Small-Business Conditions

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West Texas Small-Business Conditions, December 2005
12/01/2005

View the data below for more information on the West Texas Small-Business ConditionsTM survey from November 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 33 9.4 9.4 9.4
Supportive 127 36.3 36.3 45.7
Neutral 107 30.6 30.6 76.3
Not Supportive 36 10.3 10.3 86.6
Not at All Supportive 18 5.1 5.1 91.7
DK 29 8.3 8.3 100.0
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 51 14.6 14.6 14.6
Good 157 44.9 44.9 59.4
Just OK 90 25.7 25.7 85.1
Poor 43 12.3 12.3 97.4
Very Poor 8 2.3 2.3 99.7
DK 1 .3 .3 100.0
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 52 14.9 14.9 23.4
Improving 29 8.3 8.3 31.7
Stable 181 51.7 51.7 83.4
Deteriorating 14 4.0 4.0 87.4
Slowly Deteriorating 30 8.6 8.6 96.0
Rapidly Deteriorating 9 2.6 2.6 98.6
DK 5 1.4 1.4 100.0
Total 350 100.0 100.0

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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 154 44.0 44.0 44.0
No 193 55.1 55.1 99.1
DK 3 .9 .9 100.0
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 134 38.3 38.3 38.3
No 214 61.1 61.1 99.4
DK 2 .6 .6 100.0
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 upgrade the skills of one or more employees?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Yes 150 42.9 42.9 42.9
No 200 57.1 57.1 100.0
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 70 20.0 20.0 20.0
No 280 80.0 80.0 100.0
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 90 25.7 25.7 25.7
Fallen 13 3.7 3.7 29.4
Stayed the same 235 67.1 67.1 96.6
DK 10 2.9 2.9 99.4
Ref 2 .6 .6 100.0
Total 350 100.0 100.0

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Q9. Which cost pressures are greater for your business...

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Wages 227 64.9 64.9 64.9
Benefits 75 21.4 21.4 86.3
Both the same 18 5.1 5.1 91.4
Neither 20 5.7 5.7 97.1
DK 7 2.0 2.0 99.1
Ref 3 .9 .9 100.0
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 103 29.4 29.4 29.4
Increased Somewhat 105 30.0 30.0 59.4
Increased [no amount] 23 6.6 6.6 66.0
About the Same 115 32.9 32.9 98.9
Decreased [no amount] 1 .3 .3 99.1
Decreased Somewhat 1 .3 .3 99.4
DK 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 19 5.4 5.4 5.4
Increased Somewhat 76 21.7 21.7 27.1
Increased [no amount] 11 3.1 3.1 30.3
About the Same 231 66.0 66.0 96.3
Decreased [no amount] 1 .3 .3 96.6
Decreased Somewhat 5 1.4 1.4 98.0
Decreased a Lot 2 .6 .6 98.6
DK 3 .9 .9 99.4
Ref 2 .6 .6 100.0
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. 127 36.3 36.3 36.3
All of my credit needs were NOT satisfied. 19 5.4 5.4 41.7
I did not want to borrow. 191 54.6 54.6 96.3
DK 11 3.1 3.1 99.4
Ref 2 .6 .6 100.0
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 67 19.1 19.1 19.1
Good 141 40.3 40.3 59.4
Just OK 101 28.9 28.9 88.3
Poor 27 7.7 7.7 96.0
Very Poor 7 2.0 2.0 98.0
DK 5 1.4 1.4 99.4
Ref 2 .6 .6 100.0
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 29 8.3 8.3 8.3
Good 126 36.0 36.0 44.3
Just OK 128 36.6 36.6 80.9
Poor 36 10.3 10.3 91.1
Very Poor 19 5.4 5.4 96.6
DK 11 3.1 3.1 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 180 51.4 51.4 51.4
No 150 42.9 42.9 94.3
DK 17 4.9 4.9 99.1
Ref 3 .9 .9 100.0
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 309 88.3 88.3 99.1
DK 3 .9 .9 100.0
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 89 25.4 25.4 25.4
Good 152 43.4 43.4 68.9
Just OK 76 21.7 21.7 90.6
Poor 19 5.4 5.4 96.0
Very Poor 6 1.7 1.7 97.7
DK 7 2.0 2.0 99.7
Ref 1 .3 .3 100.0
Total 350 100.0 100.0

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Q18. Why do you think so?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Sales prospects 121 34.6 50.2 50.2
Lower costs 7 2.0 2.9 53.1
Price increases 13 3.7 5.4 58.5
Greater productivity, such as better equipment or a great hi 35 10.0 14.5 73.0
Government policies, such as regulations and taxes 14 4.0 5.8 78.8
SEASONAL WEATHER 19 5.4 7.9 86.7
Other 26 7.4 10.8 97.5
DK 6 1.7 2.5 100.0
Total 241 68.9 100.0
Missing System 109 31.1

Total 350 100.0


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Q19. Why do you think so?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Sales prospects 5 1.4 20.0 20.0
Cost increases 5 1.4 20.0 40.0
Lower productivity, such as loss of a key employee or aging 1 .3 4.0 44.0
Government policies, such as regulations and taxes 6 1.7 24.0 68.0
SEASONAL WEATHER 5 1.4 20.0 88.0
Other 2 .6 8.0 96.0
DK 1 .3 4.0 100.0
Total 25 7.1 100.0
Missing System 325 92.9

Total 350 100.0


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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 35 10.0 10.0 10.0
Taxes 46 13.1 13.1 23.1
Employee quality or costs 25 7.1 7.1 30.3
Insurance 47 13.4 13.4 43.7
Big business competition 48 13.7 13.7 57.4
Inflation and rising prices 66 18.9 18.9 76.3
Credit availability or interest rates 12 3.4 3.4 79.7
Regulations Red tape 23 6.6 6.6 86.3
Other 18 5.1 5.1 91.4
DK 21 6.0 6.0 97.4
Ref 2 .6 .6 98.0
NONE NO PROBLEMS 7 2.0 2.0 100.0
Total 350 100.0 100.0

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SS9. Which of your total costs are rising most rapidly?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Energy 125 35.7 35.7 35.7
Labor 34 9.7 9.7 45.4
Insurance 77 22.0 22.0 67.4
Materials 87 24.9 24.9 92.3
Some other 12 3.4 3.4 95.7
None rising rapidly 5 1.4 1.4 97.1
DK 8 2.3 2.3 99.4
Refuse 2 .6 .6 100.0
Total 350 100.0 100.0

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SS10. Which of your total costs are rising next most rapidly?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Energy 74 21.1 21.6 21.6
Labor 63 18.0 18.4 40.1
Insurance 77 22.0 22.5 62.6
Materials 82 23.4 24.0 86.5
Some other 18 5.1 5.3 91.8
None rising rapidly 16 4.6 4.7 96.5
DK 9 2.6 2.6 99.1
Refuse 3 .9 .9 100.0
Total 342 97.7 100.0
Missing System 8 2.3

Total 350 100.0


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