Small-Business Conditions

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

View the data below for more information on the South 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 22 6.3 6.3 6.3
Supportive 161 45.9 45.9 52.1
Neutral 85 24.2 24.2 76.4
Not Supportive 37 10.5 10.5 86.9
Not at All Supportive 13 3.7 3.7 90.6
DK 33 9.4 9.4 100.0
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 43 12.3 12.3 12.3
Good 163 46.4 46.4 58.7
Just OK 104 29.6 29.6 88.3
Poor 28 8.0 8.0 96.3
Very Poor 9 2.6 2.6 98.9
DK 3 .9 .9 99.7
Refuse 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 39 11.1 11.1 11.1
Slowly Improving 58 16.5 16.5 27.6
Improving 29 8.3 8.3 35.9
Stable 184 52.4 52.4 88.3
Deteriorating 10 2.8 2.8 91.2
Slowly Deteriorating 17 4.8 4.8 96.0
Rapidly Deteriorating 11 3.1 3.1 99.1
DK 3 .9 .9 100.0
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 161 45.9 45.9 45.9
No 185 52.7 52.7 98.6
DK 4 1.1 1.1 99.7
Refuse 1 .3 .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 142 40.5 40.5 40.5
No 207 59.0 59.0 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 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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Q7. Do you currently have one or more job openings?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Yes 67 19.1 19.1 19.1
No 284 80.9 80.9 100.0
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 66 18.8 18.8 18.8
Fallen 14 4.0 4.0 22.8
Stayed the same 259 73.8 73.8 96.6
DK 10 2.8 2.8 99.4
Ref 2 .6 .6 100.0
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 206 58.7 58.7 58.7
Benefits 82 23.4 23.4 82.1
Both the same 14 4.0 4.0 86.0
Neither 36 10.3 10.3 96.3
DK 13 3.7 3.7 100.0
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 89 25.4 25.4 25.4
Increased Somewhat 116 33.0 33.0 58.4
Increased [no amount] 11 3.1 3.1 61.5
About the Same 126 35.9 35.9 97.4
Decreased Somewhat 3 .9 .9 98.3
Decreased a Lot 1 .3 .3 98.6
DK 4 1.1 1.1 99.7
Ref 1 .3 .3 100.0
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 22 6.3 6.3 6.3
Increased Somewhat 76 21.7 21.7 27.9
Increased [no amount] 11 3.1 3.1 31.1
About the Same 226 64.4 64.4 95.4
Decreased [no amount] 2 .6 .6 96.0
Decreased Somewhat 7 2.0 2.0 98.0
Decreased a Lot 1 .3 .3 98.3
DK 5 1.4 1.4 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. 151 43.0 43.0 43.0
All of my credit needs were NOT satisfied. 34 9.7 9.7 52.7
I did not want to borrow. 156 44.4 44.4 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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Q13. Over the last three months, have sales been...?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Very Good 45 12.8 12.8 12.8
Good 143 40.7 40.7 53.6
Just OK 101 28.8 28.8 82.3
Poor 44 12.5 12.5 94.9
Very Poor 11 3.1 3.1 98.0
DK 7 2.0 2.0 100.0
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 33 9.4 9.4 9.4
Good 115 32.8 32.8 42.2
Just OK 136 38.7 38.7 80.9
Poor 40 11.4 11.4 92.3
Very Poor 14 4.0 4.0 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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Q15. Could you increase sales by 10 percent WITHOUT purchasing new equipment or hiring more employees?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Yes 191 54.4 54.4 54.4
No 135 38.5 38.5 92.9
DK 25 7.1 7.1 100.0
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 35 10.0 10.0 10.0
No 312 88.9 88.9 98.9
DK 4 1.1 1.1 100.0
Total 351 100.0 100.0
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Q17. What are the prospects for your business over the next several months?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Very Good 83 23.6 23.6 23.6
Good 165 47.0 47.0 70.7
Just OK 74 21.1 21.1 91.7
Poor 16 4.6 4.6 96.3
Very Poor 7 2.0 2.0 98.3
DK 6 1.7 1.7 100.0
Total 351 100.0 100.0
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Q18. Why do you think so?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Sales prospects 127 36.2 51.2 51.2
Lower costs 7 2.0 2.8 54.0
Price increases 12 3.4 4.8 58.9
Greater productivity, such as better equipment or a great hi 38 10.8 15.3 74.2
Government policies, such as regulations and taxes 8 2.3 3.2 77.4
SEASONAL WEATHER 26 7.4 10.5 87.9
Other 19 5.4 7.7 95.6
DK 10 2.8 4.0 99.6
Ref 1 .3 .4 100.0
Total 248 70.7 100.0
Missing System 103 29.3

Total 351 100.0

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Q19. Why do you think so?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Sales prospects 8 2.3 34.8 34.8
Pressure on selling prices 1 .3 4.3 39.1
Lower productivity, such as loss of a key employee or aging 4 1.1 17.4 56.5
Government policies, such as regulations and taxes 1 .3 4.3 60.9
SEASONAL WEATHER 5 1.4 21.7 82.6
Other 2 .6 8.7 91.3
DK 2 .6 8.7 100.0
Total 23 6.6 100.0
Missing System 328 93.4

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 35 10.0 10.0 10.0
Taxes 48 13.7 13.7 23.6
Employee quality or costs 35 10.0 10.0 33.6
Insurance 52 14.8 14.8 48.4
Big business competition 51 14.5 14.5 63.0
Inflation and rising prices 45 12.8 12.8 75.8
Credit availability or interest rates 11 3.1 3.1 78.9
Regulations Red tape 22 6.3 6.3 85.2
Other 23 6.6 6.6 91.7
DK 17 4.8 4.8 96.6
Ref 3 .9 .9 97.4
NONE NO PROBLEMS 9 2.6 2.6 100.0
Total 351 100.0 100.0
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SS9. Which of your total costs are rising most rapidly?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Energy 122 34.8 34.8 34.8
Labor 40 11.4 11.4 46.2
Insurance 80 22.8 22.8 68.9
Materials 72 20.5 20.5 89.5
Some other 11 3.1 3.1 92.6
None rising rapidly 14 4.0 4.0 96.6
DK 10 2.8 2.8 99.4
Refuse 2 .6 .6 100.0
Total 351 100.0 100.0
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SS10. Which of your total costs are rising next most rapidly?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Energy 69 19.7 20.3 20.3
Labor 65 18.5 19.1 39.4
Insurance 84 23.9 24.7 64.1
Materials 82 23.4 24.1 88.2
Some other 11 3.1 3.2 91.5
None rising rapidly 17 4.8 5.0 96.5
DK 12 3.4 3.5 100.0
Total 340 96.9 100.0
Missing System 11 3.1

Total 351 100.0

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