Local Business Climate

• 1A(agree/disagree) The local media does a good job of covering community business news.
• 1B(agree/disagree) A real community spirit exists in your area.
• 1C(agree/disagree) Bankers and investors in the community go out of their way to help local businesses, including people trying to start them.
• 1D(agree/disagree) The local public school system works cooperatively with local business groups.
• 1E(agree/disagree) Local governments in the area go out of their way to create a favorable business climate for local businesses, including people trying to start them.
• 1F(agree/disagree) The local business community works closely together.
• 1G(agree/disagree) Local community groups and organizations go out of their way to support local businesses, including people trying to start them.
• 1H(agree/disagree) Area colleges and universities go out of their way to work with local businesses, including people trying to start them.
• 2Was your business founded in the community where it is now located?Top 100 question
• 2aHow many years have you personally operated the business in this community?
• 3Has the community in which your current business is located changed dramatically, quite a bit, modestly, or not changed since you first started operation there?
• 3aHas the change in the community resulted in a more favorable, less favorable, or no change in the business climate?
• 4Are you currently planning or considering significant expansion of your business?
• 4aWill that expansion, if you go forward, occur in your current community or elsewhere?
• 4a1Why somewhere else? Is it because:?
• 5Are you considering moving your business to a different community?
• 5aWhy are you considering a move? Is it because:?
• 6About how long is the drive, in minutes, from where you live to where your business is located?
• 7Since first occupying your current business location, have you moved your personal residence much farther from it, farther, closer, much closer, or has there been no change?
• 8A(agree/disagree) The social values and culture of the community emphasize self-sufficiency, autonomy, and personal initiative.
• 8B(agree/disagree) Most leaders in your community are people who own their own businesses.
• 8C(agree/disagree) The social values and culture of the community encourage entrepreneurial risk-taking.
• 8D(agree/disagree) The local business community is open to new-comers.
• 8E(agree/disagree) Those with successful businesses get a lot more attention and admiration within the community.
• 8F(agree/disagree) Young people in the community are encouraged to be independent and start their own business.
• 8G(agree/disagree) The social values and culture of the community emphasize creativity and innovativeness.
• 8H(agree/disagree) The community has many examples of well-respected people who made a success of themselves by starting a business.
• 8I(agree/disagree) The social values and culture of the community stress the responsibility the individual has to manage his or her own life.
• 9Overall, is your community's business climate very favorable, favorable, neither favorable nor unfavorable, unfavorable, or very unfavorable?Top 100 question

Volume 6, Issue 2, 2006
ISSN 1534-8326

William J. Dennis, Jr.
NFIB Research Foundation