Small-Business Conditions

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North Carolina Small-Business Conditions, June 2005
06/01/2005

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

Q1. Do you consider the North Carolina 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 24 6.9 6.9 6.9
Supportive 161 46.0 46.0 52.9
Neutral 86 24.6 24.6 77.4
Not Supportive 30 8.6 8.6 86.0
Not at All Supportive 8 2.3 2.3 88.3
DK 41 11.7 11.7 100.0
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 50 14.3 14.3 14.3
Good 151 43.1 43.1 57.4
Just OK 97 27.7 27.7 85.1
Poor 32 9.1 9.1 94.3
Very Poor 14 4.0 4.0 98.3
DK 6 1.7 1.7 100.0
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 30 8.6 8.6 8.6
Slowly Improving 83 23.7 23.7 32.3
Improving 7 2.0 2.0 34.3
Stable 187 53.4 53.4 87.7
Deteriorating 8 2.3 2.3 90.0
Slowly Deteriorating 19 5.4 5.4 95.4
Rapidly Deteriorating 7 2.0 2.0 97.4
DK 8 2.3 2.3 99.7
Refuse 1 .3 .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 120 34.3 34.3 34.3
No 222 63.4 63.4 97.7
DK 6 1.7 1.7 99.4
Refuse 2 .6 .6 100.0
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 147 42.0 42.0 42.0
No 196 56.0 56.0 98.0
DK 7 2.0 2.0 100.0
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 144 41.1 41.1 41.1
No 200 57.1 57.1 98.3
DK 6 1.7 1.7 100.0
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 67 19.1 19.1 19.1
No 279 79.7 79.7 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 55 15.7 15.7 15.7
Fallen 14 4.0 4.0 19.7
Stayed the same 261 74.6 74.6 94.3
DK 20 5.7 5.7 100.0
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 198 56.6 56.6 56.6
Benefits 85 24.3 24.3 80.9
Both the same 18 5.1 5.1 86.0
Neither 22 6.3 6.3 92.3
DK 25 7.1 7.1 99.4
Ref 2 .6 .6 100.0
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 63 18.0 18.0 18.0
Increased Somewhat 119 34.0 34.0 52.0
Increased [no amount] 7 2.0 2.0 54.0
About the Same 142 40.6 40.6 94.6
Decreased Somewhat 10 2.9 2.9 97.4
Decreased a Lot 1 .3 .3 97.7
DK 6 1.7 1.7 99.4
Ref 2 .6 .6 100.0
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 4 1.1 1.1 1.1
Increased Somewhat 55 15.7 15.7 16.9
Increased [no amount] 7 2.0 2.0 18.9
About the Same 257 73.4 73.4 92.3
Decreased [no amount] 2 .6 .6 92.9
Decreased Somewhat 8 2.3 2.3 95.1
Decreased a Lot 3 .9 .9 96.0
DK 10 2.9 2.9 98.9
Ref 4 1.1 1.1 100.0
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. 138 39.4 39.4 39.4
All of my credit needs were NOT satisfied. 26 7.4 7.4 46.9
I did not want to borrow. 169 48.3 48.3 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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Q13. Over the last three months, have sales been ____?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Very Good 54 15.4 15.4 15.4
Good 142 40.6 40.6 56.0
Just OK 108 30.9 30.9 86.9
Poor 29 8.3 8.3 95.1
Very Poor 10 2.9 2.9 98.0
DK 6 1.7 1.7 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 28 8.0 8.0 8.0
Good 140 40.0 40.0 48.0
Just OK 111 31.7 31.7 79.7
Poor 47 13.4 13.4 93.1
Very Poor 10 2.9 2.9 96.0
DK 13 3.7 3.7 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 173 49.4 49.4 49.4
No 142 40.6 40.6 90.0
DK 34 9.7 9.7 99.7
Ref 1 .3 .3 100.0
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 38 10.9 10.9 10.9
No 305 87.1 87.1 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 82 23.4 23.4 23.4
Good 160 45.7 45.7 69.1
Just OK 83 23.7 23.7 92.9
Poor 12 3.4 3.4 96.3
Very Poor 1 .3 .3 96.6
DK 12 3.4 3.4 100.0
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 1.2 1.2
Sales prospects 95 27.1 39.3 40.5
Lower costs 8 2.3 3.3 43.8
Price increases 11 3.1 4.5 48.3
Greater productivity, such as better equipment or a great hi 28 8.0 11.6 59.9
Government policies, such as regulations and taxes 10 2.9 4.1 64.0
Seasonal Weather 28 8.0 11.6 75.6
Other 18 5.1 7.4 83.1
DK 32 9.1 13.2 96.3
Ref 9 2.6 3.7 100.0
Total 242 69.1 100.0
Missing System 108 30.9

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 7.7 7.7
Cost increases 1 .3 7.7 15.4
Pressure on selling prices 1 .3 7.7 23.1
Lower productivity, such as loss of a key employee or aging 2 .6 15.4 38.5
Government policies, such as regulations and taxes 3 .9 23.1 61.5
Other 1 .3 7.7 69.2
DK 4 1.1 30.8 100.0
Total 13 3.7 100.0
Missing System 337 96.3

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 35 10.0 10.0 10.0
Taxes 36 10.3 10.3 20.3
Employee quality or costs 28 8.0 8.0 28.3
Insurance 60 17.1 17.1 45.4
Big business competition 50 14.3 14.3 59.7
Inflation and rising prices 56 16.0 16.0 75.7
Credit availability or interest rates 8 2.3 2.3 78.0
Regulations/Red tape 17 4.9 4.9 82.9
Other 16 4.6 4.6 87.4
DK 12 3.4 3.4 90.9
Ref 28 8.0 8.0 98.9
None/No problems 4 1.1 1.1 100.0
Total 350 100.0 100.0
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SS1. In general, how satisfied are you with the direction that North Carolina is headed?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Very satisfied 39 11.1 11.1 11.1
Somewhat satisfied 212 60.6 60.6 71.7
Not too satisfied 52 14.9 14.9 86.6
Not at all satisfied 24 6.9 6.9 93.4
DK 18 5.1 5.1 98.6
Ref 5 1.4 1.4 100.0
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 140 40.0 40.0 40.0
Physical environment 34 9.7 9.7 49.7
Opportunity 66 18.9 18.9 68.6
Vibrance and vitality 6 1.7 1.7 70.3
My roots are here 80 22.9 22.9 93.1
Other 1 .3 .3 93.4
DK 14 4.0 4.0 97.4
Ref 9 2.6 2.6 100.0
Total 350 100.0 100.0
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