Questions - 1 to 28 of 28
In the last year, did your business use new or significantly improved processes, equipment or software to produce or distribute its products or services?
Was it one new or significantly improved process, piece of equipment, or piece of software, or was it more than one?
Was it a process, a piece of equipment, or a piece of software?
Was this new or significantly improved (process/piece of equipment/piece of software) new on the market or just new to your business?
Did this new (process/piece of equipment/piece of software) put you ahead of the competition, allow you to stay abreast of the competition, or let you catch up to the competition?
Where did you get the idea for this (process/piece of equipment/piece of software)? Did you develop it from scratch yourself, upgrade or modify it based on what you saw somewhere else, or directly copy an idea you saw somewhere else?
Is this technology brand new on the market, or is it an upgrade from a prior model or version?
To the best of your knowledge, how long has the basic technology been on the market?
How long have you used this basic technology in your business?
To the best of your knowledge, is the model or version you are using the most up-to-date?
Do all, most, a few, or none of your competitors use any model or version of the technology?
Approximately, how many pieces or copies of the technology, including all models or versions, do you currently use?
If you were to buy the most recent version of the technology today, what would be the approximate PER UNIT cost?
How long did it take the most skilled person using the technology to become proficient using it?
How many employees use the technology?
How much longer do you think you will be able to use the most sophisticated technology you currently operate before replacing it?
Will you replace the technology primarily because:?
Did your firm develop this technology, OR did someone else develop it?
Did you modify the technology to meet your needs once you obtained it, OR did you leave it pretty much as you got it?
Did you substantially modify or modestly modify the technology?
Do you own the technology, OR do you lease or license it?
Do you believe that you have an overall technological advantage over your primary competitors, a technological disadvantage with them, or no technological advantage exists one way or another?
Is the technology in your industry changing:?
When it comes to new technologies in your business, how would you characterize yourself?
Is your business connected to the Internet?
Is your connection to the Internet high-speed, which could be DSL, cable, satellite, etc., or is it a dial-up modem?
Does your business have it’s own Web site?
Is your Web site interactive in the sense that customers can reach you directly through it, place orders, or receive responses?
Volume 5, Issue 5, 2005 ISSN - 1534-8326
William J. Dennis, Jr. NFIB Research Foundation