Small-Business Conditions

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Michigan Small-Business Conditions, June 2005
06/01/2005

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

Q1. Do you consider the Michigan 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 11 3.1 3.1 3.1
Supportive 103 29.4 29.4 32.6
Neutral 108 30.9 30.9 63.4
Not Supportive 64 18.3 18.3 81.7
Not at All Supportive 26 7.4 7.4 89.1
DK 37 10.6 10.6 99.7
Refuse 1 .3 .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 15 4.3 4.3 4.3
Good 94 26.9 26.9 31.1
Just OK 124 35.4 35.4 66.6
Poor 84 24.0 24.0 90.6
Very Poor 26 7.4 7.4 98.0
DK 7 2.0 2.0 100.0
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 11 3.1 3.1 3.1
Slowly Improving 47 13.4 13.4 16.6
Improving 13 3.7 3.7 20.3
Stable 178 50.9 50.9 71.1
Deteriorating 28 8.0 8.0 79.1
Slowly Deteriorating 40 11.4 11.4 90.6
Rapidly Deteriorating 18 5.1 5.1 95.7
DK 15 4.3 4.3 100.0
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 135 38.6 38.6 38.6
No 212 60.6 60.6 99.1
DK 3 .9 .9 100.0
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 135 38.6 38.6 38.6
No 206 58.9 58.9 97.4
DK 9 2.6 2.6 100.0
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 147 42.0 42.0 42.0
No 199 56.9 56.9 98.9
DK 4 1.1 1.1 100.0
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 57 16.3 16.3 16.3
No 289 82.6 82.6 98.9
DK 4 1.1 1.1 100.0
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 61 17.4 17.4 17.4
Fallen 22 6.3 6.3 23.7
Stayed the same 246 70.3 70.3 94.0
DK 16 4.6 4.6 98.6
Ref 5 1.4 1.4 100.0
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 183 52.3 52.3 52.3
Benefits 105 30.0 30.0 82.3
Both the same 21 6.0 6.0 88.3
Neither 24 6.9 6.9 95.1
DK 16 4.6 4.6 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 59 16.9 16.9 16.9
Increased Somewhat 114 32.6 32.6 49.4
Increased [no amount] 11 3.1 3.1 52.6
About the Same 140 40.0 40.0 92.6
Decreased [no amount] 1 .3 .3 92.9
Decreased Somewhat 3 .9 .9 93.7
Decreased a Lot 4 1.1 1.1 94.9
DK 17 4.9 4.9 99.7
Ref 1 .3 .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 54 15.4 15.4 16.9
Increased [no amount] 5 1.4 1.4 18.3
About the Same 269 76.9 76.9 95.1
Decreased [no amount] 1 .3 .3 95.4
Decreased Somewhat 7 2.0 2.0 97.4
Decreased a Lot 3 .9 .9 98.3
DK 5 1.4 1.4 99.7
Ref 1 .3 .3 100.0
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. 120 34.3 34.3 34.3
All of my credit needs were NOT satisfied. 34 9.7 9.7 44.0
I did not want to borrow. 172 49.1 49.1 93.1
DK 23 6.6 6.6 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 24 6.9 6.9 6.9
Good 120 34.3 34.3 41.1
Just OK 136 38.9 38.9 80.0
Poor 47 13.4 13.4 93.4
Very Poor 14 4.0 4.0 97.4
DK 8 2.3 2.3 99.7
Ref 1 .3 .3 100.0
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 11 3.1 3.1 3.1
Good 101 28.9 28.9 32.0
Just OK 135 38.6 38.6 70.6
Poor 65 18.6 18.6 89.1
Very Poor 27 7.7 7.7 96.9
DK 11 3.1 3.1 100.0
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 180 51.4 51.4 51.4
No 146 41.7 41.7 93.1
DK 24 6.9 6.9 100.0
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 35 10.0 10.0 10.0
No 308 88.0 88.0 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 44 12.6 12.6 12.6
Good 162 46.3 46.3 58.9
Just OK 110 31.4 31.4 90.3
Poor 18 5.1 5.1 95.4
Very Poor 5 1.4 1.4 96.9
DK 11 3.1 3.1 100.0
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 2 .6 1.0 1.0
Sales prospects 79 22.6 38.3 39.3
Lower costs 7 2.0 3.4 42.7
Price increases 10 2.9 4.9 47.6
Greater productivity, such as better equipment or a great hire 24 6.9 11.7 59.2
Government policies, such as regulations and taxes 3 .9 1.5 60.7
Seasonal Weather 40 11.4 19.4 80.1
Other 18 5.1 8.7 88.8
DK 23 6.6 11.2 100.0
Total 206 58.9 100.0
Missing System 144 41.1

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 4 1.1 17.4 17.4
Cost increases 2 .6 8.7 26.1
Government policies, such as regulations and taxes 8 2.3 34.8 60.9
Seasonal Weather 2 .6 8.7 69.6
Other 6 1.7 26.1 95.7
DK 1 .3 4.3 100.0
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 57 16.3 16.3 16.3
Taxes 39 11.1 11.1 27.4
Employee quality or costs 18 5.1 5.1 32.6
Insurance 71 20.3 20.3 52.9
Big business competition 40 11.4 11.4 64.3
Inflation and rising prices 34 9.7 9.7 74.0
Credit availability or interest rates 5 1.4 1.4 75.4
Regulations/Red tape 29 8.3 8.3 83.7
Other 13 3.7 3.7 87.4
DK 16 4.6 4.6 92.0
Ref 27 7.7 7.7 99.7
None/No problems 1 .3 .3 100.0
Total 350 100.0 100.0

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SS1. In general, how satisfied are you with the direction that Michigan is headed?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Very satisfied 13 3.7 3.7 3.7
Somewhat satisfied 137 39.1 39.1 42.9
Not too satisfied 108 30.9 30.9 73.7
Not at all satisfied 73 20.9 20.9 94.6
DK 15 4.3 4.3 98.9
Ref 4 1.1 1.1 100.0
Total 350 100.0 100.0

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SS2. What do you value most in the area where you do business?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Quality of life 104 29.7 29.7 29.7
Physical environment 23 6.6 6.6 36.3
Opportunity 53 15.1 15.1 51.4
Vibrance and vitality 4 1.1 1.1 52.6
My roots are here 128 36.6 36.6 89.1
Other 10 2.9 2.9 92.0
DK 21 6.0 6.0 98.0
Ref 7 2.0 2.0 100.0
Total 350 100.0 100.0

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