---

Click here if you would like to view the full Executive Summary with charts and information on each question in PDF format (you will need the free Adobe Acrobat Reader or a similar program to open this document)

Business Survey Sees Positive Picture

The fifth annual Clay County business survey continued to find an optimistic outlook for the area’s economy.

The survey, presented to the Clay County Commission Monday, is based on in-depth interviews with 82 area executives, the survey found that while growth has slowed, more than 45 percent have plans to expand in the next three years. Some 94 percent reported total sales as increasing or stable, a slight decrease from last year’s 98 percent. Additionally, 90 percent indicated that they anticipate the addition of new products or services in the next two years, an increase of 13 percent.

Sponsored by the Clay County Economic Development Council, the survey found major trends in included increased technology and wider marketing efforts. A large majority of companies report heavy investment in new technology. New and advanced technologies are emerging for 79 percent of the companies that will change either their product or how it is produced or marketed.

Increasing Technology

The businesses reported a significant increase in the number of technology applications over both 2006 and 2005. Emerging technology includes Internet applications, data-based marketing, wireless and handheld technology, robotics, tele-health, remote capture banking, inventory and distribution management, digital printing, carbon capture, flexible packaging, information technology, imaging, electronic health management records, RFID (Radio Frequency Identification), and computerized machining.

The markets for Clay County companies remain nearly equally divided between local and regional, with 30 percent for national and international markets. This year’s report reflects a 58 percent increase in marketing outside the region compared to 2005 and a seven percent increase over 2006.

High Marks for Region

Business executives continued to give Clay County high marks as a place to do business. Location, sense of community, growth, and quality of life were identified as primary strengths. These were followed closely by positive business climate, stability, strong workforce, quality educational system, diverse economy, low cost of living, low crime rate, philanthropy, and downtown Kansas City improvements.

As in the last three years, there were increasing requests for coordinated planning among county and municipal governments. The quality of public services rated high, with 93 percent rating police protection and 98 percent rating fire protection excellent or above average. Areas of concern centered on public transportation, traffic control, property tax assessment, streets and roads, regulatory enforcement, community planning, and community services. Schools and the entire educational system continue to receive very high evaluations.

The Clay County Economic Development Council (CCEDC) conducted the in-depth surveys with the assistance of the Partnership for Community Growth and Development (PCGD) and the Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City (EDCKC).  This is the fifth consecutive year that the Business Synchronist Information System, supported by Aquila, Inc., has been employed to expand and enhance retention efforts in Clay County.

Larger Sample

The survey in 2007 increased its sample, adding 21 percent more than the previous year, a total of 82 interviews with Clay County executives of existing businesses.

The Synchronist questionnaire has been tested nationally and is employed in 39 states and provinces. With the support of Aquila and Kansas City Power & Light, the Synchronist System forms the basis of the Kansas City metro wide Business Retention Council program.

The respondents in this survey included a wide variety of Clay County businesses—manufacturing, retail, and service. They ranged from a sole proprietorship to a firm employing 7,209, for a total of 25,813 employees, with an average of 315 per business.