Small-Business Conditions

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Central Florida Small-Business Conditions, December 2005
12/01/2005

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

Q1. Do you consider the Florida 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 15 4.3 4.3 4.3
Supportive 152 43.3 43.3 47.6
Neutral 88 25.1 25.1 72.6
Not Supportive 47 13.4 13.4 86.0
Not at All Supportive 19 5.4 5.4 91.5
DK 30 8.5 8.5 100.0
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 63 17.9 17.9 17.9
Good 175 49.9 49.9 67.8
Just OK 73 20.8 20.8 88.6
Poor 25 7.1 7.1 95.7
Very Poor 12 3.4 3.4 99.1
DK 3 .9 .9 100.0
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 35 10.0 10.0 10.0
Slowly Improving 56 16.0 16.0 25.9
Improving 22 6.3 6.3 32.2
Stable 198 56.4 56.4 88.6
Deteriorating 3 .9 .9 89.5
Slowly Deteriorating 19 5.4 5.4 94.9
Rapidly Deteriorating 14 4.0 4.0 98.9
DK 4 1.1 1.1 100.0
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 158 45.0 45.0 45.0
No 189 53.8 53.8 98.9
DK 4 1.1 1.1 100.0
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 161 45.9 45.9 45.9
No 187 53.3 53.3 99.1
DK 2 .6 .6 99.7
Refuse 1 .3 .3 100.0
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 147 41.9 41.9 41.9
No 197 56.1 56.1 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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Q7. Do you currently have one or more job openings?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Yes 91 25.9 25.9 25.9
No 259 73.8 73.8 99.7
DK 1 .3 .3 100.0
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 76 21.7 21.7 21.7
Fallen 13 3.7 3.7 25.4
Stayed the same 245 69.8 69.8 95.2
DK 12 3.4 3.4 98.6
Ref 5 1.4 1.4 100.0
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 199 56.7 56.7 56.7
Benefits 83 23.6 23.6 80.3
Both the same 24 6.8 6.8 87.2
Neither 31 8.8 8.8 96.0
DK 14 4.0 4.0 100.0
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 81 23.1 23.1 23.1
Increased Somewhat 112 31.9 31.9 55.0
Increased [no amount] 8 2.3 2.3 57.3
About the Same 139 39.6 39.6 96.9
Decreased Somewhat 3 .9 .9 97.7
Decreased a Lot 1 .3 .3 98.0
DK 5 1.4 1.4 99.4
Ref 2 .6 .6 100.0
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 14 4.0 4.0 4.0
Increased Somewhat 56 16.0 16.0 19.9
Increased [no amount] 7 2.0 2.0 21.9
About the Same 260 74.1 74.1 96.0
Decreased Somewhat 5 1.4 1.4 97.4
Decreased a Lot 1 .3 .3 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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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. 153 43.6 43.6 43.6
All of my credit needs were NOT satisfied. 24 6.8 6.8 50.4
I did not want to borrow. 159 45.3 45.3 95.7
DK 13 3.7 3.7 99.4
Ref 2 .6 .6 100.0
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 60 17.1 17.1 17.1
Good 136 38.7 38.7 55.8
Just OK 110 31.3 31.3 87.2
Poor 23 6.6 6.6 93.7
Very Poor 7 2.0 2.0 95.7
DK 10 2.8 2.8 98.6
Ref 5 1.4 1.4 100.0
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 38 10.8 10.8 10.8
Good 132 37.6 37.6 48.4
Just OK 120 34.2 34.2 82.6
Poor 38 10.8 10.8 93.4
Very Poor 9 2.6 2.6 96.0
DK 11 3.1 3.1 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 194 55.3 55.3 55.3
No 134 38.2 38.2 93.4
DK 21 6.0 6.0 99.4
Ref 2 .6 .6 100.0
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 41 11.7 11.7 11.7
No 306 87.2 87.2 98.9
DK 4 1.1 1.1 100.0
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 109 31.1 31.1 31.1
Good 144 41.0 41.0 72.1
Just OK 75 21.4 21.4 93.4
Poor 10 2.8 2.8 96.3
Very Poor 3 .9 .9 97.2
DK 7 2.0 2.0 99.1
Ref 3 .9 .9 100.0
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 95 27.1 37.5 37.5
Lower costs 9 2.6 3.6 41.1
Price increases 11 3.1 4.3 45.5
Greater productivity, such as better equipment or a great hi 49 14.0 19.4 64.8
Government policies, such as regulations and taxes 12 3.4 4.7 69.6
SEASONAL WEATHER 23 6.6 9.1 78.7
Other 32 9.1 12.6 91.3
DK 21 6.0 8.3 99.6
Ref 1 .3 .4 100.0
Total 253 72.1 100.0
Missing System 98 27.9

Total 351 100.0

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Q19. Why do you think so?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Sales prospects 2 .6 15.4 15.4
Cost increases 1 .3 7.7 23.1
Lower productivity, such as loss of a key employee or aging 1 .3 7.7 30.8
Government policies, such as regulations and taxes 5 1.4 38.5 69.2
SEASONAL WEATHER 1 .3 7.7 76.9
Other 1 .3 7.7 84.6
DK 2 .6 15.4 100.0
Total 13 3.7 100.0
Missing System 338 96.3

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 25 7.1 7.1 7.1
Taxes 32 9.1 9.1 16.2
Employee quality or costs 40 11.4 11.4 27.6
Insurance 44 12.5 12.5 40.2
Big business competition 54 15.4 15.4 55.6
Inflation and rising prices 57 16.2 16.2 71.8
Credit availability or interest rates 14 4.0 4.0 75.8
Regulations Red tape 36 10.3 10.3 86.0
Other 11 3.1 3.1 89.2
DK 18 5.1 5.1 94.3
Ref 8 2.3 2.3 96.6
NONE NO PROBLEMS 12 3.4 3.4 100.0
Total 351 100.0 100.0
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SS3. How important is immigrant labor to businesses in your area? Is it very important, somewhat important, not too important or not at all important?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Very important 58 16.5 16.5 16.5
Somewhat important 78 22.2 22.2 38.7
Not too important 58 16.5 16.5 55.3
Not at all important 111 31.6 31.6 86.9
DK 38 10.8 10.8 97.7
Ref 8 2.3 2.3 100.0
Total 351 100.0 100.0
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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 30 8.5 8.5 8.5
Fills jobs that otherwise wouldn't be filled 93 26.5 26.5 35.0
Crowds out American workers 36 10.3 10.3 45.3
No appreciable role 111 31.6 31.6 76.9
DK 68 19.4 19.4 96.3
Ref 13 3.7 3.7 100.0
Total 351 100.0 100.0
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