Small-Business Conditions

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

View the data below for more information on the Wisconsin Small-Business ConditionsSM survey for September 2005.

Q1. Do you consider the Wisconsin 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 10 2.8 2.8 2.8
Supportive 129 36.8 36.8 39.6
Neutral 102 29.1 29.1 68.7
Not Supportive 52 14.8 14.8 83.5
Not at All Supportive 27 7.7 7.7 91.2
DK 31 8.8 8.8 100.0
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 36 10.3 10.3 10.3
Good 144 41.0 41.0 51.3
Just OK 117 33.3 33.3 84.6
Poor 41 11.7 11.7 96.3
Very Poor 12 3.4 3.4 99.7
DK 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 13 3.7 3.7 3.7
Slowly Improving 59 16.8 16.8 20.5
Improving 13 3.7 3.7 24.2
Stable 196 55.8 55.8 80.1
Deteriorating 15 4.3 4.3 84.3
Slowly Deteriorating 41 11.7 11.7 96.0
Rapidly Deteriorating 9 2.6 2.6 98.6
DK 5 1.4 1.4 100.0
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 144 41.0 41.0 41.0
No 205 58.4 58.4 99.4
DK 2 .6 .6 100.0
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 159 45.3 45.3 45.3
No 190 54.1 54.1 99.4
DK 2 .6 .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 153 43.6 43.6 43.6
No 194 55.3 55.3 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 85 24.2 24.2 24.2
No 265 75.5 75.5 99.7
DK 1 .3 .3 100.0
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 87 24.8 24.8 24.8
Fallen 16 4.6 4.6 29.3
Stayed the same 232 66.1 66.1 95.4
DK 12 3.4 3.4 98.9
Ref 4 1.1 1.1 100.0
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 172 49.0 49.0 49.0
Benefits 121 34.5 34.5 83.5
Both the same 18 5.1 5.1 88.6
Neither 29 8.3 8.3 96.9
DK 9 2.6 2.6 99.4
Ref 2 .6 .6 100.0
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 72 20.5 20.5 20.5
Increased Somewhat 139 39.6 39.6 60.1
Increased [no amount] 13 3.7 3.7 63.8
About the Same 118 33.6 33.6 97.4
Decreased Somewhat 2 .6 .6 98.0
Decreased a Lot 2 .6 .6 98.6
DK 5 1.4 1.4 100.0
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 68 19.4 19.4 22.2
Increased [no amount] 9 2.6 2.6 24.8
About the Same 249 70.9 70.9 95.7
Decreased [no amount] 3 .9 .9 96.6
Decreased Somewhat 7 2.0 2.0 98.6
Decreased a Lot 1 .3 .3 98.9
DK 3 .9 .9 99.7
Ref 1 .3 .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. 149 42.5 42.5 42.5
All of my credit needs were NOT satisfied. 22 6.3 6.3 48.7
I did not want to borrow. 168 47.9 47.9 96.6
DK 9 2.6 2.6 99.1
Ref 3 .9 .9 100.0
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 41 11.7 11.7 11.7
Good 151 43.0 43.0 54.7
Just OK 108 30.8 30.8 85.5
Poor 39 11.1 11.1 96.6
Very Poor 5 1.4 1.4 98.0
DK 6 1.7 1.7 99.7
Ref 1 .3 .3 100.0
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 19 5.4 5.4 5.4
Good 121 34.5 34.5 39.9
Just OK 132 37.6 37.6 77.5
Poor 53 15.1 15.1 92.6
Very Poor 11 3.1 3.1 95.7
DK 11 3.1 3.1 98.9
Ref 4 1.1 1.1 100.0
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 188 53.6 53.6 53.6
No 144 41.0 41.0 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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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 316 90.0 90.0 98.9
DK 3 .9 .9 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 65 18.5 18.5 18.5
Good 165 47.0 47.0 65.5
Just OK 90 25.6 25.6 91.2
Poor 15 4.3 4.3 95.4
Very Poor 6 1.7 1.7 97.2
DK 8 2.3 2.3 99.4
Ref 2 .6 .6 100.0
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 112 31.9 48.7 48.7
Lower costs 5 1.4 2.2 50.9
Price increases 6 1.7 2.6 53.5
Greater productivity, such as better equipment or a great hire 26 7.4 11.3 64.8
Government policies, such as regulations and taxes 4 1.1 1.7 66.5
SEASONAL WEATHER 24 6.8 10.4 77.0
Other 30 8.5 13.0 90.0
DK 23 6.6 10.0 100.0
Total 230 65.5 100.0
Missing System 121 34.5

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 6 1.7 28.6 28.6
Cost increases 1 .3 4.8 33.3
Government policies, such as regulations and taxes 8 2.3 38.1 71.4
SEASONAL WEATHER 3 .9 14.3 85.7
Other 3 .9 14.3 100.0
Total 21 6.0 100.0
Missing System 330 94.0

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 40 11.4 11.4 11.4
Taxes 42 12.0 12.0 23.4
Employee quality or costs 31 8.8 8.8 32.2
Insurance 69 19.7 19.7 51.9
Big business competition 47 13.4 13.4 65.2
Inflation and rising prices 41 11.7 11.7 76.9
Credit availability or interest rates 4 1.1 1.1 78.1
Regulations Red tape 27 7.7 7.7 85.8
Other 17 4.8 4.8 90.6
DK 12 3.4 3.4 94.0
Ref 11 3.1 3.1 97.2
NONE NO PROBLEMS 10 2.8 2.8 100.0
Total 351 100.0 100.0
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SS1. In general, how satisfied are you with the direction that Wisconsin is headed? Are you very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, not too satisfied or not at all satisfied?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Very satisfied 24 6.8 6.8 6.8
Somewhat satisfied 171 48.7 48.7 55.6
Not too satisfied 89 25.4 25.4 80.9
Not at all satisfied 48 13.7 13.7 94.6
DK 15 4.3 4.3 98.9
Ref 4 1.1 1.1 100.0
Total 351 100.0 100.0
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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 149 42.5 42.5 42.5
Physical environment 29 8.3 8.3 50.7
Opportunity 42 12.0 12.0 62.7
Vibrance and vitality 6 1.7 1.7 64.4
My roots are here 105 29.9 29.9 94.3
Other 7 2.0 2.0 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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