Small-Business Conditions

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

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

Q1. Do you consider the Illinois 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 16 4.6 4.6 4.6
Supportive 103 29.4 29.4 34.0
Neutral 109 31.1 31.1 65.1
Not Supportive 52 14.9 14.9 80.0
Not at All Supportive 25 7.1 7.1 87.1
DK 43 12.3 12.3 99.4
Refuse 2 .6 .6 100.0
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 30 8.6 8.6 8.6
Good 130 37.1 37.1 45.7
Just OK 111 31.7 31.7 77.4
Poor 57 16.3 16.3 93.7
Very Poor 18 5.1 5.1 98.9
DK 4 1.1 1.1 100.0
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 13 3.7 3.7 3.7
Slowly Improving 46 13.1 13.1 16.9
Improving 18 5.1 5.1 22.0
Stable 190 54.3 54.3 76.3
Deteriorating 18 5.1 5.1 81.4
Slowly Deteriorating 40 11.4 11.4 92.9
Rapidly Deteriorating 19 5.4 5.4 98.3
DK 6 1.7 1.7 100.0
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 155 44.3 44.3 44.3
No 193 55.1 55.1 99.4
DK 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 155 44.3 44.3 44.3
No 191 54.6 54.6 98.9
DK 4 1.1 1.1 100.0
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 146 41.7 41.7 41.7
No 200 57.1 57.1 98.9
DK 4 1.1 1.1 100.0
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 61 17.4 17.4 17.4
No 289 82.6 82.6 100.0
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 75 21.4 21.4 21.4
Fallen 26 7.4 7.4 28.9
Stayed the same 233 66.6 66.6 95.4
DK 13 3.7 3.7 99.1
Ref 3 .9 .9 100.0
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 177 50.6 50.6 50.6
Benefits 108 30.9 30.9 81.4
Both the same 19 5.4 5.4 86.9
Neither 34 9.7 9.7 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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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 87 24.9 24.9 24.9
Increased Somewhat 120 34.3 34.3 59.1
Increased [no amount] 16 4.6 4.6 63.7
About the Same 115 32.9 32.9 96.6
Decreased [no amount] 1 .3 .3 96.9
Decreased Somewhat 3 .9 .9 97.7
Decreased a Lot 2 .6 .6 98.3
DK 6 1.7 1.7 100.0
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 12 3.4 3.4 3.4
Increased Somewhat 59 16.9 16.9 20.3
Increased [no amount] 8 2.3 2.3 22.6
About the Same 259 74.0 74.0 96.6
Decreased [no amount] 2 .6 .6 97.1
Decreased Somewhat 6 1.7 1.7 98.9
Decreased a Lot 2 .6 .6 99.4
DK 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. 146 41.7 41.7 41.7
All of my credit needs were NOT satisfied. 16 4.6 4.6 46.3
I did not want to borrow. 171 48.9 48.9 95.1
DK 13 3.7 3.7 98.9
Ref 4 1.1 1.1 100.0
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 43 12.3 12.3 12.3
Good 134 38.3 38.3 50.6
Just OK 114 32.6 32.6 83.1
Poor 45 12.9 12.9 96.0
Very Poor 7 2.0 2.0 98.0
DK 6 1.7 1.7 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 24 6.9 6.9 6.9
Good 103 29.4 29.4 36.3
Just OK 139 39.7 39.7 76.0
Poor 59 16.9 16.9 92.9
Very Poor 13 3.7 3.7 96.6
DK 12 3.4 3.4 100.0
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 184 52.6 52.6 52.6
No 143 40.9 40.9 93.4
DK 22 6.3 6.3 99.7
Ref 1 .3 .3 100.0
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 44 12.6 12.6 12.6
No 301 86.0 86.0 98.6
DK 5 1.4 1.4 100.0
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 59 16.9 16.9 16.9
Good 149 42.6 42.6 59.4
Just OK 99 28.3 28.3 87.7
Poor 23 6.6 6.6 94.3
Very Poor 6 1.7 1.7 96.0
DK 13 3.7 3.7 99.7
Ref 1 .3 .3 100.0
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 97 27.7 46.6 46.6
Lower costs 8 2.3 3.8 50.5
Price increases 5 1.4 2.4 52.9
Greater productivity, such as better equipment or a great hi 34 9.7 16.3 69.2
Government policies, such as regulations and taxes 7 2.0 3.4 72.6
SEASONAL WEATHER 24 6.9 11.5 84.1
Other 26 7.4 12.5 96.6
DK 6 1.7 2.9 99.5
Ref 1 .3 .5 100.0
Total 208 59.4 100.0
Missing System 142 40.6

Total 350 100.0

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Q19. Why do you think so?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Sales prospects 7 2.0 24.1 24.1
Cost increases 1 .3 3.4 27.6
Pressure on selling prices 1 .3 3.4 31.0
Government policies, such as regulations and taxes 10 2.9 34.5 65.5
SEASONAL WEATHER 6 1.7 20.7 86.2
Other 3 .9 10.3 96.6
DK 1 .3 3.4 100.0
Total 29 8.3 100.0
Missing System 321 91.7

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 41 11.7 11.7 11.7
Taxes 35 10.0 10.0 21.7
Employee quality or costs 30 8.6 8.6 30.3
Insurance 56 16.0 16.0 46.3
Big business competition 41 11.7 11.7 58.0
Inflation and rising prices 57 16.3 16.3 74.3
Credit availability or interest rates 11 3.1 3.1 77.4
Regulations Red tape 26 7.4 7.4 84.9
Other 18 5.1 5.1 90.0
DK 16 4.6 4.6 94.6
Ref 5 1.4 1.4 96.0
NONE NO PROBLEMS 14 4.0 4.0 100.0
Total 350 100.0 100.0
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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 83 23.7 23.7 43.1
Slightly negative 86 24.6 24.6 67.7
No impact 90 25.7 25.7 93.4
Positive 10 2.9 2.9 96.3
DK 13 3.7 3.7 100.0
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 37 10.6 10.6 10.6
Invested in energy-conserving equipment or vehicles 33 9.4 9.4 20.0
Reduced energy use 103 29.4 29.4 49.4
Absorbed costs with lower earnings 66 18.9 18.9 68.3
Reduced non_energy costs such as payroll 22 6.3 6.3 74.6
Other 37 10.6 10.6 85.1
DK 45 12.9 12.9 98.0
Refuse 7 2.0 2.0 100.0
Total 350 100.0 100.0
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