Small-Business Conditions

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

View the data below for more information on the Ohio Small-Business ConditionsTM survey from November 2005.

Q1. Do you consider the Ohio 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 13 3.7 3.7 3.7
Supportive 118 33.7 33.7 37.4
Neutral 101 28.9 28.9 66.3
Not Supportive 53 15.1 15.1 81.4
Not at All Supportive 38 10.9 10.9 92.3
DK 23 6.6 6.6 98.9
Refuse 4 1.1 1.1 100.0
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 26 7.4 7.4 7.4
Good 115 32.9 32.9 40.3
Just OK 121 34.6 34.6 74.9
Poor 66 18.9 18.9 93.7
Very Poor 21 6.0 6.0 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 8 2.3 2.3 2.3
Slowly Improving 42 12.0 12.0 14.3
Improving 13 3.7 3.7 18.0
Stable 202 57.7 57.7 75.7
Deteriorating 8 2.3 2.3 78.0
Slowly Deteriorating 51 14.6 14.6 92.6
Rapidly Deteriorating 23 6.6 6.6 99.1
DK 3 .9 .9 100.0
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 146 41.7 41.7 41.7
No 200 57.1 57.1 98.9
DK 2 .6 .6 99.4
Refuse 2 .6 .6 100.0
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 162 46.3 46.3 46.3
No 186 53.1 53.1 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 142 40.6 40.6 40.6
No 206 58.9 58.9 99.4
DK 1 .3 .3 99.7
Ref 1 .3 .3 100.0
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 60 17.1 17.1 17.1
No 289 82.6 82.6 99.7
DK 1 .3 .3 100.0
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 68 19.4 19.4 19.4
Fallen 14 4.0 4.0 23.4
Stayed the same 255 72.9 72.9 96.3
DK 12 3.4 3.4 99.7
Ref 1 .3 .3 100.0
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 190 54.3 54.3 54.3
Benefits 112 32.0 32.0 86.3
Both the same 15 4.3 4.3 90.6
Neither 20 5.7 5.7 96.3
DK 13 3.7 3.7 100.0
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 110 31.4 31.4 60.9
Increased [no amount] 9 2.6 2.6 63.4
About the Same 120 34.3 34.3 97.7
Decreased Somewhat 5 1.4 1.4 99.1
DK 3 .9 .9 100.0
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 13 3.7 3.7 3.7
Increased Somewhat 60 17.1 17.1 20.9
Increased [no amount] 6 1.7 1.7 22.6
About the Same 243 69.4 69.4 92.0
Decreased [no amount] 3 .9 .9 92.9
Decreased Somewhat 12 3.4 3.4 96.3
Decreased a Lot 2 .6 .6 96.9
DK 9 2.6 2.6 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. 135 38.6 38.6 38.6
All of my credit needs were NOT satisfied. 21 6.0 6.0 44.6
I did not want to borrow. 182 52.0 52.0 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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Q13. Over the last three months, have sales been...?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Very Good 30 8.6 8.6 8.6
Good 137 39.1 39.1 47.7
Just OK 135 38.6 38.6 86.3
Poor 28 8.0 8.0 94.3
Very Poor 11 3.1 3.1 97.4
DK 8 2.3 2.3 99.7
Ref 1 .3 .3 100.0
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 19 5.4 5.4 5.4
Good 91 26.0 26.0 31.4
Just OK 161 46.0 46.0 77.4
Poor 48 13.7 13.7 91.1
Very Poor 16 4.6 4.6 95.7
DK 14 4.0 4.0 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 191 54.6 54.6 54.6
No 136 38.9 38.9 93.4
DK 21 6.0 6.0 99.4
Ref 2 .6 .6 100.0
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 45 12.9 12.9 12.9
No 302 86.3 86.3 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 50 14.3 14.3 14.3
Good 161 46.0 46.0 60.3
Just OK 96 27.4 27.4 87.7
Poor 25 7.1 7.1 94.9
Very Poor 9 2.6 2.6 97.4
DK 9 2.6 2.6 100.0
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 96 27.4 45.5 45.5
Lower costs 9 2.6 4.3 49.8
Price increases 3 .9 1.4 51.2
Greater productivity, such as better equipment or a great hi 28 8.0 13.3 64.5
Government policies, such as regulations and taxes 8 2.3 3.8 68.2
SEASONAL WEATHER 31 8.9 14.7 82.9
Other 19 5.4 9.0 91.9
DK 16 4.6 7.6 99.5
Ref 1 .3 .5 100.0
Total 211 60.3 100.0
Missing System 139 39.7

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 14.7 14.7
Cost increases 4 1.1 11.8 26.5
Lower productivity, such as loss of a key employee or aging 8 2.3 23.5 50.0
Government policies, such as regulations and taxes 2 .6 5.9 55.9
SEASONAL WEATHER 10 2.9 29.4 85.3
Other 5 1.4 14.7 100.0
Total 34 9.7 100.0
Missing System 316 90.3

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 39 11.1 11.1 11.1
Taxes 44 12.6 12.6 23.7
Employee quality or costs 23 6.6 6.6 30.3
Insurance 57 16.3 16.3 46.6
Big business competition 38 10.9 10.9 57.4
Inflation and rising prices 68 19.4 19.4 76.9
Credit availability or interest rates 12 3.4 3.4 80.3
Regulations Red tape 27 7.7 7.7 88.0
Other 16 4.6 4.6 92.6
DK 15 4.3 4.3 96.9
Ref 3 .9 .9 97.7
NONE NO PROBLEMS 8 2.3 2.3 100.0
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 124 35.4 35.4 35.4
Labor 26 7.4 7.4 42.9
Insurance 73 20.9 20.9 63.7
Materials 97 27.7 27.7 91.4
Some other 8 2.3 2.3 93.7
None rising rapidly 6 1.7 1.7 95.4
DK 16 4.6 4.6 100.0
Total 350 100.0 100.0
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SS14. What is the single most important action you have recently taken to offset rising energy costs?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Raised selling prices 53 15.1 15.1 15.1
Invested in energy-conserving equipment or vehicles 28 8.0 8.0 23.1
Reduced energy use 100 28.6 28.6 51.7
Absorbed costs with lower earnings 72 20.6 20.6 72.3
Reduced non_energy costs such as payroll 34 9.7 9.7 82.0
Other 26 7.4 7.4 89.4
DK 29 8.3 8.3 97.7
Refuse 8 2.3 2.3 100.0
Total 350 100.0 100.0
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