Small-Business Conditions

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New Jersey Small-Business Conditions, September 2005
09/01/2005

View the data below for more information on the New Jersey Small-Business ConditionsSMsurvey for September 2005.

Q1. Do you consider the New Jersey 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 20 5.7 5.7 5.7
Supportive 105 29.9 29.9 35.6
Neutral 102 29.1 29.1 64.7
Not Supportive 57 16.2 16.2 80.9
Not at All Supportive 30 8.5 8.5 89.5
DK 33 9.4 9.4 98.9
Refuse 4 1.1 1.1 100.0
Total 351 100.0 100.0
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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 40 11.4 11.4 11.4
Good 152 43.3 43.3 54.7
Just OK 116 33.0 33.0 87.7
Poor 31 8.8 8.8 96.6
Very Poor 10 2.8 2.8 99.4
DK 1 .3 .3 99.7
Refuse 1 .3 .3 100.0
Total 351 100.0 100.0
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Q3. Are they improving, deteriorating, or more or less stable?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Rapidly Improving 23 6.6 6.6 6.6
Slowly Improving 52 14.8 14.8 21.4
Improving 8 2.3 2.3 23.6
Stable 205 58.4 58.4 82.1
Deteriorating 13 3.7 3.7 85.8
Slowly Deteriorating 30 8.5 8.5 94.3
Rapidly Deteriorating 15 4.3 4.3 98.6
DK 4 1.1 1.1 99.7
Refuse 1 .3 .3 100.0
Total 351 100.0 100.0
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Q4. Over the 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 160 45.6 45.6 45.6
No 188 53.6 53.6 99.1
DK 3 .9 .9 100.0
Total 351 100.0 100.0
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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 145 41.3 41.3 41.3
No 203 57.8 57.8 99.1
DK 2 .6 .6 99.7
Refuse 1 .3 .3 100.0
Total 351 100.0 100.0
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Q6. Over the last three months, have you made one or more expenditures directly or indirectly to train or upgrade the skills of one or more employees?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Yes 139 39.6 39.6 39.6
No 209 59.5 59.5 99.1
DK 3 .9 .9 100.0
Total 351 100.0 100.0
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Q7. Do you currently have one or more job openings?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Yes 78 22.2 22.2 22.2
No 268 76.4 76.4 98.6
DK 5 1.4 1.4 100.0
Total 351 100.0 100.0
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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 75 21.4 21.4 21.4
Fallen 14 4.0 4.0 25.4
Stayed the same 249 70.9 70.9 96.3
DK 11 3.1 3.1 99.4
Ref 2 .6 .6 100.0
Total 351 100.0 100.0
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Q9. Which cost pressures are greater for your business...

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Wages 173 49.3 49.3 49.3
Benefits 115 32.8 32.8 82.1
Both the same 25 7.1 7.1 89.2
Neither 25 7.1 7.1 96.3
DK 13 3.7 3.7 100.0
Total 351 100.0 100.0
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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 64 18.2 18.2 18.2
Increased Somewhat 107 30.5 30.5 48.7
Increased [no amount] 12 3.4 3.4 52.1
About the Same 154 43.9 43.9 96.0
Decreased Somewhat 6 1.7 1.7 97.7
DK 8 2.3 2.3 100.0
Total 351 100.0 100.0
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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 10 2.8 2.8 2.8
Increased Somewhat 57 16.2 16.2 19.1
Increased [no amount] 6 1.7 1.7 20.8
About the Same 254 72.4 72.4 93.2
Decreased Somewhat 6 1.7 1.7 94.9
Decreased a Lot 5 1.4 1.4 96.3
DK 11 3.1 3.1 99.4
Ref 2 .6 .6 100.0
Total 351 100.0 100.0
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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. 122 34.8 34.8 34.8
All of my credit needs were NOT satisfied. 22 6.3 6.3 41.0
I did not want to borrow. 184 52.4 52.4 93.4
DK 21 6.0 6.0 99.4
Ref 2 .6 .6 100.0
Total 351 100.0 100.0
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Q13. Over the last three months, have sales been...?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Very Good 48 13.7 13.7 13.7
Good 143 40.7 40.7 54.4
Just OK 110 31.3 31.3 85.8
Poor 35 10.0 10.0 95.7
Very Poor 7 2.0 2.0 97.7
DK 6 1.7 1.7 99.4
Ref 2 .6 .6 100.0
Total 351 100.0 100.0
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Q14. Over the last three months, have profits been...?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Very Good 30 8.5 8.5 8.5
Good 126 35.9 35.9 44.4
Just OK 134 38.2 38.2 82.6
Poor 38 10.8 10.8 93.4
Very Poor 10 2.8 2.8 96.3
DK 10 2.8 2.8 99.1
Ref 3 .9 .9 100.0
Total 351 100.0 100.0
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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 187 53.3 53.3 53.3
No 132 37.6 37.6 90.9
DK 30 8.5 8.5 99.4
Ref 2 .6 .6 100.0
Total 351 100.0 100.0
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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 31 8.8 8.8 8.8
No 315 89.7 89.7 98.6
DK 4 1.1 1.1 99.7
Ref 1 .3 .3 100.0
Total 351 100.0 100.0
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Q17. What are the prospects for your business over the next several months? Are they...

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Very Good 67 19.1 19.1 19.1
Good 172 49.0 49.0 68.1
Just OK 79 22.5 22.5 90.6
Poor 17 4.8 4.8 95.4
Very Poor 6 1.7 1.7 97.2
DK 9 2.6 2.6 99.7
Ref 1 .3 .3 100.0
Total 351 100.0 100.0
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Q18. Why do you think so? Is your optimism principally due to...?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Sales prospects 101 28.8 42.3 42.3
Lower costs 7 2.0 2.9 45.2
Price increases 13 3.7 5.4 50.6
Greater productivity, such as better equipment or a great hire 35 10.0 14.6 65.3
Government policies, such as regulations and taxes 7 2.0 2.9 68.2
SEASONAL WEATHER 23 6.6 9.6 77.8
Other 32 9.1 13.4 91.2
DK 21 6.0 8.8 100.0
Total 239 68.1 100.0
Missing System 112 31.9

Total 351 100.0

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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 5 1.4 21.7 21.7
Cost increases 3 .9 13.0 34.8
Lower productivity, such as loss of a key employee or aging 1 .3 4.3 39.1
Government policies, such as regulations and taxes 4 1.1 17.4 56.5
SEASONAL WEATHER 3 .9 13.0 69.6
Other 5 1.4 21.7 91.3
DK 2 .6 8.7 100.0
Total 23 6.6 100.0
Missing System 328 93.4

Total 351 100.0

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Q20. I am going to read you a list of possible business problems. What is the single most important problem facing your business today?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Weak Sales 31 8.8 8.8 8.8
Taxes 35 10.0 10.0 18.8
Employee quality or costs 29 8.3 8.3 27.1
Insurance 72 20.5 20.5 47.6
Big business competition 52 14.8 14.8 62.4
Inflation and rising prices 46 13.1 13.1 75.5
Credit availability or interest rates 8 2.3 2.3 77.8
Regulations Red tape 30 8.5 8.5 86.3
Other 20 5.7 5.7 92.0
DK 7 2.0 2.0 94.0
Ref 8 2.3 2.3 96.3
NONE NO PROBLEMS 13 3.7 3.7 100.0
Total 351 100.0 100.0
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SS11. Is the PRIMARY reason for any cash flow problems in your business generally associated with...?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid The need to make large investments and wait for sales 21 6.0 6.0 6.0
Unexpected variations in sales or costs 37 10.5 10.5 16.5
Seasonality 56 16.0 16.0 32.5
Weak sales 44 12.5 12.5 45.0
Difficulty collecting money owed you 53 15.1 15.1 60.1
OR, Don’t experience cash flow problems 89 25.4 25.4 85.5
Other 7 2.0 2.0 87.5
DK 36 10.3 10.3 97.7
Refuse 8 2.3 2.3 100.0
Total 351 100.0 100.0
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SS12. Which is the ONE most important action you usually take to resolve a cash flow problem? Do you...

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Draw on personal resources 58 16.5 22.1 22.1
Borrow 28 8.0 10.7 32.8
Adjust scheduled payments 23 6.6 8.8 41.6
Adjust scheduled purchases 30 8.5 11.5 53.1
Try harder to collect money owed you 55 15.7 21.0 74.0
Other 17 4.8 6.5 80.5
DK 36 10.3 13.7 94.3
Refuse 15 4.3 5.7 100.0
Total 262 74.6 100.0
Missing System 89 25.4

Total 351 100.0


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