Small-Business Conditions

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

View the data below for more information on the North 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 20 5.6 5.6 5.6
Supportive 154 43.5 43.5 49.2
Neutral 90 25.4 25.4 74.6
Not Supportive 34 9.6 9.6 84.2
Not at All Supportive 15 4.2 4.2 88.4
DK 39 11.0 11.0 99.4
Refuse 2 .6 .6 100.0
Total 354 100.0 100.0
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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 17.8 17.8 17.8
Good 183 51.7 51.7 69.5
Just OK 81 22.9 22.9 92.4
Poor 13 3.7 3.7 96.0
Very Poor 9 2.5 2.5 98.6
DK 5 1.4 1.4 100.0
Total 354 100.0 100.0
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Q3. Are they improving, deteriorating, or more or less stable?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Rapidly Improving 35 9.9 9.9 9.9
Slowly Improving 67 18.9 18.9 28.8
Improving 18 5.1 5.1 33.9
Stable 195 55.1 55.1 89.0
Deteriorating 2 .6 .6 89.5
Slowly Deteriorating 26 7.3 7.3 96.9
Rapidly Deteriorating 7 2.0 2.0 98.9
DK 4 1.1 1.1 100.0
Total 354 100.0 100.0
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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 147 41.5 41.5 41.5
No 200 56.5 56.5 98.0
DK 7 2.0 2.0 100.0
Total 354 100.0 100.0
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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 159 44.9 44.9 44.9
No 188 53.1 53.1 98.0
DK 7 2.0 2.0 100.0
Total 354 100.0 100.0
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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 153 43.2 43.2 43.2
No 195 55.1 55.1 98.3
DK 6 1.7 1.7 100.0
Total 354 100.0 100.0
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Q7. Do you currently have one or more job openings?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Yes 78 22.0 22.0 22.0
No 276 78.0 78.0 100.0
Total 354 100.0 100.0
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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 79 22.3 22.3 22.3
Fallen 16 4.5 4.5 26.8
Stayed the same 249 70.3 70.3 97.2
DK 10 2.8 2.8 100.0
Total 354 100.0 100.0
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Q9. Which cost pressures are greater for your business...

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Wages 216 61.0 61.0 61.0
Benefits 74 20.9 20.9 81.9
Both the same 22 6.2 6.2 88.1
Neither 24 6.8 6.8 94.9
DK 18 5.1 5.1 100.0
Total 354 100.0 100.0
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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 90 25.4 25.4 25.4
Increased Somewhat 105 29.7 29.7 55.1
Increased [no amount] 5 1.4 1.4 56.5
About the Same 139 39.3 39.3 95.8
Decreased [no amount] 1 .3 .3 96.0
Decreased Somewhat 1 .3 .3 96.3
Decreased a Lot 2 .6 .6 96.9
DK 10 2.8 2.8 99.7
Ref 1 .3 .3 100.0
Total 354 100.0 100.0
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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 29 8.2 8.2 8.2
Increased Somewhat 67 18.9 18.9 27.1
Increased [no amount] 6 1.7 1.7 28.8
About the Same 232 65.5 65.5 94.4
Decreased Somewhat 6 1.7 1.7 96.0
Decreased a Lot 3 .8 .8 96.9
DK 11 3.1 3.1 100.0
Total 354 100.0 100.0
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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. 129 36.4 36.4 36.4
All of my credit needs were NOT satisfied. 18 5.1 5.1 41.5
I did not want to borrow. 191 54.0 54.0 95.5
DK 14 4.0 4.0 99.4
Ref 2 .6 .6 100.0
Total 354 100.0 100.0
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Q13. Over the last three months, have sales been...?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Very Good 63 17.8 17.8 17.8
Good 168 47.5 47.5 65.3
Just OK 89 25.1 25.1 90.4
Poor 16 4.5 4.5 94.9
Very Poor 7 2.0 2.0 96.9
DK 9 2.5 2.5 99.4
Ref 2 .6 .6 100.0
Total 354 100.0 100.0
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Q14. Over the last three months, have profits been...?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Very Good 34 9.6 9.6 9.6
Good 143 40.4 40.4 50.0
Just OK 123 34.7 34.7 84.7
Poor 30 8.5 8.5 93.2
Very Poor 7 2.0 2.0 95.2
DK 16 4.5 4.5 99.7
Ref 1 .3 .3 100.0
Total 354 100.0 100.0
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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 207 58.5 58.5 58.5
No 124 35.0 35.0 93.5
DK 23 6.5 6.5 100.0
Total 354 100.0 100.0
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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 11.6 11.6 11.6
No 309 87.3 87.3 98.9
DK 3 .8 .8 99.7
Ref 1 .3 .3 100.0
Total 354 100.0 100.0
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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 100 28.2 28.2 28.2
Good 168 47.5 47.5 75.7
Just OK 64 18.1 18.1 93.8
Poor 6 1.7 1.7 95.5
Very Poor 2 .6 .6 96.0
DK 14 4.0 4.0 100.0
Total 354 100.0 100.0
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Q18. Why do you think so?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Sales prospects 122 34.5 45.5 45.5
Lower costs 12 3.4 4.5 50.0
Price increases 15 4.2 5.6 55.6
Greater productivity, such as better equipment or a great hi 31 8.8 11.6 67.2
Government policies, such as regulations and taxes 5 1.4 1.9 69.0
SEASONAL WEATHER 24 6.8 9.0 78.0
Other 39 11.0 14.6 92.5
DK 20 5.6 7.5 100.0
Total 268 75.7 100.0
Missing System 86 24.3

Total 354 100.0

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Q19. Why do you think so?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Sales prospects 2 .6 25.0 25.0
Lower productivity, such as loss of a key employee or aging 1 .3 12.5 37.5
Government policies, such as regulations and taxes 1 .3 12.5 50.0
SEASONAL WEATHER 3 .8 37.5 87.5
Other 1 .3 12.5 100.0
Total 8 2.3 100.0
Missing System 346 97.7

Total 354 100.0

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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 27 7.6 7.6 7.6
Taxes 29 8.2 8.2 15.8
Employee quality or costs 45 12.7 12.7 28.5
Insurance 62 17.5 17.5 46.0
Big business competition 48 13.6 13.6 59.6
Inflation and rising prices 59 16.7 16.7 76.3
Credit availability or interest rates 12 3.4 3.4 79.7
Regulations Red tape 20 5.6 5.6 85.3
Other 21 5.9 5.9 91.2
DK 13 3.7 3.7 94.9
Ref 9 2.5 2.5 97.5
NONE NO PROBLEMS 9 2.5 2.5 100.0
Total 354 100.0 100.0
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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 45 12.7 12.7 12.7
Somewhat important 77 21.8 21.8 34.5
Not too important 76 21.5 21.5 55.9
Not at all important 114 32.2 32.2 88.1
DK 35 9.9 9.9 98.0
Ref 7 2.0 2.0 100.0
Total 354 100.0 100.0
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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 19 5.4 5.4 5.4
Fills jobs that otherwise wouldn't be filled 115 32.5 32.5 37.9
Crowds out American workers 29 8.2 8.2 46.0
No appreciable role 98 27.7 27.7 73.7
DK 81 22.9 22.9 96.6
Ref 12 3.4 3.4 100.0
Total 354 100.0 100.0
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