Small-Business Conditions

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North Carolina Small-Business Conditions, December 2005
12/01/2005

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

Q1. Do you consider the North Carolina 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 26 7.4 7.4 7.4
Supportive 144 41.0 41.0 48.4
Neutral 101 28.8 28.8 77.2
Not Supportive 37 10.5 10.5 87.7
Not at All Supportive 22 6.3 6.3 94.0
DK 20 5.7 5.7 99.7
Refuse 1 .3 .3 100.0
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 45 12.8 12.8 12.8
Good 139 39.6 39.6 52.4
Just OK 115 32.8 32.8 85.2
Poor 31 8.8 8.8 94.0
Very Poor 19 5.4 5.4 99.4
DK 2 .6 .6 100.0
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 30 8.5 8.5 8.5
Slowly Improving 48 13.7 13.7 22.2
Improving 15 4.3 4.3 26.5
Stable 199 56.7 56.7 83.2
Deteriorating 12 3.4 3.4 86.6
Slowly Deteriorating 32 9.1 9.1 95.7
Rapidly Deteriorating 14 4.0 4.0 99.7
DK 1 .3 .3 100.0
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 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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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 150 42.7 42.7 42.7
No 199 56.7 56.7 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 155 44.2 44.2 44.2
No 196 55.8 55.8 100.0
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 60 17.1 17.1 17.1
No 291 82.9 82.9 100.0
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 67 19.1 19.1 19.1
Fallen 18 5.1 5.1 24.2
Stayed the same 257 73.2 73.2 97.4
DK 6 1.7 1.7 99.1
Ref 3 .9 .9 100.0
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 200 57.0 57.0 57.0
Benefits 97 27.6 27.6 84.6
Both the same 14 4.0 4.0 88.6
Neither 28 8.0 8.0 96.6
DK 12 3.4 3.4 100.0
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 97 27.6 27.6 27.6
Increased Somewhat 124 35.3 35.3 63.0
Increased [no amount] 10 2.8 2.8 65.8
About the Same 107 30.5 30.5 96.3
Decreased [no amount] 1 .3 .3 96.6
Decreased Somewhat 3 .9 .9 97.4
Decreased a Lot 2 .6 .6 98.0
DK 7 2.0 2.0 100.0
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 19 5.4 5.4 5.4
Increased Somewhat 51 14.5 14.5 19.9
Increased [no amount] 9 2.6 2.6 22.5
About the Same 252 71.8 71.8 94.3
Decreased [no amount] 2 .6 .6 94.9
Decreased Somewhat 9 2.6 2.6 97.4
Decreased a Lot 5 1.4 1.4 98.9
DK 4 1.1 1.1 100.0
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. 132 37.6 37.6 37.6
All of my credit needs were NOT satisfied. 27 7.7 7.7 45.3
I did not want to borrow. 179 51.0 51.0 96.3
DK 13 3.7 3.7 100.0
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 51 14.5 14.5 14.5
Good 135 38.5 38.5 53.0
Just OK 114 32.5 32.5 85.5
Poor 34 9.7 9.7 95.2
Very Poor 11 3.1 3.1 98.3
DK 6 1.7 1.7 100.0
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 24 6.8 6.8 6.8
Good 119 33.9 33.9 40.7
Just OK 143 40.7 40.7 81.5
Poor 42 12.0 12.0 93.4
Very Poor 16 4.6 4.6 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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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 135 38.5 38.5 92.0
DK 27 7.7 7.7 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 42 12.0 12.0 12.0
No 301 85.8 85.8 97.7
DK 7 2.0 2.0 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?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Very Good 76 21.7 21.7 21.7
Good 161 45.9 45.9 67.5
Just OK 78 22.2 22.2 89.7
Poor 23 6.6 6.6 96.3
Very Poor 5 1.4 1.4 97.7
DK 8 2.3 2.3 100.0
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 107 30.5 45.1 45.1
Lower costs 7 2.0 3.0 48.1
Price increases 8 2.3 3.4 51.5
Greater productivity, such as better equipment or a great hi 35 10.0 14.8 66.2
Government policies, such as regulations and taxes 14 4.0 5.9 72.2
SEASONAL WEATHER 28 8.0 11.8 84.0
Other 26 7.4 11.0 94.9
DK 11 3.1 4.6 99.6
Ref 1 .3 .4 100.0
Total 237 67.5 100.0
Missing System 114 32.5

Total 351 100.0

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Q19. Why do you think so?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Sales prospects 4 1.1 14.3 14.3
Cost increases 4 1.1 14.3 28.6
Pressure on selling prices 1 .3 3.6 32.1
Government policies, such as regulations and taxes 6 1.7 21.4 53.6
SEASONAL WEATHER 8 2.3 28.6 82.1
Other 3 .9 10.7 92.9
DK 2 .6 7.1 100.0
Total 28 8.0 100.0
Missing System 323 92.0

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 29 8.3 8.3 8.3
Taxes 33 9.4 9.4 17.7
Employee quality or costs 40 11.4 11.4 29.1
Insurance 50 14.2 14.2 43.3
Big business competition 56 16.0 16.0 59.3
Inflation and rising prices 61 17.4 17.4 76.6
Credit availability or interest rates 10 2.8 2.8 79.5
Regulations Red tape 25 7.1 7.1 86.6
Other 19 5.4 5.4 92.0
DK 13 3.7 3.7 95.7
Ref 2 .6 .6 96.3
NONE NO PROBLEMS 13 3.7 3.7 100.0
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 92 26.2 26.2 26.2
Labor 32 9.1 9.1 35.3
Insurance 86 24.5 24.5 59.8
Materials 98 27.9 27.9 87.7
Some other 8 2.3 2.3 90.0
None rising rapidly 9 2.6 2.6 92.6
DK 18 5.1 5.1 97.7
Refuse 8 2.3 2.3 100.0
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 79 22.5 23.7 23.7
Labor 59 16.8 17.7 41.3
Insurance 78 22.2 23.4 64.7
Materials 73 20.8 21.9 86.5
Some other 16 4.6 4.8 91.3
None rising rapidly 13 3.7 3.9 95.2
DK 11 3.1 3.3 98.5
Refuse 5 1.4 1.5 100.0
Total 334 95.2 100.0
Missing System 17 4.8

Total 351 100.0

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