 15 4.3 4.3 86.6
Neither 25 7.1 7.1 93.7
DK 21 6.0 6.0 99.7
Ref 1 .3 .3 100.0
Total 350 100.0 100.0
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Q10. In the last three months, have the AVERAGE prices you paid for the goods and services purchased for your business increased, decreased or stayed about the same?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Increased a Lot 53 15.1 15.1 15.1
Increased Somewhat 111 31.7 31.7 46.9
Increased [no amount] 11 3.1 3.1 50.0
About the Same 161 46.0 46.0 96.0
Decreased [no amount] 1 .3 .3 96.3
Decreased Somewhat 3 .9 .9 97.1
Decreased a Lot 2 .6 .6 97.7
DK 8 2.3 2.3 100.0
Total 350 100.0 100.0
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Q11. In the last three months, have you increased, decreased, or kept your AVERAGE selling prices about the same?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Increased a Lot 5 1.4 1.4 1.4
Increased Somewhat 55 15.7 15.7 17.1
Increased [no amount] 6 1.7 1.7 18.9
About the Same 261 74.6 74.6 93.4
Decreased [no amount] 1 .3 .3 93.7
Decreased Somewhat 6 1.7 1.7 95.4
Decreased a Lot 5 1.4 1.4 96.9
DK 9 2.6 2.6 99.4
Ref 2 .6 .6 100.0
Total 350 100.0 100.0
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Q12. Which BEST describes your situation over the last three months.

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid All of my credit needs were satisfied. 131 37.4 37.4 37.4
All of my credit needs were NOT satisfied. 27 7.7 7.7 45.1
I did not want to borrow. 165 47.1 47.1 92.3
DK 26 7.4 7.4 99.7
Ref 1 .3 .3 100.0
Total 350 100.0 100.0
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Q13. Over the last three months, have sales been ____?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Very Good 36 10.3 10.3 10.3
Good 165 47.1 47.1 57.4
Just OK 100 28.6 28.6 86.0
Poor 27 7.7 7.7 93.7
Very Poor 13 3.7 3.7 97.4
DK 7 2.0 2.0 99.4
Ref 2 .6 .6 100.0
Total 350 100.0 100.0
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Q14. Over the last three months, have profits been ____?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Very Good 26 7.4 7.4 7.4
Good 133 38.0 38.0 45.4
Just OK 126 36.0 36.0 81.4
Poor 39 11.1 11.1 92.6
Very Poor 15 4.3 4.3 96.9
DK 10 2.9 2.9 99.7
Ref 1 .3 .3 100.0
Total 350 100.0 100.0
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Q15. Could you increase sales by 10 percent WITHOUT purchasing new equipment or hiring more employees?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Yes 172 49.1 49.1 49.1
No 159 45.4 45.4 94.6
DK 19 5.4 5.4 100.0
Total 350 100.0 100.0
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Q16. At this time are you actively involved or investing in the startup of another business, separate and distinct from this one?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Yes 48 13.7 13.7 13.7
No 295 84.3 84.3 98.0
DK 7 2.0 2.0 100.0
Total 350 100.0 100.0
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Q17. What are the prospects for your business over the next several months?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Very Good 55 15.7 15.7 15.7
Good 171 48.9 48.9 64.6
Just OK 92 26.3 26.3 90.9
Poor 16 4.6 4.6 95.4
Very Poor 7 2.0 2.0 97.4
DK 9 2.6 2.6 100.0
Total 350 100.0 100.0
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Q18. Why do you think so? Is your optimism principally due to ____?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Current positive trend 3 .9 1.3 1.3
Sales prospects 77 22.0 34.1 35.4
Lower costs 9 2.6 4.0 39.4
Price increases 10 2.9 4.4 43.8
Greater productivity, such as better equipment or a great hi 38 10.9 16.8 60.6
Government policies, such as regulations and taxes 15 4.3 6.6 67.3
Seasonal Weather 23 6.6 10.2 77.4
Other 15 4.3 6.6 84.1
DK 36 10.3 15.9 100.0
Total 226 64.6 100.0
Missing System 124 35.4

Total 350 100.0

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Q19. Why do you think so? Is your pessimism principally due to ____?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Sales prospects 1 .3 4.3 4.3
Cost increases 4 1.1 17.4 21.7
Pressure on selling prices 1 .3 4.3 26.1
Lower productivity, such as loss of a key employee or aging 3 .9 13.0 39.1
Government policies, such as regulations and taxes 4 1.1 17.4 56.5
Seasonal Weather 2 .6 8.7 65.2
Other 5 1.4 21.7 87.0
DK 3 .9 13.0 100.0
Total 23 6.6 100.0
Missing System 327 93.4

Total 350 100.0

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Q20. What is the single most important problem facing your business today?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Weak Sales 38 10.9 10.9 10.9
Taxes 49 14.0 14.0 24.9
Employee quality or costs 30 8.6 8.6 33.4
Insurance 47 13.4 13.4 46.9
Big business competition 49 14.0 14.0 60.9
Inflation and rising prices 48 13.7 13.7 74.6
Credit availability or interest rates 12 3.4 3.4 78.0
Regulations/Red tape 25 7.1 7.1 85.1
Other 8 2.3 2.3 87.4
DK 10 2.9 2.9 90.3
Ref 32 9.1 9.1 99.4
None/No problems 2 .6 .6 100.0
Total 350 100.0 100.0
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SS11. Which type of tax increase would have the most adverse effect on your business?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Payroll taxes 79 22.6 22.6 22.6
Corporate income or franchise taxes 31 8.9 8.9 31.4
Real property taxes 33 9.4 9.4 40.9
Sales taxes 27 7.7 7.7 48.6
Personal income taxes 55 15.7 15.7 64.3
Personal property, including inventory, taxes 44 12.6 12.6 76.9
Other 9 2.6 2.6 79.4
DK 56 16.0 16.0 95.4
Ref 5 1.4 1.4 96.9
Fuel Taxes 3 .9 .9 97.7
All/Any 8 2.3 2.3 100.0
Total 350 100.0 100.0
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SS13. If you could improve your workforce in just ONE area, would that area be ____?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid People skills 99 28.3 28.3 28.3
Job-specific skills 75 21.4 21.4 49.7
Basic literacy and math 8 2.3 2.3 52.0
Work ethic 73 20.9 20.9 72.9
English proficiency 22 6.3 6.3 79.1
Other 8 2.3 2.3 81.4
DK 43 12.3 12.3 93.7
Ref 15 4.3 4.3 98.0
Satisfied/Can't Improve 7 2.0 2.0 100.0
Total 350 100.0 100.0
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