Small-Business Conditions

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

View the data below for more information on the South 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 22 6.3 6.3 6.3
Supportive 167 47.6 47.6 53.8
Neutral 67 19.1 19.1 72.9
Not Supportive 44 12.5 12.5 85.5
Not at All Supportive 18 5.1 5.1 90.6
DK 32 9.1 9.1 99.7
Refuse 1 .3 .3 100.0
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 54 15.4 15.4 15.4
Good 153 43.6 43.6 59.0
Just OK 93 26.5 26.5 85.5
Poor 34 9.7 9.7 95.2
Very Poor 12 3.4 3.4 98.6
DK 5 1.4 1.4 100.0
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 36 10.3 10.3 10.3
Slowly Improving 66 18.8 18.8 29.1
Improving 16 4.6 4.6 33.6
Stable 200 57.0 57.0 90.6
Deteriorating 4 1.1 1.1 91.7
Slowly Deteriorating 19 5.4 5.4 97.2
Rapidly Deteriorating 6 1.7 1.7 98.9
DK 4 1.1 1.1 100.0
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 147 41.9 41.9 41.9
No 196 55.8 55.8 97.7
DK 8 2.3 2.3 100.0
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 122 34.8 34.8 34.8
No 220 62.7 62.7 97.4
DK 9 2.6 2.6 100.0
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 151 43.0 43.0 43.0
No 196 55.8 55.8 98.9
DK 4 1.1 1.1 100.0
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 83 23.6 23.6 23.6
No 264 75.2 75.2 98.9
DK 4 1.1 1.1 100.0
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 71 20.2 20.2 20.2
Fallen 11 3.1 3.1 23.4
Stayed the same 251 71.5 71.5 94.9
DK 18 5.1 5.1 100.0
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 196 55.8 55.8 55.8
Benefits 87 24.8 24.8 80.6
Both the same 19 5.4 5.4 86.0
Neither 34 9.7 9.7 95.7
DK 14 4.0 4.0 99.7
Ref 1 .3 .3 100.0
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 62 17.7 17.7 17.7
Increased Somewhat 104 29.6 29.6 47.3
Increased [no amount] 11 3.1 3.1 50.4
About the Same 156 44.4 44.4 94.9
Decreased [no amount] 3 .9 .9 95.7
Decreased Somewhat 5 1.4 1.4 97.2
Decreased a Lot 1 .3 .3 97.4
DK 9 2.6 2.6 100.0
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 7 2.0 2.0 2.0
Increased Somewhat 53 15.1 15.1 17.1
Increased [no amount] 8 2.3 2.3 19.4
About the Same 265 75.5 75.5 94.9
Decreased [no amount] 1 .3 .3 95.2
Decreased Somewhat 6 1.7 1.7 96.9
Decreased a Lot 3 .9 .9 97.7
DK 8 2.3 2.3 100.0
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. 135 38.5 38.5 38.5
All of my credit needs were NOT satisfied. 29 8.3 8.3 46.7
I did not want to borrow. 168 47.9 47.9 94.6
DK 18 5.1 5.1 99.7
Ref 1 .3 .3 100.0
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 56 16.0 16.0 16.0
Good 142 40.5 40.5 56.4
Just OK 96 27.4 27.4 83.8
Poor 34 9.7 9.7 93.4
Very Poor 10 2.8 2.8 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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Q14. Over the last three months, have profits been...?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Very Good 40 11.4 11.4 11.4
Good 109 31.1 31.1 42.5
Just OK 133 37.9 37.9 80.3
Poor 45 12.8 12.8 93.2
Very Poor 9 2.6 2.6 95.7
DK 14 4.0 4.0 99.7
Ref 1 .3 .3 100.0
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 175 49.9 49.9 49.9
No 140 39.9 39.9 89.7
DK 34 9.7 9.7 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 34 9.7 9.7 9.7
No 309 88.0 88.0 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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Q17. What are the prospects for your business over the next several months? Are they...

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Very Good 78 22.2 22.2 22.2
Good 154 43.9 43.9 66.1
Just OK 86 24.5 24.5 90.6
Poor 16 4.6 4.6 95.2
Very Poor 4 1.1 1.1 96.3
DK 12 3.4 3.4 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 43.5 43.5
Lower costs 9 2.6 3.9 47.4
Price increases 13 3.7 5.6 53.0
Greater productivity, such as better equipment or a great hire 34 9.7 14.7 67.7
Government policies, such as regulations and taxes 12 3.4 5.2 72.8
SEASONAL WEATHER 16 4.6 6.9 79.7
Other 28 8.0 12.1 91.8
DK 15 4.3 6.5 98.3
Ref 4 1.1 1.7 100.0
Total 232 66.1 100.0
Missing System 119 33.9

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 1 .3 5.0 5.0
Cost increases 8 2.3 40.0 45.0
Pressure on selling prices 1 .3 5.0 50.0
Government policies, such as regulations and taxes 4 1.1 20.0 70.0
SEASONAL WEATHER 4 1.1 20.0 90.0
Other 2 .6 10.0 100.0
Total 20 5.7 100.0
Missing System 331 94.3

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 32 9.1 9.1 9.1
Taxes 46 13.1 13.1 22.2
Employee quality or costs 35 10.0 10.0 32.2
Insurance 57 16.2 16.2 48.4
Big business competition 54 15.4 15.4 63.8
Inflation and rising prices 57 16.2 16.2 80.1
Credit availability or interest rates 14 4.0 4.0 84.0
Regulations Red tape 15 4.3 4.3 88.3
Other 10 2.8 2.8 91.2
DK 5 1.4 1.4 92.6
Ref 17 4.8 4.8 97.4
NONE NO PROBLEMS 9 2.6 2.6 100.0
Total 351 100.0 100.0
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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 96 27.4 27.4 27.4
Corporate income or franchise taxes 38 10.8 10.8 38.2
Real property taxes 49 14.0 14.0 52.1
Personal income taxes 42 12.0 12.0 64.1
Personal property, including inventory, taxes 65 18.5 18.5 82.6
DK 53 15.1 15.1 97.7
Refuse 8 2.3 2.3 100.0
Total 351 100.0 100.0
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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 94 26.8 26.8 26.8
Job-specific skills 80 22.8 22.8 49.6
Basic literacy and math 11 3.1 3.1 52.7
Work ethic 58 16.5 16.5 69.2
English proficiency 28 8.0 8.0 77.2
Other 7 2.0 2.0 79.2
Satisfied Cant improve 21 6.0 6.0 85.2
DK 37 10.5 10.5 95.7
Refuse 15 4.3 4.3 100.0
Total 351 100.0 100.0

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