Small-Business Conditions

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

View the data below for more information on the Connecticut Small-Business ConditionsSM survey for November 2005.
Q1. Do you consider the Connecticut 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 25 7.1 7.1 7.1
Supportive 108 30.9 30.9 38.0
Neutral 97 27.7 27.7 65.7
Not Supportive 54 15.4 15.4 81.1
Not at All Supportive 32 9.1 9.1 90.3
DK 34 9.7 9.7 100.0
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 35 10.0 10.0 10.0
Good 129 36.9 36.9 46.9
Just OK 140 40.0 40.0 86.9
Poor 30 8.6 8.6 95.4
Very Poor 11 3.1 3.1 98.6
DK 5 1.4 1.4 100.0
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 17 4.9 4.9 4.9
Slowly Improving 48 13.7 13.7 18.6
Improving 18 5.1 5.1 23.7
Stable 213 60.9 60.9 84.6
Deteriorating 8 2.3 2.3 86.9
Slowly Deteriorating 33 9.4 9.4 96.3
Rapidly Deteriorating 7 2.0 2.0 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 143 40.9 40.9 40.9
No 202 57.7 57.7 98.6
DK 4 1.1 1.1 99.7
Refuse 1 .3 .3 100.0
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 143 40.9 40.9 40.9
No 201 57.4 57.4 98.3
DK 6 1.7 1.7 100.0
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 149 42.6 42.6 42.6
No 198 56.6 56.6 99.1
DK 1 .3 .3 99.4
Ref 2 .6 .6 100.0
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 67 19.1 19.1 19.1
No 280 80.0 80.0 99.1
DK 3 .9 .9 100.0
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 84 24.0 24.0 24.0
Fallen 16 4.6 4.6 28.6
Stayed the same 234 66.9 66.9 95.4
DK 14 4.0 4.0 99.4
Ref 2 .6 .6 100.0
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 171 48.9 48.9 48.9
Benefits 94 26.9 26.9 75.7
Both the same 38 10.9 10.9 86.6
Neither 25 7.1 7.1 93.7
DK 20 5.7 5.7 99.4
Ref 2 .6 .6 100.0
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 83 23.7 23.7 23.7
Increased Somewhat 121 34.6 34.6 58.3
Increased [no amount] 13 3.7 3.7 62.0
About the Same 121 34.6 34.6 96.6
Decreased [no amount] 2 .6 .6 97.1
Decreased Somewhat 3 .9 .9 98.0
Decreased a Lot 1 .3 .3 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 21 6.0 6.0 6.0
Increased Somewhat 73 20.9 20.9 26.9
Increased [no amount] 11 3.1 3.1 30.0
About the Same 220 62.9 62.9 92.9
Decreased [no amount] 4 1.1 1.1 94.0
Decreased Somewhat 9 2.6 2.6 96.6
Decreased a Lot 3 .9 .9 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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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. 136 38.9 38.9 38.9
All of my credit needs were NOT satisfied. 30 8.6 8.6 47.4
I did not want to borrow. 168 48.0 48.0 95.4
DK 16 4.6 4.6 100.0
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 45 12.9 12.9 12.9
Good 144 41.1 41.1 54.0
Just OK 115 32.9 32.9 86.9
Poor 30 8.6 8.6 95.4
Very Poor 8 2.3 2.3 97.7
DK 7 2.0 2.0 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 25 7.1 7.1 7.1
Good 129 36.9 36.9 44.0
Just OK 130 37.1 37.1 81.1
Poor 40 11.4 11.4 92.6
Very Poor 11 3.1 3.1 95.7
DK 12 3.4 3.4 99.1
Ref 3 .9 .9 100.0
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 185 52.9 52.9 52.9
No 137 39.1 39.1 92.0
DK 27 7.7 7.7 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 48 13.7 13.7 13.7
No 297 84.9 84.9 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 76 21.7 21.7 21.7
Good 148 42.3 42.3 64.0
Just OK 97 27.7 27.7 91.7
Poor 18 5.1 5.1 96.9
Very Poor 6 1.7 1.7 98.6
DK 5 1.4 1.4 100.0
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 103 29.4 46.0 46.0
Lower costs 10 2.9 4.5 50.4
Price increases 13 3.7 5.8 56.3
Greater productivity, such as better equipment or a great hi 35 10.0 15.6 71.9
Government policies, such as regulations and taxes 4 1.1 1.8 73.7
SEASONAL WEATHER 18 5.1 8.0 81.7
Other 20 5.7 8.9 90.6
DK 21 6.0 9.4 100.0
Total 224 64.0 100.0
Missing System 126 36.0

Total 350 100.0

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Q19. Why do you think so?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Sales prospects 3 .9 12.5 12.5
Cost increases 3 .9 12.5 25.0
Pressure on selling prices 1 .3 4.2 29.2
Government policies, such as regulations and taxes 8 2.3 33.3 62.5
SEASONAL WEATHER 4 1.1 16.7 79.2
Other 3 .9 12.5 91.7
DK 2 .6 8.3 100.0
Total 24 6.9 100.0
Missing System 326 93.1

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 30 8.6 8.6 8.6
Taxes 39 11.1 11.1 19.7
Employee quality or costs 37 10.6 10.6 30.3
Insurance 60 17.1 17.1 47.4
Big business competition 49 14.0 14.0 61.4
Inflation and rising prices 48 13.7 13.7 75.1
Credit availability or interest rates 15 4.3 4.3 79.4
Regulations Red tape 21 6.0 6.0 85.4
Other 16 4.6 4.6 90.0
DK 13 3.7 3.7 93.7
Ref 15 4.3 4.3 98.0
NONE NO PROBLEMS 7 2.0 2.0 100.0
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 98 28.0 28.0 28.0
Labor 44 12.6 12.6 40.6
Insurance 95 27.1 27.1 67.7
Materials 72 20.6 20.6 88.3
Some other 8 2.3 2.3 90.6
None rising rapidly 7 2.0 2.0 92.6
DK 20 5.7 5.7 98.3
Refuse 6 1.7 1.7 100.0
Total 350 100.0 100.0
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SS10. Which of your total costs are rising next most rapidly?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Energy 66 18.9 19.6 19.6
Labor 66 18.9 19.6 39.3
Insurance 84 24.0 25.0 64.3
Materials 73 20.9 21.7 86.0
Some other 13 3.7 3.9 89.9
None rising rapidly 10 2.9 3.0 92.9
DK 17 4.9 5.1 97.9
Refuse 7 2.0 2.1 100.0
Total 336 96.0 100.0
Missing System 14 4.0

Total 350 100.0

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