Survey BB-67 : The December survey seeks your views on union recognition, new product development and marketing.

Question Number	Question
Q1	Do you have union recognition in your business?
Q2	The TUC are pressing for union recognition to be required in firms with less than 22 employees. Would you support such a measure?
Q3	In your experience, can workers who have been badly treated by a small firm get appropriate recompense in the absence of a trades union?
Q4	To what extent do you actively seek opportunities for the development of new products/services?
Q5	In your experience, would the main motive for developing new products/services be driven by:-
Q6	Over the last year, approximately what proportion of your costs refer to marketing activities?
Q7	For your business, which of the following would represent the most effective form of marketing?
Q8	To what extent is your business constrained by skill shortages?
Q9	To what extent is your business constrained by a lack of finance?
Q10	To what extent is your business constrained by low market demand?
Q11	Over the last 3 months, has your business:-
Q12	Over the next 3 months, do you expect your business to:

(1) Do you have union recognition in your business?

Response	Total answers: 163	%
1. Yes		12.3%
2. No		87.7%

(2) The TUC are pressing for union recognition to be required in firms with less than 22 employees. Would you support such a measure?

Response	Total answers: 163	%
1. Strongly support		2.5%
2. Support		4.9%
3. No strong view		28.8%
4. Resist		19.6%
5. Strongly resist		44.2%

(3) In your experience, can workers who have been badly treated by a small firm get appropriate recompense in the absence of a trades union?

Response	Total answers: 163	%
1. Yes		62%
2. No		7.4%
3. Don't know		30.7%

(4) To what extent do you actively seek opportunities for the development of new products/services?

Response	Total answers: 163	%
1. highly		46.6%
2		29.4%
3		16.6%
4		4.3%
5. not at all		3.1%

(5) In your experience, would the main motive for developing new products/services be driven by:-

Response	Total answers: 163	%
1. Customer requirements/requests		39.9%
2. Competitor activity		1.8%
3. In response to observed opportunities		54.6%
4. In response to business advice		0.6%
5. Not applicable		3.1%

(6) Over the last year, approximately what proportion of your costs refer to marketing activities?

Response	Total answers: 163	%
1. Less than 10%		59.5%
2. 10% to 20%		27.6%
3. 21% to 30%		8%
4. 31% to 50%		3.1%
5. Over 50%		1.8%

(7) For your business, which of the following would represent the most effective form of marketing?

Response	Total answers: 163	%
1. Direct (non electronic) advertising (radio, TV, newspapers, billboards)		12.3%
2. Web based and email marketing		8.6%
3. Word of mouth		61.3%
4. Cold calling		9.8%
5. Other		8%

(8) To what extent is your business constrained by skill shortages?

Response	Total answers: 163	%
1 Highly		6.7%
2		30.1%
3		27%
4		16.6%
5 Not at all		19.6%

(9) To what extent is your business constrained by a lack of finance?

Response	Total answers: 163	%
1 Highly		10.4%
2		28.2%
3		20.9%
4		22.7%
5 Not at all		17.8%

(10) To what extent is your business constrained by low market demand?

Response	Total answers: 163	%
1 Highly		13.5%
2		22.1%
3		27%
4		27%
5 Not at all		10.4%

(11) Over the last 3 months, has your business:-

Response	Total answers: 163	%
Expanded significantly (more than 10%)		12.9%
Expanded somewhat (between 5% to 10%)		35%
Remained static		37.4%
Declined somewhat (between 5% to 10%)		11.7%
Declined significantly (more than 10%)		3.1%

(12) Over the next 3 months, do you expect your business to:

Response	Total answers: 163	%
Expand significantly (more than 10%)		18.4%
Expand somewhat (between 5% to 10%)		45.4%
Remain static		28.2%
Decline somewhat (between 5% to 10%)		5.5%
Decline significantly (more than 10%)		2.5%