Small-Business Conditions

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

View the data below for more information on the 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 94 6.7 6.7 6.7
Supportive 542 38.6 38.6 45.3
Neutral 375 26.7 26.7 71.9
Not Supportive 201 14.3 14.3 86.2
Not at All Supportive 79 5.6 5.6 91.9
DK 112 7.9 7.9 99.8
Refuse 3 .2 .2 100.0
Total 1405 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 231 16.5 16.5 16.5
Good 636 45.3 45.3 61.7
Just OK 351 25.0 25.0 86.7
Poor 112 8.0 8.0 94.7
Very Poor 52 3.7 3.7 98.4
DK 21 1.5 1.5 99.9
Refuse 2 .1 .1 100.0
Total 1405 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 134 9.5 9.5 9.5
Slowly Improving 224 15.9 15.9 25.5
Improving 76 5.4 5.4 30.9
Stable 772 54.9 54.9 85.8
Deteriorating 39 2.8 2.8 88.6
Slowly Deteriorating 98 7.0 7.0 95.6
Rapidly Deteriorating 41 2.9 2.9 98.6
DK 20 1.4 1.4 100.0
Total 1405 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 634 45.1 45.1 45.1
No 746 53.1 53.1 98.3
DK 23 1.7 1.7 99.9
Refuse 1 .1 .1 100.0
Total 1405 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 607 43.2 43.2 43.2
No 772 55.0 55.0 98.2
DK 25 1.8 1.8 99.9
Refuse 1 .1 .1 100.0
Total 1405 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 606 43.2 43.2 43.2
No 782 55.7 55.7 98.8
DK 15 1.1 1.1 99.9
Ref 1 .1 .1 100.0
Total 1405 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 368 26.2 26.2 26.2
No 1029 73.2 73.2 99.4
DK 7 .5 .5 99.9
Ref 1 .1 .1 100.0
Total 1405 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 304 21.7 21.7 21.7
Fallen 67 4.8 4.8 26.4
Stayed the same 968 68.9 68.9 95.4
DK 56 4.0 4.0 99.3
Ref 9 .7 .7 100.0
Total 1405 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 750 53.4 53.4 53.4
Benefits 381 27.1 27.1 80.5
Both the same 99 7.0 7.0 87.5
Neither 112 8.0 8.0 95.5
DK 62 4.4 4.4 99.9
Ref 1 .1 .1 100.0
Total 1405 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 372 26.4 26.4 26.4
Increased Somewhat 423 30.1 30.1 56.5
Increased [no amount] 45 3.2 3.2 59.8
About the Same 521 37.1 37.1 96.9
Decreased [no amount] 2 .1 .1 97.0
Decreased Somewhat 8 .6 .6 97.6
Decreased a Lot 5 .3 .3 97.9
DK 26 1.9 1.9 99.7
Ref 4 .3 .3 100.0
Total 1405 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 70 5.0 5.0 5.0
Increased Somewhat 254 18.1 18.1 23.1
Increased [no amount] 24 1.7 1.7 24.8
About the Same 989 70.4 70.4 95.2
Decreased [no amount] 2 .2 .2 95.3
Decreased Somewhat 23 1.7 1.7 97.0
Decreased a Lot 6 .4 .4 97.4
DK 32 2.3 2.3 99.7
Ref 4 .3 .3 100.0
Total 1405 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. 594 42.3 42.3 42.3
All of my credit needs were NOT satisfied. 98 7.0 7.0 49.3
I did not want to borrow. 649 46.2 46.2 95.5
DK 57 4.1 4.1 99.5
Ref 7 .5 .5 100.0
Total 1405 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 222 15.8 15.8 15.8
Good 555 39.5 39.5 55.3
Just OK 420 29.9 29.9 85.2
Poor 120 8.6 8.6 93.8
Very Poor 35 2.5 2.5 96.3
DK 39 2.7 2.7 99.0
Ref 13 1.0 1.0 100.0
Total 1405 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 118 8.4 8.4 8.4
Good 509 36.3 36.3 44.6
Just OK 492 35.0 35.0 79.7
Poor 183 13.1 13.1 92.7
Very Poor 45 3.2 3.2 95.9
DK 50 3.6 3.6 99.5
Ref 7 .5 .5 100.0
Total 1405 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 767 54.6 54.6 54.6
No 531 37.8 37.8 92.4
DK 101 7.2 7.2 99.6
Ref 6 .4 .4 100.0
Total 1405 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 190 13.5 13.5 13.5
No 1194 85.0 85.0 98.5
DK 16 1.2 1.2 99.7
Ref 5 .3 .3 100.0
Total 1405 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 400 28.5 28.5 28.5
Good 603 42.9 42.9 71.4
Just OK 301 21.4 21.4 92.8
Poor 36 2.6 2.6 95.4
Very Poor 15 1.1 1.1 96.5
DK 44 3.1 3.1 99.6
Ref 5 .4 .4 100.0
Total 1405 100.0 100.0
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Q18. Why do you think so?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Sales prospects 380 27.1 37.9 37.9
Lower costs 33 2.4 3.3 41.3
Price increases 50 3.5 5.0 46.2
Greater productivity, such as better equipment or a great hi 160 11.4 15.9 62.1
Government policies, such as regulations and taxes 41 2.9 4.1 66.2
SEASONAL WEATHER 115 8.2 11.5 77.7
Other 129 9.2 12.9 90.6
DK 87 6.2 8.7 99.2
Ref 8 .5 .8 100.0
Total 1003 71.4 100.0
Missing System 402 28.6

Total 1405 100.0

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Q19. Why do you think so?

Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent
Valid Sales prospects 5 .4 10.5 10.5
Cost increases 3 .2 6.6 17.1
Pressure on selling prices 6 .5 12.3 29.4
Lower productivity, such as loss of a key employee or aging 2 .2 4.8 34.2
Government policies, such as regulations and taxes 11 .8 21.9 56.1
SEASONAL WEATHER 11 .8 21.2 77.3
Other 10 .7 19.7 97.0
DK 2 .1 3.0 100.0
Total 51 3.7 100.0
Missing System 1353 96.3

Total 1405 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 122 8.7 8.7 8.7
Taxes 97 6.9 6.9 15.6
Employee quality or costs 155 11.1 11.1 26.7
Insurance 212 15.1 15.1 41.7
Big business competition 204 14.5 14.5 56.3
Inflation and rising prices 217 15.4 15.4 71.7
Credit availability or interest rates 63 4.5 4.5 76.2
Regulations Red tape 113 8.1 8.1 84.3
Other 77 5.5 5.5 89.7
DK 72 5.1 5.1 94.9
Ref 32 2.2 2.2 97.1
NONE NO PROBLEMS 41 2.9 2.9 100.0
Total 1405 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 287 20.4 20.4 20.4
Somewhat important 368 26.2 26.2 46.6
Not too important 222 15.8 15.8 62.4
Not at all important 396 28.2 28.2 90.6
DK 107 7.6 7.6 98.3
Ref 24 1.7 1.7 100.0
Total 1405 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 141 10.1 10.1 10.1
Fills jobs that otherwise wouldn't be filled 464 33.0 33.0 43.1
Crowds out American workers 123 8.7 8.7 51.8
No appreciable role 369 26.2 26.2 78.0
DK 269 19.2 19.2 97.2
Ref 39 2.8 2.8 100.0
Total 1405 100.0 100.0
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