Small-Business Conditions

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

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

Q1. Do you consider the Michigan 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 8 2.3 2.3 2.3
Supportive 109 31.1 31.1 33.3
Neutral 100 28.5 28.5 61.8
Not Supportive 64 18.2 18.2 80.1
Not at All Supportive 38 10.8 10.8 90.9
DK 29 8.3 8.3 99.1
Refuse 3 .9 .9 100.0
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 21 6.0 6.0 6.0
Good 89 25.4 25.4 31.3
Just OK 121 34.5 34.5 65.8
Poor 81 23.1 23.1 88.9
Very Poor 37 10.5 10.5 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 10 2.8 2.8 2.8
Slowly Improving 41 11.7 11.7 14.5
Improving 19 5.4 5.4 19.9
Stable 174 49.6 49.6 69.5
Deteriorating 23 6.6 6.6 76.1
Slowly Deteriorating 53 15.1 15.1 91.2
Rapidly Deteriorating 26 7.4 7.4 98.6
DK 3 .9 .9 99.4
Refuse 2 .6 .6 100.0
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 151 43.0 43.0 43.0
No 198 56.4 56.4 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 127 36.2 36.2 36.2
No 221 63.0 63.0 99.1
DK 3 .9 .9 100.0
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 138 39.3 39.3 39.3
No 208 59.3 59.3 98.6
DK 5 1.4 1.4 100.0
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 54 15.4 15.4 15.4
No 293 83.5 83.5 98.9
DK 4 1.1 1.1 100.0
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 59 16.8 16.8 16.8
Fallen 25 7.1 7.1 23.9
Stayed the same 257 73.2 73.2 97.2
DK 10 2.8 2.8 100.0
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 171 48.7 48.7 48.7
Benefits 113 32.2 32.2 80.9
Both the same 24 6.8 6.8 87.7
Neither 26 7.4 7.4 95.2
DK 15 4.3 4.3 99.4
Ref 2 .6 .6 100.0
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 93 26.5 26.5 26.5
Increased Somewhat 129 36.8 36.8 63.2
Increased [no amount] 15 4.3 4.3 67.5
About the Same 108 30.8 30.8 98.3
Decreased [no amount] 1 .3 .3 98.6
Decreased Somewhat 1 .3 .3 98.9
Decreased a Lot 1 .3 .3 99.1
DK 3 .9 .9 100.0
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 9 2.6 2.6 2.6
Increased Somewhat 67 19.1 19.1 21.7
Increased [no amount] 7 2.0 2.0 23.6
About the Same 247 70.4 70.4 94.0
Decreased [no amount] 3 .9 .9 94.9
Decreased Somewhat 10 2.8 2.8 97.7
Decreased a Lot 4 1.1 1.1 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. 135 38.5 38.5 38.5
All of my credit needs were NOT satisfied. 35 10.0 10.0 48.4
I did not want to borrow. 164 46.7 46.7 95.2
DK 14 4.0 4.0 99.1
Ref 3 .9 .9 100.0
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 29 8.3 8.3 8.3
Good 111 31.6 31.6 39.9
Just OK 132 37.6 37.6 77.5
Poor 55 15.7 15.7 93.2
Very Poor 16 4.6 4.6 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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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 84 23.9 23.9 29.3
Just OK 151 43.0 43.0 72.4
Poor 69 19.7 19.7 92.0
Very Poor 20 5.7 5.7 97.7
DK 5 1.4 1.4 99.1
Ref 3 .9 .9 100.0
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 184 52.4 52.4 52.4
No 138 39.3 39.3 91.7
DK 22 6.3 6.3 98.0
Ref 7 2.0 2.0 100.0
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 43 12.3 12.3 12.3
No 304 86.6 86.6 98.9
DK 3 .9 .9 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 50 14.2 14.2 14.2
Good 118 33.6 33.6 47.9
Just OK 128 36.5 36.5 84.3
Poor 37 10.5 10.5 94.9
Very Poor 10 2.8 2.8 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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Q18. Why do you think so?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Sales prospects 82 23.4 48.8 48.8
Lower costs 6 1.7 3.6 52.4
Price increases 3 .9 1.8 54.2
Greater productivity, such as better equipment or a great hi 21 6.0 12.5 66.7
Government policies, such as regulations and taxes 4 1.1 2.4 69.0
SEASONAL WEATHER 26 7.4 15.5 84.5
Other 21 6.0 12.5 97.0
DK 5 1.4 3.0 100.0
Total 168 47.9 100.0
Missing System 183 52.1

Total 351 100.0

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Q19. Why do you think so?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Sales prospects 15 4.3 31.9 31.9
Cost increases 5 1.4 10.6 42.6
Pressure on selling prices 1 .3 2.1 44.7
Lower productivity, such as loss of a key employee or aging 3 .9 6.4 51.1
Government policies, such as regulations and taxes 10 2.8 21.3 72.3
SEASONAL WEATHER 9 2.6 19.1 91.5
Other 4 1.1 8.5 100.0
Total 47 13.4 100.0
Missing System 304 86.6

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 69 19.7 19.7 19.7
Taxes 29 8.3 8.3 27.9
Employee quality or costs 27 7.7 7.7 35.6
Insurance 44 12.5 12.5 48.1
Big business competition 50 14.2 14.2 62.4
Inflation and rising prices 62 17.7 17.7 80.1
Credit availability or interest rates 9 2.6 2.6 82.6
Regulations Red tape 18 5.1 5.1 87.7
Other 16 4.6 4.6 92.3
DK 8 2.3 2.3 94.6
Ref 6 1.7 1.7 96.3
NONE NO PROBLEMS 13 3.7 3.7 100.0
Total 351 100.0 100.0
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SS8. Does your business have an emergency plan for disasters that you have communicated to your employees?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Yes 131 37.3 37.3 37.3
No 210 59.8 59.8 97.2
DK 7 2.0 2.0 99.1
Refuse 3 .9 .9 100.0
Total 351 100.0 100.0
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SS13. What has been the impact on your business of the recent run-up in energy prices?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Seriously negative 68 19.4 19.4 19.4
Somewhat negative 97 27.6 27.6 47.0
Slightly negative 98 27.9 27.9 74.9
No impact 59 16.8 16.8 91.7
Positive 10 2.8 2.8 94.6
DK 15 4.3 4.3 98.9
Refuse 4 1.1 1.1 100.0
Total 351 100.0 100.0
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