Adjusting to Cost Increases
» Adjusting to Cost Increases, Volume 1, Issue 4, 2001
Suppose you know that SIX MONTHS from now your physical facilities costs, i.e., the costs of rent or mortgage, utilities and maintenance, are going to rise 5 percent.
9. What is the most likely step that you would take to pay for this 5 percent physical facilities cost increase? Would you:?
Response | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Raise prices | 37 | ||
2 | Lay-off some employees or not fill existing vacancies | 7 | ||
3 | Absorb it with lower earnings or profits | 34 | ||
4 | Freeze or cut employee wages or benefits | 5 | ||
5 | Cut, eliminate, or delay business investment | 7 | ||
6 | Do a combination of steps | 0 | ||
7 | Do nothing | 4 | ||
8 | Go out of business/Sell the business | 0 | ||
9 | Increase business volume | 0 | ||
10 | Other | 5 | ||
11 | DK/Refuse | 2 | ||
Total (%) | 101 | |||
N | 385 |
Notes: Thirty-seven (37) percent of small employers faced with a 5 percent physical facilities cost increase in the next six months would raise prices as their first action in response (Q#9).