FALL 1999 KEYSTONE BUSINESS CLIMATE SURVEY
SECTION I:
1.)
Do you FAVOR or OPPOSE adoption of legislation that would give legal
recognition to electronic documents and “electronic signatures” for
business transactions that are conducted on-line?
63%
FAVOR
25% OPPOSE
12% DON’T KNOW
2.)
Do you think transaction such as permits, licenses, and property
records should be allowed to be handled electronically?
67%
YES
28% NO
5%
DON’T KNOW
3.)
Who should decide what features and applications are to be
included in software packages, the GOVERNMENT or TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES?
6%
GOVERNMENT
79% TECHNOLOGY
COMPANIES
15% DON’T KNOW
4.)
When it comes to technology, particularly electronic commerce,
do you think government laws and regulations are keeping pace with innovations
in the private sector?
8%
YES
79% NO
13% DON’T KNOW
5.)
Do you believe Internet and other forms of electronic communication are
Constitutionally protected “free
speech” rights.
50%
YES
34% NO
16% DON’T KNOW
6.)
Should the Internet be designated a regulated utility (similar to
natural gas and electricity), or should it operate in a free market
environment?
14%
REGULATED UTILITY
77% FREE MARKET
9%
DON’T KNOW
7.)
Do you think the so-called “Gore Tax,” which places a tax on your
telephone bill to fund Internet access for schools, libraries, and clinics, is
fair?
8%
FAIR
86% UNFAIR
6%
DON’T KNOW
8.)
Do you think technology has fundamentally changed the U.S. Economy to
the point where “normal” cycles of growth and recession will be minimized
or eliminated?
23%
YES
53% NO
24% DON’T KNOW
9.)
Does your business have a web site?
93% YES
7%
NO
If “NO”:
Do you plan to go on-line with a web site within the next year?
63% YES
25% NO
12% DON’T KNOW
10.)
What percentage of your company’s sales are conducted electronically
via e-mail or the Internet?
97%
0-25%
3%
25-50%
0%
50-75%
0%
75-100%
11.) Do you use the
Internet for:
21%
Sales and Marketing
14% Customer
Service
26% Obtain
Information
20% Distribute
Information
12.)
Do you personally use e-mail?
87%
YES
13% NO
13.)
In your opinion, have information technologies, e-commerce, and the
Internet had a significant impact on your company’s productivity?
52% YES
45% NO
3%
DON’T KNOW
14.)
When it comes to regulation and tax policies governing technology, how
would you rate Pennsylvania’s business climate?
2%
EXCELLENT
39% GOOD
46% FAIR
13% POOR
15.)
What do you think was the most significant technological advancement of the
1990s?
48%
Internet
31% Computer
Technology
11% E-Commerce
8%
Cell Phones
2%
Fiberoptics
SECTION II
1.)
In general, do you think business conditions in Pennsylvania are
better, the same, or worse than they were six months ago?
28% Better
66% Same
5%
Worse
1%
No Opinion
2.)
Looking ahead six months, do you think business conditions will
be better, the same, or worse than they are now?
24%
Better
57% Same
16% Worse
3%
No Opinion
3.)
Are employment levels at your company higher, the same, or lower than
they were six months ago?
40%
Higher
46% Same
14% Lower
0%
No Opinion
4.)
Looking ahead six months, do you anticipate that employment
levels at your company will be higher, stay the same, or be lower?
28% Higher
60% Same
12% Lower
0%
No Opinion
5.)
Have you company’s sales increased, stayed relatively the same, or
decreased during the past six months?
50% Increased
32% Stayed
the Same
17% Decreased
1%
No Opinion
6.)
Do you expect your company’s sales to increase, stay relatively the
same, or decrease during the coming six months?
52% Increase
41% Same
5%
Decrease
2%
No Opinion
7.)
At any point in the past six months has your company considered
moving all or part of its Pennsylvania operations to another state?
6% Did Move
Some Operations
20% Considered Moving
Some Operations
4%
Considered Moving All Operations
0%
Moved Operations INTO Pennsylvania
70% Didn’t Consider
Any Moves
8.)
Do you foresee at any point in
the coming six months your company considering moving all or part of its
Pennsylvania operations to another state?
3% May
Move All Operations
30% May Move Some
Operations
65% No Considering
Any Moves
2%
May Move Operations INTO Pennsylvania
9.)
In general, do you have a positive, negative, or no opinion of the job
performance of the following individuals?
| Positive | Negative | No Opinion | |
| President Bill Clinton | 10% | 85% | 5% |
| Alan Greenspan | 94% | 3% | 3% |
| Senator Arlen Specter | 39% | 42% | 19% |
| Senator Rick Santorum | 63% | 19% | 18% |
| Governor Tom Ridge | 85% | 8% | 7% |
10.) In general, do you have a positive, negative, or no opinion of the job performances of the following institutions?
| Positive | Negative | No Opinion | |
| The United States Senate | 41% | 49% | 10% |
| The U.S. House of Representatives | 34% | 53% | 13% |
| The Pennsylvania Senate | 49% | 27% | 24% |
| The PA House of Representatives | 43% | 30% | 27% |
The Lincoln
institute’s Keystone Business Climate Survey was conducted between August 27,
1999 and September 17, 1999. A
total of 110 Pennsylvania-based companies, each employing over 125 individuals,
responded to the survey. Complete
numeric results of the survey can be found on the Lincoln Institute’s website
at www.lincolninstitute.org.