On Eve of Labor Day, Small Businesses Expect to Expand Rather Than
Contract by Six to One, According to New IPA SBRB Poll.
BUFFALO GROVE, IL (September 3, 2004) -- More than one-third (36%) of
the small business owners responding to a new study by the International
Profit Associates Small Business Research Board (IPA SBRB) said they
planned to hire more staff during the remainder of 2004.
By comparison the IPA SBRB poll showed that only 6% of the small
businesses expect to reduce staff. The poll also showed 58% of the
responding businesses anticipate employment to hold steady.
Graphic display of suvey results will be posted soon.
The opinions of small business owners parallel those of larger
businesses as indicated by a new poll from The Business Roundtable, the
main association of U.S. chief executive officers. In the coming months,
40% of U.S. large company CEOs expect their companies to add jobs, 48%
expect hiring to remain flat, and 12% may reduce staff, according to The
Business Roundtable poll.
"The polls show mixed results," said Gregg Steinberg, President of
International Profit Associates. "Fewer small businesses are adding staff
than large companies. At the same time more large companies are reducing
staff size compared to small businesses."
In comparing the job growth enjoyed in the 1990s to today’s
expectations, Steinberg noted, "During the 1990s we experienced the
largest economic expansion in our country’s history. At that time small
business job creation led large business job growth by a substantial
margin. In analyzing today’s poll results we clearly see small business
job growth lagging behind that of big business and small businesses are
typically the first to hire in a job market rebound. In my judgment this
creates a cautious outlook for the coming months, and does not necessarily
reflect an economy primed for robust growth."
The International Profit Associates Small Business Research Board has
been created to determine the opinions of small business owners and
managers on a wide variety of topics related to their own business as well
as national and international issues that may impact their operations.
Participants in the poll provide feedback on significant issues and
allow for real-time insight into the state of small businesses nationwide.
The universe of participants is developed from among small businesses
across the United States. More than 170 small businesses participated in
this IPA SBRB poll. The IPA SBRB study is a voluntary survey conducted via
phone, email and fax. The poll was structured and supervised through an
independent resource.
The latest information about the IPA Small Business Research Board can
be found at
www.ipasbrb.com.
International Profit Associates, Inc. (IPA) is the largest privately
held provider of management consulting services to small and medium sized
businesses in North America. IPA and its more than 1,700 professionals
offer a wide range of proven and innovative methodologies to help
businesses grow and prosper regardless of the economic cycle. IPA either
provides directly or through its affiliated companies a comprehensive
array of business advisory services, tax and estate planning services or
merger, acquisition and other financial advisory services in the United
States and Canada. More information about IPA can be found at
www.ipa-iba.com.
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