Please answer the following questions to the best of your knowledge. If you do
not have a precise answer, give us your best estimate. If a question does not
apply to your situation, write "NA" for "not applicable." All responses to
this survey from incubators across the nation will be analyzed together.
Individual responses will remain anonymous. We appreciate your collaboration
and would like to thank you for your participation.
| 5. | What is the format of your education and training/consulting program?
|
| | _____ | Individual on-site training/consultation
|
| | _____ | Workshops developed upon request from a group of tenants
|
| | _____ | Series of education/training modules offered periodically
|
| | _____ | Self-paced training and instruction materials
|
| | _____ | Seminars offered periodically
|
| 6. | Who provides your education and training/consulting services?
|
| | _____ | Businesses in the community
|
| | _____ | Incubator staff
|
| | _____ | Client firms in the incubator
|
| | _____ | Combination of providers including community businesses, private/public
institutions, and incubator staff
|
| | _____ | Educational institutions
|
| 7. | If an educational institution is providing most education and
training/consulting services in your incubator, please indicate the type of
institution:
|
| | _____ | Vocational high school
|
| | _____ | Vocational, trade, technical, or business school
|
| | _____ | Public vocational-technical college
|
| | _____ | Four-year college
|
| | _____ | Other (please specify): _____________________________
|
| 8. | In your opinion, what are the skills clients need the most to run their
businesses effectively on the average? Please check only one:
|
| | _____ | Basic skills: reading, writing, computing, and computers
|
| | _____ | Communication and interpersonal skills
|
| | _____ | Business skills: management, marketing, and finance
|
| | _____ | Technical skills: specialized knowledge to improve business operations
|
| | _____ | Entrepreneurial skills: to plan for expansion and growth
|
| | _____ | Other (please specify): _____________________________
|
| 9. | In your opinion, which of the following entities would provide the best
education and training services at your incubator? Check all that apply:
|
| | _____ | Private consulting firms
|
| | _____ | Nonprofit organizations: volunteer organizations
|
| | _____ | Educational institutions: community colleges, technical colleges, and so
on
|
| | _____ | Tenant firms providing education and training services
|
| | _____ | Business incubator staff
|
| | _____ | Other (please specify): _____________________________
|
| 10. | Ideally, if you had the time, the necessary skills, and the opportunity to
focus your attention on incubator activities of your choice, which activities
would you choose? Please check the three most important activities:
|
| | _____ | In direct intervention with clients (e.g., counseling in related
activities)
In creating/maintaining external resources and networks
|
| | _____ | In fundraising
|
| | _____ | In building management (e.g., renovation/maintenance management)
|
| | _____ | In marketing the incubator (recruitment)
|
| | _____ | In incubator operations (e.g., leases, budgets, collecting rent, staff
management, hosting tours, and so on)
|
| | _____ | In establishing education and training programs
|
| | _____ | In non-incubator job responsibilities
|
| 11. | Of the following, what are the three most important areas emphasized when
you promote the incubator concept to clients?
|
| | _____ | Low rent, good facilities
|
| | _____ | Financial opportunities
|
| | _____ | Business services: technical and management services
|
| | _____ | Education and training services
|
| | _____ | Entrepreneurial environment
|
| | _____ | Other (please specify): _____________________________
|
| 12. | In your opinion, what services are being provided most effectively by the
incubator? Please check all that apply:
|
| | _____ | Financing services
|
| | _____ | Clerical/office services
|
| | _____ | Management services (e.g., accounting, personnel management)
|
| | _____ | Technical services
|
| | _____ | Education and training services
|
| | _____ | Business space and infrastructure services
|
| | _____ | Entrepreneurial development (e.g., plans for expansion and growth)
|
| | _____ | Other (please specify): _____________________________
|
| 13. | Based on your experience, what is the most frequent reason for business
failures?
|
| | _____ | Lack of basic skills
|
| | _____ | Lack of communication and interpersonal skills
|
| | _____ | Lack of business skills
|
| | _____ | Lack of technical skills
|
| | _____ | Lack of entrepreneurial skills
|
| | _____ | Other (please specify): _____________________________
|
| 14. | About availability and access to incubator services . . .
|
| | _____ | Services are clearly defined and presented to clients in promotional materials.
|
| | _____ | Frequency, duration, and cost are clearly defined for each service.
|
| | _____ | Client can choose from various service options according to individual
needs or ability to pay.
|
| | _____ | Education and training services are available for people thinking of
starting up a business.
|
| 15. | During initial contact with clients, on the average . . .
|
| | _____ | Clients have a well-defined concept of their business product or
service.
|
| | _____ | Clients do not have a written business plan.
|
| | _____ | Clients need substantial assistance developing business plans.
|
| | _____ | Clients are open to modification/adjustment of original business idea.
|
| 16. | About limitations to start up a business, clients on the average . . .
|
| | _____ | Do not know how to go about starting up a business.
|
| | _____ | Do not have the necessary financial base to start up a business.
|
| | _____ | Do not really know what they are getting into.
|
| | _____ | Do not know where to find assistance on how to start up a business.
|
| | _____ | Cannot afford market rates for business space.
|
| 17. | About business product/service, clients on the average . . .
|
| | _____ | Know how to produce/deliver business goods or services.
|
| | _____ | Have a good business idea but will rely on someone else to
produce/deliver goods or services.
|
| | _____ | Have identified steps and operations required to produce/deliver goods or
services.
|
| | _____ | Do not need technical assistance to produce/deliver goods or services.
|
| 18. | About knowledge of potential/target clientele, clients on the average . .
.
|
| | _____ | Know the scope of their potential clientele.
|
| | _____ | Know the needs of the potential clientele.
|
| | _____ | Require assistance to identify clientele.
|
| | _____ | Know where to get information about potential clientele.
|
| 19. | About marketing of products/services, clients on the average . . .
|
| | _____ | Have a marketing plan to sell their products/services.
|
| | _____ | Know how to proceed with marketing plan or marketing strategies.
|
| | _____ | Need assistance in developing marketing plan.
|
| | _____ | Do not perceive a marketing plan to be a priority; they think they can do
without it.
|
| 20. | About management skills, clients on the average . . .
|
| | _____ | Organize their business in a functional manner.
|
| | _____ | Keep good records of business operations.
|
| | _____ | Keep operation running smoothly.
|
| | _____ | Deal and handle crisis on their own effectively.
|
| | _____ | Do not require assistance on business management.
|
| | _____ | Are able to motivate employees.
|
| 21. | About skills to deal with personnel management, clients on the average . .
.
|
| | _____ | Use a screening process when hiring employees.
|
| | _____ | Are able to effectively resolve conflict with employees.
|
| | _____ | Follow legal procedures to fire employees.
|
| | _____ | Hire only family members and relatives.
|
| | _____ | Evaluate job performance and provide feedback to employees.
|
| 22. | About skills to handle business finances, clients on the average . . .
|
| | _____ | Are able to pay rent on time.
|
| | _____ | Are able to keep cost of business operations at a competitive level.
|
| | _____ | Are able to offer competitive prices for products/services.
|
| | _____ | Are able to pay business bills on time.
|
| | _____ | Require assistance on how to handle business finances.
|
| 23. | About plans for expansion and growth, clients on the average . . .
|
| | _____ | Have written plans for expansion and growth.
|
| | _____ | Take steps to implement plans for expansion and growth on their own.
|
| | _____ | Do not require assistance to develop plans for expansion and growth.
|
| 24. | About minority/female-owned business success/failures . . .
|
| | _____ | Male minority-owned businesses are more likely to fail than the average
business going through incubation.
|
| | _____ | All businesses face the same odds to succeed regardless of owner's
ethnic/gender background.
|
| | _____ | Female-owned businesses are more likely to fail than the average business
going through incubation.
|
| | _____ | Management staff are well-prepared to service minority/female-owned
businesses.
|
| 25. | About education and training/consulting opportunities, on the average . .
.
|
| | _____ | Clients need education/training/consulting opportunities to develop
business skills.
|
| | _____ | Clients need education/training/consulting opportunities to develop
technical skills.
|
| | _____ | Clients need education/training/consulting opportunities to develop
entrepreneurial skills.
|
| | _____ | Clients are willing to pay for education/training/consulting
opportunities to develop business, technical, and entrepreneurial skills.
|
