Small-Business Conditions

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Texas Small-Business Conditions, September 2005
09/01/2005

View the data below for more information on the Texas Small-Business ConditionsSMsurvey for September 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 93 6.6 6.6 6.6
Supportive 577 41.2 41.2 47.8
Neutral 364 26.0 26.0 73.8
Not Supportive 167 11.9 11.9 85.7
Not at All Supportive 70 5.0 5.0 90.7
DK 125 8.9 8.9 99.6
Refuse 5 .4 .4 100.0
Total 1401 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 203 14.5 14.5 14.5
Good 627 44.8 44.8 59.2
Just OK 375 26.8 26.8 86.0
Poor 134 9.6 9.6 95.6
Very Poor 44 3.1 3.1 98.7
DK 18 1.3 1.3 100.0
Total 1401 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 111 7.9 7.9 7.9
Slowly Improving 282 20.1 20.1 28.1
Improving 59 4.2 4.2 32.3
Stable 761 54.3 54.3 86.6
Deteriorating 27 1.9 1.9 88.5
Slowly Deteriorating 103 7.4 7.4 95.9
Rapidly Deteriorating 36 2.6 2.6 98.4
DK 21 1.5 1.5 99.9
Refuse 1 .1 .1 100.0
Total 1401 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 597 42.6 42.6 42.6
No 786 56.1 56.1 98.7
DK 15 1.1 1.1 99.8
Refuse 3 .2 .2 100.0
Total 1401 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 527 37.6 37.6 37.6
No 852 60.8 60.8 98.4
DK 20 1.4 1.4 99.9
Refuse 2 .1 .1 100.0
Total 1401 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 576 41.1 41.1 41.1
No 813 58.0 58.0 99.1
DK 11 .8 .8 99.9
Ref 1 .1 .1 100.0
Total 1401 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 304 21.7 21.7 21.7
No 1091 77.9 77.9 99.6
DK 6 .4 .4 100.0
Total 1401 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 286 20.4 20.4 20.4
Fallen 55 3.9 3.9 24.3
Stayed the same 993 70.9 70.9 95.2
DK 63 4.5 4.5 99.7
Ref 4 .3 .3 100.0
Total 1401 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 803 57.3 57.3 57.3
Benefits 325 23.2 23.2 80.5
Both the same 89 6.4 6.4 86.9
Neither 106 7.6 7.6 94.4
DK 76 5.4 5.4 99.9
Ref 2 .1 .1 100.0
Total 1401 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 268 19.1 19.1 19.1
Increased Somewhat 444 31.7 31.7 50.8
Increased [no amount] 42 3.0 3.0 53.8
About the Same 582 41.5 41.5 95.4
Decreased [no amount] 6 .4 .4 95.8
Decreased Somewhat 13 .9 .9 96.7
Decreased a Lot 9 .6 .6 97.4
DK 37 2.6 2.6 100.0
Total 1401 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 47 3.4 3.4 3.4
Increased Somewhat 197 14.1 14.1 17.4
Increased [no amount] 23 1.6 1.6 19.1
About the Same 1049 74.9 74.9 93.9
Decreased [no amount] 7 .5 .5 94.4
Decreased Somewhat 26 1.9 1.9 96.3
Decreased a Lot 14 1.0 1.0 97.3
DK 32 2.3 2.3 99.6
Ref 6 .4 .4 100.0
Total 1401 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. 527 37.6 37.6 37.6
All of my credit needs were NOT satisfied. 107 7.6 7.6 45.3
I did not want to borrow. 682 48.7 48.7 93.9
DK 80 5.7 5.7 99.6
Ref 5 .4 .4 100.0
Total 1401 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 217 15.5 15.5 15.5
Good 619 44.2 44.2 59.7
Just OK 374 26.7 26.7 86.4
Poor 114 8.1 8.1 94.5
Very Poor 39 2.8 2.8 97.3
DK 32 2.3 2.3 99.6
Ref 6 .4 .4 100.0
Total 1401 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 145 10.3 10.3 10.3
Good 501 35.8 35.8 46.1
Just OK 492 35.1 35.1 81.2
Poor 158 11.3 11.3 92.5
Very Poor 52 3.7 3.7 96.2
DK 48 3.4 3.4 99.6
Ref 5 .4 .4 100.0
Total 1401 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 739 52.7 52.7 52.7
No 545 38.9 38.9 91.6
DK 108 7.7 7.7 99.4
Ref 9 .6 .6 100.0
Total 1401 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 155 11.1 11.1 11.1
No 1216 86.8 86.8 97.9
DK 26 1.9 1.9 99.7
Ref 4 .3 .3 100.0
Total 1401 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 325 23.2 23.2 23.2
Good 617 44.0 44.0 67.2
Just OK 331 23.6 23.6 90.9
Poor 60 4.3 4.3 95.1
Very Poor 18 1.3 1.3 96.4
DK 46 3.3 3.3 99.7
Ref 4 .3 .3 100.0
Total 1401 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 415 29.6 44.1 44.1
Lower costs 32 2.3 3.4 47.5
Price increases 40 2.9 4.2 51.7
Greater productivity, such as better equipment or a great hire 127 9.1 13.5 65.2
Government policies, such as regulations and taxes 40 2.9 4.2 69.4
SEASONAL WEATHER 93 6.6 9.9 79.3
Other 119 8.5 12.6 91.9
DK 71 5.1 7.5 99.5
Ref 5 .4 .5 100.0
Total 942 67.2 100.0
Missing System 459 32.8

Total 1401 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 12 .9 15.4 15.4
Cost increases 16 1.1 20.5 35.9
Pressure on selling prices 4 .3 5.1 41.0
Lower productivity, such as loss of a key employee or aging 3 .2 3.8 44.9
Government policies, such as regulations and taxes 13 .9 16.7 61.5
SEASONAL WEATHER 9 .6 11.5 73.1
Other 16 1.1 20.5 93.6
DK 5 .4 6.4 100.0
Total 78 5.6 100.0
Missing System 1323 94.4

Total 1401 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 115 8.2 8.2 8.2
Taxes 192 13.7 13.7 21.9
Employee quality or costs 141 10.1 10.1 32.0
Insurance 198 14.1 14.1 46.1
Big business competition 206 14.7 14.7 60.8
Inflation and rising prices 204 14.6 14.6 75.4
Credit availability or interest rates 45 3.2 3.2 78.6
Regulations Red tape 87 6.2 6.2 84.8
Other 64 4.6 4.6 89.4
DK 50 3.6 3.6 92.9
Ref 53 3.8 3.8 96.7
NONE NO PROBLEMS 46 3.3 3.3 100.0
Total 1401 100.0 100.0
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SS15. Which type of tax increase would have the most adverse effect on your business?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Payroll taxes 350 25.0 25.0 25.0
Corporate income or franchise taxes 199 14.2 14.2 39.2
Real property taxes 192 13.7 13.7 52.9
Personal income taxes 171 12.2 12.2 65.1
Personal property, including inventory, taxes 241 17.2 17.2 82.3
DK 215 15.3 15.3 97.6
Refuse 33 2.4 2.4 100.0
Total 1401 100.0 100.0
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SS16. If you could improve your workforce in just ONE area, would that be...?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid People skills 370 26.4 26.4 26.4
Job-specific skills 312 22.3 22.3 48.7
Basic literacy and math 34 2.4 2.4 51.1
Work ethic 257 18.3 18.3 69.5
English proficiency 90 6.4 6.4 75.9
Other 33 2.4 2.4 78.2
Satisfied Cant improve 105 7.5 7.5 85.7
DK 150 10.7 10.7 96.4
Refuse 50 3.6 3.6 100.0
Total 1401 100.0 100.0

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