Fairfield County 2003 BR&E Survey

Instructions

Answer only those questions with which you feel comfortable. For most answers, check the boxes most applicable to you or fill in the blanks. If you would like a personal visit to discuss your responses to this survey, please contact Carol Mackey, Ohio State University Extension, (740) 653-5419.

Please provide the following

First Name

Last Name

Title

Company

Phone

Fax

User-Defined 1

A - Local Business Environment

1.	What is your overall opinion of Fairfield County as a place to do business?

	Excellent
	Good
	Average
	Poor
	Very Poor

2.	Please describe your IMMEDIATE business needs or concerns that could be addressed by local government or local private entities.

3.	Please describe your LONG-TERM (more than 3 years) business needs or concerns that could be addressed by local government or local private entities.

From your perspective as a businessperson, please rate the following amenities and services in Fairfield County.

Excellent

Good

Average

Poor

Very Poor

Does Not Apply

4.	Roads, highways, freeways

5.	Water and sewers

6.	Solid waste disposal

7.	Natural gas services

8.	Telecommunications

9.	Electrical services

10.	High speed Internet access

11.	Rail service

12.	Air service

13.	Fire protection and EMS

14.	Police protection

15.	Hospitals, doctors, clinics

Please indicate whether you believe the cost of doing business in Fairfield County is high, acceptable, or low.

High

Acceptable

Low

Does Not Apply

16.	Building costs (rent)

17.	Land costs

18.	Property taxes

19.	Sales taxes

20.	Labor costs

21.	Public utilities

22.	Transportation of product to market

B - Future Plans

23.	Do you have any plans to modernize or expand your present building(s) or equipment?

	Yes
	No (Skip to Q. 30)

24.	If yes, do you face constraints to modernization or expansion?

	( Select all that apply.)
	No constraints
	Need financial assistance
	Need physical facility planning assistance
	Insufficient space
	Building codes and regulations
	Other:

25.	Describe what is planned.

26.	When will the work be started?

	Within 6 months
	Between 6 - 12 months
	Between 1 - 3 years
	More than 3 years

27.	What impact will this have on the number of employees in Fairfield County?

	No change
	Adds employees
	Reduces employees

28.	About how many employees will be added?

29.	About how many employees will be reduced?

30.	Are you considering opening another office, plant or facility?

	Yes
	No (Skip to Q. 37)

31.	If yes, when?

	Within 6 months
	Between 6 - 12 months
	Between 1 - 3 years
	More than 3 years

32.	If yes, where?

	Elsewhere in Fairfield County
	Outside Fairfield County, but in Ohio (Skip to Q. 34)
	Outside Ohio, but in U.S. (Skip to Q. 34)
	Outside U.S. (Skip to Q. 34)

33.	If you are expanding in Fairfield County, do you face any constraints?

	( Select all that apply.)
	No constraints
	Need financial assistance
	Need physical planning assistance
	Insufficient space
	Building codes and regulations
	Other:

34.	What impact will this have on the number of employees in Fairfield County?

	No change
	Adds employees
	Reduces employees

35.	About how many employees will be added?

36.	About how many employees will be reduced?

37.	Are you currently considering moving, closing, or selling this business?

	Considering moving
	Considering closing
	Considering selling
	None of the above (Skip to Q. 44)

38.	If so, why?

	( Select all that apply.)
	Changing market conditions
	Overcrowded facilities
	Land limitation for expansion
	Transportation problem
	Workforce issues
	Environmental concerns
	Building codes and regulations
	High local taxes
	High state taxes
	Lease expiration
	Other:

39.	When are you considering moving, closing, or selling this business?

	Within 6 months
	Between 6 - 12 months
	Between 1 - 3 years
	More than 3 years

40.	If you are considering moving this business, where will you move?

	Elsewhere in Fairfield County
	Outside Fairfield County, but in Ohio
	Outside Ohio, but in U.S.
	Outside U.S.

41.	What impact will moving, closing, or selling have on the number of employees in Fairfield County?

	No change
	Adds employees
	Reduces employees

42.	About how many employees will be added?

43.	About how many employees will be reduced?

C - Employment, Recruitment and Training

44.	How many employees work at this establishment?

	1 - 20
	21 - 50
	51 - 250
	More than 250

45.	Is any part of your workforce unionized?

	Yes
	No

46.	Please indicate where your employees live.

	( Select all that apply.)
	In Fairfield County
	In other Ohio counties
	Outside of Ohio

47.	Please list the other Ohio counties where your employees live.

Has the number of employees increased, decreased or stayed the same in the PAST 5 YEARS? Do you expect the number to increase, decrease or stay the same in the NEXT 5 YEARS?

Past 5 Years

Next 5 Years

48.

Increased

49.

Decreased

50.	Stayed the same

If the number of employees has changed in the PAST 5 YEARS, or if you expect the number to change in the NEXT 5 YEARS, please check the 3 primary reasons for the change.

Past 5 Years

Next 5 Years

51.	Technology changes

52.	Change in management and/or ownership

53.	Change in demand for products/services

54.	Change in sales volume

55.	Foreign and/or domestic competition

56.	Corporate decisions/policies

57.	Renovation/expansion

58.	Change in products/services

59.	Entrance into new markets

60.	Change in subcontracting

Employment

61.	Do you typically have a significant increase in sales during any particular part of the year?

	Yes
	No

62.	If yes, during what months do your sales increase significantly?

	( Select all that apply.)
	January
	February
	March
	April
	May
	June
	July
	August
	September
	October
	November
	December

63.	If yes, do you hire more employees during this busy season?

	Yes
	No

If yes, approximately how many employees do you hire during this busy season?

1 - 20

21 - 50

51 - 250

More than 250

64.

Full-time

65.

Part-time

Does your company have problems recruiting employees in the following categories?

Yes

Unsure

Does Not Apply

66.	Unskilled employees

67.	Semi-skilled employees

68.	Skilled employees

69.	Clerical workers

70.	Professional/management

Recruitment

71.	If you answered "yes" to the previous question, check the items below that best describe the nature of your recruiting problems.

	( Select all that apply.)
	Poor work attitude
	Available labor has low skills
	Cost of training employees
	Competition for employees
	High wage rates
	Workers will not migrate into the area
	Low education levels
	Other:

72.	Are you currently involved with the Business-School Partnership in your local school district?

	Yes
	No

How would you rate the local work force?

Excellent

Good

Average

Poor

Very Poor

73.

Quality

74.

Quantity

75.	Availability

76.

Stability

How do you rate your current employees with respect to the following attributes?

Excellent

Good

Average

Poor

Very Poor

77.	Attitude toward work

78.	Productivity

79.	Technology skills

Training

80.	If you feel your current employees need training, what type of training is needed?

	( Select all that apply.)
	General skills (basic math, reading/writing, etc.)
	Managerial skills (finance, business planning, employee management, etc.)
	Professional skills (sales, marketing, etc.)
	Customer service skills (interpersonal communications, product knowledge, etc.)
	Computer skills (word-processing, database management, computer system installation/maintenance, etc.)
	Specialized skills (equipment operation, medical skills, legal knowledge, etc.)
	Current employees don't need training
	Other:

81.	What types of skills do you find lacking in potential employees you interview?

	( Select all that apply.)
	General skills
	Managerial skills
	Professional skills
	Customer service skills
	Computer skills
	Specialized skills
	No skills are lacking in potential employees
	Other:

D - Information Needs

82.	Could you benefit from a Foreign Trade Zone?

	Yes
	No

Which of the following business issues or program areas have you had assistance with in the last 3 years? Which would you like to learn more about?

Have Used

Interested in Learning About

83.	Consumer surveying and market analysis

84.	Employee safety

85.	Employee training

86.	Environmental regulations

87.	Grants to business or communities

88.	Health care insurance

89.	Liability insurance

90.	Loan application preparation

91.	Quality management

92.	Small Business Administration programs

93.	Tax planning

94.	Writing a business plan

Which of the following business programs available from the state of Ohio have you used in the last 3 years? How would you rate them? Which programs would you like to learn more about?

Have Used

Excellent

Good

Average

Poor

Very Poor

Interested In Learning About

95.	Community Reinvestment Program

96.	Direct Loan 166

97.	Enterprise Bond Fund

98.	Export Ohio

99.	Investment Tax Credit

100.	Minority Contractor Bonding

101.	Ohio Enterprise Zone Program

102.	Ohio Export Tax Credit

103.	Ohio Industrial Training Program

104.	Ohio Job Creation Tax Credit

105.	One-Stop Business Permit Centers

106.	Research & Development Tax Credits

107.	Small Business Association 504 Loans

E - General Information

108.	Which of the following best describes your business?

	( Select all that apply.)
	Corporation (public)
	Corporation (closely held)
	Partnership
	Sole proprietorship
	Single location business
	Headquarters of multi unit firm
	Branch office of multi unit firm
	Other:

109.	What are your 3 major products or services?

Over the next 3 years, do you think the following business factors will increase, stay the same, or decline?

Increase

Stay the Same

Decline

110.	Number of customers

111.	Sales - Total revenue

112.

Profits

General Information

113.	If you expect any of these business factors to increase or decrease, what are the principal reasons for the changes?

114.	Thank you for completing the survey. In the space below, please add any comments.