Small-Business Conditions

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

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

Q1. Do you consider the Georgia 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 28 8.0 8.0 8.0
Supportive 149 42.6 42.6 50.6
Neutral 87 24.9 24.9 75.4
Not Supportive 34 9.7 9.7 85.1
Not at All Supportive 17 4.9 4.9 90.0
DK 32 9.1 9.1 99.1
Refuse 3 .9 .9 100.0
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 46 13.1 13.1 13.1
Good 158 45.1 45.1 58.3
Just OK 99 28.3 28.3 86.6
Poor 35 10.0 10.0 96.6
Very Poor 9 2.6 2.6 99.1
DK 3 .9 .9 100.0
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 28 8.0 8.0 8.0
Slowly Improving 56 16.0 16.0 24.0
Improving 8 2.3 2.3 26.3
Stable 211 60.3 60.3 86.6
Deteriorating 4 1.1 1.1 87.7
Slowly Deteriorating 31 8.9 8.9 96.6
Rapidly Deteriorating 7 2.0 2.0 98.6
DK 5 1.4 1.4 100.0
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 145 41.4 41.4 41.4
No 203 58.0 58.0 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 145 41.4 41.4 41.4
No 198 56.6 56.6 98.0
DK 7 2.0 2.0 100.0
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 140 40.0 40.0 40.0
No 206 58.9 58.9 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 54 15.4 15.4 15.4
No 293 83.7 83.7 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 62 17.7 17.7 17.7
Fallen 13 3.7 3.7 21.4
Stayed the same 271 77.4 77.4 98.9
DK 4 1.1 1.1 100.0
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 210 60.0 60.0 60.0
Benefits 86 24.6 24.6 84.6
Both the same 17 4.9 4.9 89.4
Neither 27 7.7 7.7 97.1
DK 10 2.9 2.9 100.0
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 91 26.0 26.0 26.0
Increased Somewhat 111 31.7 31.7 57.7
Increased [no amount] 4 1.1 1.1 58.9
About the Same 129 36.9 36.9 95.7
Decreased Somewhat 4 1.1 1.1 96.9
Decreased a Lot 3 .9 .9 97.7
DK 6 1.7 1.7 99.4
Ref 2 .6 .6 100.0
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 15 4.3 4.3 4.3
Increased Somewhat 52 14.9 14.9 19.1
Increased [no amount] 3 .9 .9 20.0
About the Same 257 73.4 73.4 93.4
Decreased [no amount] 1 .3 .3 93.7
Decreased Somewhat 7 2.0 2.0 95.7
Decreased a Lot 5 1.4 1.4 97.1
DK 8 2.3 2.3 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. 149 42.6 42.6 42.6
All of my credit needs were NOT satisfied. 20 5.7 5.7 48.3
I did not want to borrow. 165 47.1 47.1 95.4
DK 15 4.3 4.3 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 47 13.4 13.4 13.4
Good 156 44.6 44.6 58.0
Just OK 93 26.6 26.6 84.6
Poor 44 12.6 12.6 97.1
Very Poor 4 1.1 1.1 98.3
DK 5 1.4 1.4 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 23 6.6 6.6 6.6
Good 139 39.7 39.7 46.3
Just OK 118 33.7 33.7 80.0
Poor 53 15.1 15.1 95.1
Very Poor 11 3.1 3.1 98.3
DK 5 1.4 1.4 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 223 63.7 63.7 63.7
No 104 29.7 29.7 93.4
DK 20 5.7 5.7 99.1
Ref 3 .9 .9 100.0
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 37 10.6 10.6 10.6
No 303 86.6 86.6 97.1
DK 8 2.3 2.3 99.4
Ref 2 .6 .6 100.0
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 69 19.7 19.7 19.7
Good 167 47.7 47.7 67.4
Just OK 85 24.3 24.3 91.7
Poor 13 3.7 3.7 95.4
Very Poor 2 .6 .6 96.0
DK 11 3.1 3.1 99.1
Ref 3 .9 .9 100.0
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 107 30.6 45.3 45.3
Lower costs 6 1.7 2.5 47.9
Price increases 8 2.3 3.4 51.3
Greater productivity, such as better equipment or a great hi 41 11.7 17.4 68.6
Government policies, such as regulations and taxes 14 4.0 5.9 74.6
SEASONAL WEATHER 19 5.4 8.1 82.6
Other 31 8.9 13.1 95.8
DK 10 2.9 4.2 100.0
Total 236 67.4 100.0
Missing System 114 32.6

Total 350 100.0

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Q19. Why do you think so?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Sales prospects 2 .6 13.3 13.3
Cost increases 1 .3 6.7 20.0
Government policies, such as regulations and taxes 4 1.1 26.7 46.7
SEASONAL WEATHER 3 .9 20.0 66.7
Other 4 1.1 26.7 93.3
DK 1 .3 6.7 100.0
Total 15 4.3 100.0
Missing System 335 95.7

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 31 8.9 8.9 8.9
Taxes 46 13.1 13.1 22.0
Employee quality or costs 45 12.9 12.9 34.9
Insurance 39 11.1 11.1 46.0
Big business competition 50 14.3 14.3 60.3
Inflation and rising prices 51 14.6 14.6 74.9
Credit availability or interest rates 16 4.6 4.6 79.4
Regulations Red tape 25 7.1 7.1 86.6
Other 12 3.4 3.4 90.0
DK 17 4.9 4.9 94.9
Ref 5 1.4 1.4 96.3
NONE NO PROBLEMS 13 3.7 3.7 100.0
Total 350 100.0 100.0
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SS1. In general, how satisfied are you with the direction that Georgia is headed? Are you very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, not too satisfied or not at all satisfied?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Very satisfied 46 13.1 13.1 13.1
Somewhat satisfied 207 59.1 59.1 72.3
Not too satisfied 54 15.4 15.4 87.7
Not at all satisfied 22 6.3 6.3 94.0
DK 15 4.3 4.3 98.3
Ref 6 1.7 1.7 100.0
Total 350 100.0 100.0
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SS4. Which best describes the role immigrant labor plays in your area?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Provides skills not otherwise available 33 9.4 9.4 9.4
Fills jobs that otherwise wouldn't be filled 98 28.0 28.0 37.4
Crowds out American workers 61 17.4 17.4 54.9
No appreciable role 92 26.3 26.3 81.1
DK 58 16.6 16.6 97.7
Ref 8 2.3 2.3 100.0
Total 350 100.0 100.0
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