University of Tokyo

Abstract
Survey Number 1209
Survey Title Quarterly Survey on SME Trends (Small and Micro Businesses), 2017.7-9
Depositor Japan Finance Corporation Research Institute
Restriction of Use For detailed information, please refer to 'For Data Users' at SSJDA website.

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Educational Purpose Only available for research.
Period of Data Use Permission One year
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Nesstar Not available
Summary This survey, as a “small business edition” of the quarterly national business conditions survey, which targets small and medium business with relationships with the Japan Finance Corporation, focuses on small businesses with fewer than 20 employees. This survey is a continuation of the “Quarterly Survey on Small Enterprise Trends,” which was carried out by the National Life Finance Research Institute, the predecessor of the Japan Finance Corporation.

A quarterly questionnaire survey is conducted on a sample of companies with business relationships with the Japan Finance Corporation, based on consideration of the national ratio or industry composition. This data refers to the actual results of the July–September 2017 period and forecasts for the October–December 2017 period, providing a fine-grained understanding of the business climate for small businesses, by industry, which can be consulted by a wide range of external parties, in addition to the work of the Japan Finance Corporation.

With respect to the question items in this survey, in addition to the fixed items which enquire into trends, a special survey item that changes with every survey is included (in this survey, the item was “employment” and “remuneration”).
Data Type quantitative research
quantitative research: micro data
Universe Companies with business relationships with the Japan Finance Corporation with less than 20 employees (manufacturing industry [less than 20 employees], wholesaling industry [less than 10 employees], retail industry [less than 10 employees], hospitality industry [restaurants and accommodation, less than 10 employees], service industry [less than 20 employees], telecommunications industry [less than 20 employees], construction industry [less than 20 employees], transportation industry [less than 20 employees])

(Note) In line with the revisions to the Japan Standard Industry Classifications, “restaurants” was changed to “hospitality industry (restaurants and accommodation),” and the new category of “telecommunications” was established, to make a total of eight industry categories from the April–June 2004 survey.
(Note) From the January–March 2008 survey, target companies were set as those companies with less than 20 employees.
Unit of Observation Organization
Sample Size Number of valid responses: 7,256 companies [response rate: 72.6%]
Date of Collection 2017-09 ~ 2017-09
Mid-September 2017
Time Period 2017 ~ 2017
Spatial Unit Japan
Whole Japan except Okinawa
Sampling Procedure Non-probability: Quota
Taking into account aspects such as the number of businesses in the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications’ “Establishment and Enterprise Census” and the number of annual loans made by the Japan Finance Corporation, the Japan Research Institute determined the sample size, and the branch office(s) performed the sample selection.
Mode of Data Collection Self-administered questionnaire: Paper
- The Japan Research Institute distributed the questionnaires by mail and then collected them.
- The Japan Research Institute analyzed the results after subcontracting their tabulation.
Investigator Japan Finance Corporation Research Institute
DOI 10.34500/SSJDA.1209
Sponsors (Funds)
Related Publications (by the Investigator) Questionnaire 】 【 Frequency Tables
Related Publications (based on Secondary Analysis) List of related publications (based on Secondary Analysis)
Documentation
Major Survey Items Face items: industry, number of employees

Questionnaire items:
<Trends survey items>
(1) Revenue (current period compared to the same period in previous year, forecast for next period compared to the same period in previous year)
(2) Amount of orders (current period compared to the same period in previous year, forecast for next period compared to the same period in previous year)
(3) Break-even level (current period performance, next period forecast)
(4) Financing (current period performance compared to previous period, forecast for next period compared to the current period)
(5) Loans (comparison with the previous period)
(6) Movements in selling price (current period compared to the same period in previous year, forecast for next period compared to the same period in previous year)
(7) Movements in purchase price (current period compared to the same period in previous year, forecast for next period compared to the same period in previous year)
(8) Capital investment (current period, forecast for next period)
(9) Management problems
(10) Assessment on state of industry (performance for the current period, projected results for the next period)

Special survey items
(11) Employment (number of employees compared to the same period in previous year, number of employees compared with state of business, future policy regarding employee numbers)
(12) Wages (Salary levels of employees compared to the same period in previous year, reasons behind the increase)
Date of Release 2018/12/21
Topics in CESSDA Click here for details

Business/industrial management and organisation
Topics in SSJDA Economy/Industry/Management
Version 1 : 2018-12-21
Notes for Users