The October survey seeks your views on key influences on a firm’s growth rate, the National Minimum Wage, marketing costs, business advice and expertise, time allowed for strategic matters and the medium to long term economic future compared to a year ago.
The September survey seeks your views on graduates as entrepreneurs, externally provided business advice, evaluating strategic matters, collateral, A levels as an indicator of ability, ‘yob culture’ as it affects business, unreported crime, sporting success and an enthusiastic and positive attitude to work plus the usual quarterly trends questions.
The August survey asks a series of questions posed by Bank of England and Government Office, which offer the opportunity to examine issues such as investment in plant and equipment, pre tax profit margins, growth of costs, working up to capacity and changes in numbers of full time equivalent employees. Also included are questions on upgrading your computer hardware, the user friendliness of modern technology and the recent increase in oil prices.
The July survey seeks your views on risk management, insurance cover, ecommunication and the importance of face to face meetings, ecommunication and traveling, , graduates, accounting and auditing, high street sales and capturing new ideas from your employees.
The June survey looks further at a theme aired in the April survey, that of
New Product Development; touching upon aspects such as product/service design, available advice, intellectual property, external experts, finance for developing new products/services/processes and associated limiting factors
This month also sees the return of the quarterly trends questions.
The May survey seeks your views on stimulating business, purchasing online, the National Minimum Wage, the working time directive, contingency planning, alterpreneur or entrepreneur? number of hours worked, family commitments, growing your customer base, bank holidays and cheque processing delays.
For the April survey, we invite your views on the UK road infrastructure, training needs analyses, ‘elearning’, the best route to greater growth, local business crime prevention initiatives, follow up questions on media coverage for smaller businesses, managing waste paper, breaking for lunch and developing new products/services.
For the March survey, we invite your views on yesterday’s budget speech, strategic decisions in the light of the upcoming General Election, strategic planning, keeping in touch with contacts and temporary staff plus the quarterly trends questions.
The February survey asks for you views on late payment, switching banks, vacancies, training, projected sales, conditions in your sector, the “collapse of the Internet” and use of sector/business membership organisations.
The first Barometer survey of 2005 seeks your views on growth aspirations for your business,
types of legislation as constraint or encouragement for growth, sources of advice by type and your preferred beverage throughout the day.
December’s survey asks you to name a single issue of concern and seeks your views on Work/Life balance, management style, stock levels, computer glitches, your IT skills and authors of computer software. The quarterly trends questions are also included.
November’s survey asks for your views on Internet Banking, running a business, the New Company Law Bill, continuing membership of the EU, data back up, changes to the retirement age, Profit Margins and Business Skills - a compulsory subject in schools?
October’s survey asks for your views on the ‘single most important problem’ confronting your business, new dismissal rules, annual sales, the increase in the National Minimum Wage, changes to your premises, use of government e-services, your business’s approach to unsolicited phone calls, crime against businesses and discussing business matters with other small business owners/managers?
September’s survey asks for your views on developing new product ideas, current account interest, second mortgages, easier access to university research and working to capacity plus the quarterly trends questions.
The August survey asks for your views on investment in plant & equipment, reinvesting profits, transfer of ownership, research & development tax credit, holidays and abuse from customers.
The June survey asks for your views on references, pressure on pay, profitability, expected change in the level of Full Time Equivalent jobs, seeking advice on Corporate Social Responsibility and on environmental and sustainability issues plus the usual quarterly trends questions.
May’s survey asks for your views on EU enlargement, the quality of the postal service, credit as it affects sales and orders, recruitment and staff retention and the extension of the Telephone Preference Service.
April’s survey asks for your views on Time Management, use of the Internet, the ‘Paperless’ office, Environmental Sustainability, Smoking in the workplace and keeping up to date with government regulations.
February's survey looks at the Issue of regulation and asks for views on areas of regulation, the impact of regulation and reducing the impact of regulation.
The January survey asks for your views on sales, business expectations for 2004, the ‘terrorist threat’, stress related illnesses in the workplace, health, age and productivity growth.
The October survey asks for your views on contact with universities, crime and security, buying via the Internet, road and rail traffic conditions, meetings, smaller businesses and party conference proceedings, start up advice and scheduling regular exercise.
September’s survey asks for your views on delayed payment, expectations, credentials and qualifications, computer based viruses, absenteeism and the quarterly trends questions.
The July survey asks for your views on job satisfaction, the EU campaign on business opportunities, your long term strategy, investment plans, would you recommend starting a business, risk management procedures, filling key positions, attracting and retaining staff, Sunny climes - Sunny times, current use of email and payment extensions.
The May survey seeks your views on the Euro, commercial property prices, time off for leisure, hard to fill vacancies, new jobs, visits to UKBB and UK Business Adviser Barometer websites and regional sales.
The April survey seeks your views on the budget, credit arrangements, Internet use, seeking advice, the minimum wage, dialogue with staff, the Iraqi war and business expectations, expenditure cuts, Employment Tribunals and business information websites.
The March survey asks for your views on the upcoming Budget, car tax charges, average hours worked, policy on flexible working, risk of business failure, the most common motivation for starting a business, plus the quarterly trend questions.
The February survey asks for your views on oil prices, the £, working up to capacity, cancelled orders, investment decisions, government legislation, drop in interest rate, competitive advantage, staff retention and women run businesses.
The first Business Barometer of 2003 asks a series of questions on Customer Feedback and seeks your views on the impact of House Price Changes, New Product Developments, Seeking Reliable Information, Economic Uncertainty, the Euro, Sales and Exports.
November's survey asks for you views on the entrepreneur, profit margins, holdings, borrowing, call centres, export orders, interest rates and how important is your point of contact at your bank?
The October survey asks for you views on oil prices, employee rights, management, training for yourself and staff, government grants, 'road charging', crime and security, selling and buying through the internet and just what is your biggest time waster?
"How you would use a consultant for a day?" And what of Trades Union membership, cost increases due to pension legislation, responses to increased insurance and N.I. contribution costs, Data Protection and, "Are you a family run business?"
The August survey takes recruitment as its theme and asks for your views on skill shortages, sales to the public sector, government plans for flexible working, the EU Work Time Directive, interaction with local schools and expanding barometer coverage.
The July survey seeks your views on the recent fall in share prices, corporate fraud, direct marketing, the use of CCTV, the use of consultants and issues around sustainability and the environment.
The June survey seeks your views on inflation, intellectual property, changing your bank and sales to businesses and to end customers. The 5 core questions, now asked on a quarterly basis, are also included this month to allow an update of trends data.
The May survey asks for your views on UK entry to the Euro, reflections on starting a business, accountancy, aspects of staffing, pressure of competition on profit margins and the World Cup.
Following the announcement of budget measures affecting smaller businesses, we ask your views on the likely overall impact. Also included are questions on Cost increases, bonus schemes, Pay settlements, Business advice and U.S. Export orders.
Senior government representatives are particularly intrigued by changing attitudes to investment and the Barometer gives us the opportunity to monitor this live. Your views on networking, postal deliveries and the issue of home working are also sought.
This months Survey looks at the impact of Insurance cost increases, availability of spare capacity, and whether grants and subsidies influence investment plans. Aspects of the Internet, Broadband and ICT are also surveyed, plus our core trends questions.
A Happy New Year to all and a warm welcome to our new panellists.
This first survey of 2002 focuses upon innovation, trains, the impact of Christmas holidays and the incidence of illness in the workforce.
In the light of recent discussions on the Euro and the implications for business, survey 42 asks about your preparations for its continental wide introduction on January 1st 2002.
In the light of world events over the last few weeks, the October survey sets out to assess the impact of increased economic uncertainty upon different aspects of your business experience and strategies.
Survey 40 seeks your views and experiences on a number of issues including current talk of recession, recruitment issues, and questions on the turnover of computer and telecoms equipment.
This month's Survey is looking at the impact on businesses of the holiday season and also enquires into two areas of recruitment - the ease of recruiting graduates and the significance of the age of recruits.
Survey 38 seeks your views on government concerns that smaller businesses should have improved sales access to the public sector, and also invites your thoughts on the use of the Internet as a sales tool.
Survey 35 continues to monitor the impact of the Foot and Mouth outbreak and also seeks your views on the slowdown in the US economy, hours of work, and use of external accountancy services.
Survey 33 seeks your views on the recent cut in Base Rate, the removal of requirement to retire at a fixed age, Stakeholder Pensions and joining the Euro.
The 31st reading of the Barometer, sought views on the use of Internet links in practice, on how to encourage greater participation in Barometer surveys and on investment plans for the future.
The 30th reading of the Business Barometer sought the views of the panel on five topical issues: weather, trains, fuel, late payment legislation and expected pay settlements.
In line with several recent surveys, Barometer reading 29 looked back at the present government's time in office, and sought the panel's views on certain aspects of its performance.
The 28th reading of the Barometer, asked panellists to comment upon the recent fuel shortage and sought their views on 'influences key to a firm's growth'.
Of the issues raised in EB25, this, the 27th reading, considered 'Skills', 'Recruitment' and 'Borrowing'. Also included was a question on paper based surveys.
Of the issues raised in EB25, this, the 26th reading, considered 'Investment', 'Sourcing of materials and goods from overseas', 'Borrowing' and 'Government Legislation'. Also included was a question on use of the Barometer website.
There has been considerable publicity around the issue of bank branch closure. The recent move by Barclays is part of an industry wide trend, which has been going on for several years and is set to continue.
In the run up to the budget, this survey asked panellists for their views on various aspects of taxation and also the extent to which they plan to expand in terms of investment and employment.
At the start of the year, and with the benefit of an expanded panel membership, the twentieth reading of the Barometer, collected panellists' views on the issue of regional identity.
This survey was primarily concerned with identifying underlying trends in inflationary pressure and seeks to understand these better from the business' point of view.
BB89 October 2005 Collated October 2005