Small-Business Conditions

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

View the data below for more information on the 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 123 8.8 8.8 8.8
Supportive 566 40.3 40.3 49.1
Neutral 398 28.4 28.4 77.6
Not Supportive 143 10.2 10.2 87.8
Not at All Supportive 55 4.0 4.0 91.7
DK 110 7.8 7.8 99.6
Refuse 6 .4 .4 100.0
Total 1402 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 204 14.6 14.6 14.6
Good 613 43.7 43.7 58.3
Just OK 383 27.3 27.3 85.6
Poor 138 9.8 9.8 95.4
Very Poor 54 3.8 3.8 99.3
DK 7 .5 .5 99.7
Refuse 4 .3 .3 100.0
Total 1402 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 147 10.5 10.5 10.5
Slowly Improving 250 17.8 17.8 28.3
Improving 96 6.9 6.9 35.2
Stable 700 49.9 49.9 85.1
Deteriorating 49 3.5 3.5 88.5
Slowly Deteriorating 91 6.5 6.5 95.1
Rapidly Deteriorating 45 3.2 3.2 98.2
DK 19 1.3 1.3 99.6
Refuse 6 .4 .4 100.0
Total 1402 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 632 45.1 45.1 45.1
No 759 54.2 54.2 99.3
DK 8 .6 .6 99.8
Refuse 2 .2 .2 100.0
Total 1402 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 576 41.1 41.1 41.1
No 807 57.6 57.6 98.7
DK 15 1.1 1.1 99.8
Refuse 3 .2 .2 100.0
Total 1402 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 605 43.2 43.2 43.2
No 790 56.3 56.3 99.5
DK 6 .4 .4 99.9
Ref 2 .1 .1 100.0
Total 1402 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 289 20.6 20.6 20.6
No 1107 78.9 78.9 99.6
DK 5 .3 .3 99.9
Ref 2 .1 .1 100.0
Total 1402 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 311 22.2 22.2 22.2
Fallen 74 5.3 5.3 27.5
Stayed the same 970 69.2 69.2 96.7
DK 43 3.1 3.1 99.7
Ref 4 .3 .3 100.0
Total 1402 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 814 58.1 58.1 58.1
Benefits 348 24.8 24.8 82.9
Both the same 59 4.2 4.2 87.1
Neither 133 9.5 9.5 96.6
DK 45 3.2 3.2 99.8
Ref 3 .2 .2 100.0
Total 1402 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 375 26.7 26.7 26.7
Increased Somewhat 429 30.6 30.6 57.4
Increased [no amount] 51 3.6 3.6 61.0
About the Same 514 36.7 36.7 97.7
Decreased [no amount] 3 .2 .2 97.9
Decreased Somewhat 5 .4 .4 98.3
Decreased a Lot 2 .1 .1 98.4
DK 20 1.4 1.4 99.8
Ref 2 .2 .2 100.0
Total 1402 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 92 6.5 6.5 6.5
Increased Somewhat 239 17.0 17.0 23.5
Increased [no amount] 29 2.1 2.1 25.6
About the Same 969 69.1 69.1 94.7
Decreased [no amount] 15 1.1 1.1 95.8
Decreased Somewhat 27 1.9 1.9 97.7
Decreased a Lot 7 .5 .5 98.2
DK 18 1.3 1.3 99.5
Ref 8 .5 .5 100.0
Total 1402 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. 529 37.7 37.7 37.7
All of my credit needs were NOT satisfied. 103 7.4 7.4 45.1
I did not want to borrow. 725 51.7 51.7 96.8
DK 41 2.9 2.9 99.7
Ref 4 .3 .3 100.0
Total 1402 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 221 15.7 15.7 15.7
Good 566 40.4 40.4 56.1
Just OK 428 30.5 30.5 86.7
Poor 132 9.4 9.4 96.1
Very Poor 36 2.6 2.6 98.7
DK 15 1.1 1.1 99.7
Ref 4 .3 .3 100.0
Total 1402 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 134 9.5 9.5 9.5
Good 502 35.8 35.8 45.4
Just OK 506 36.1 36.1 81.4
Poor 163 11.6 11.6 93.1
Very Poor 52 3.7 3.7 96.8
DK 40 2.8 2.8 99.6
Ref 6 .4 .4 100.0
Total 1402 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 805 57.4 57.4 57.4
No 504 36.0 36.0 93.3
DK 89 6.3 6.3 99.7
Ref 4 .3 .3 100.0
Total 1402 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 184 13.1 13.1 13.1
No 1192 85.0 85.0 98.1
DK 26 1.9 1.9 100.0
Total 1402 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 350 24.9 24.9 24.9
Good 633 45.2 45.2 70.1
Just OK 288 20.5 20.5 90.6
Poor 73 5.2 5.2 95.8
Very Poor 21 1.5 1.5 97.3
DK 32 2.3 2.3 99.6
Ref 5 .4 .4 100.0
Total 1402 100.0 100.0
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Q18. Why do you think so?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Sales prospects 474 33.8 48.2 48.2
Lower costs 42 3.0 4.3 52.5
Price increases 47 3.3 4.7 57.2
Greater productivity, such as better equipment or a great hi 141 10.1 14.4 71.6
Government policies, such as regulations and taxes 40 2.9 4.1 75.7
SEASONAL WEATHER 89 6.3 9.0 84.7
Other 93 6.7 9.5 94.3
DK 54 3.9 5.5 99.8
Ref 2 .2 .2 100.0
Total 983 70.1 100.0
Missing System 419 29.9

Total 1402 100.0

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Q19. Why do you think so?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Sales prospects 19 1.3 20.1 20.1
Cost increases 11 .8 11.6 31.6
Pressure on selling prices 7 .5 7.0 38.6
Lower productivity, such as loss of a key employee or aging 6 .4 6.3 44.9
Government policies, such as regulations and taxes 18 1.3 19.2 64.1
SEASONAL WEATHER 15 1.1 16.3 80.4
Other 11 .8 11.7 92.0
DK 8 .5 8.0 100.0
Total 94 6.7 100.0
Missing System 1308 93.3

Total 1402 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 167 11.9 11.9 11.9
Taxes 154 11.0 11.0 22.9
Employee quality or costs 123 8.7 8.7 31.6
Insurance 168 12.0 12.0 43.6
Big business competition 200 14.2 14.2 57.9
Inflation and rising prices 220 15.7 15.7 73.6
Credit availability or interest rates 49 3.5 3.5 77.0
Regulations Red tape 108 7.7 7.7 84.7
Other 69 4.9 4.9 89.6
DK 73 5.2 5.2 94.8
Ref 18 1.3 1.3 96.1
NONE NO PROBLEMS 55 3.9 3.9 100.0
Total 1402 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 407 29.0 29.0 29.0
Labor 168 12.0 12.0 41.0
Insurance 320 22.8 22.8 63.8
Materials 351 25.0 25.0 88.9
Some other 54 3.9 3.9 92.7
None rising rapidly 39 2.8 2.8 95.5
DK 49 3.5 3.5 99.0
Refuse 14 1.0 1.0 100.0
Total 1402 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 354 25.3 26.5 26.5
Labor 239 17.0 17.9 44.4
Insurance 284 20.2 21.3 65.7
Materials 289 20.6 21.7 87.3
Some other 61 4.4 4.6 91.9
None rising rapidly 54 3.8 4.0 96.0
DK 48 3.4 3.6 99.6
Refuse 6 .4 .4 100.0
Total 1335 95.2 100.0
Missing System 68 4.8

Total 1402 100.0

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