The Providence Business News Executive Poll
is a weekly survey of 70 business leaders, representing large and small businesses
in a variety of industries.
QUESTION: Do you expect your company or organization to add full-time employees, reduce its number of full-time employees or maintain its current staffing level in 2004?
Add FTEs: 41%
Reduce FTEs: 6%
Maintain current level: 53%
QUESTION: Do you expect your company or organization to spend more or less on information technology and computer products in 2004 than it did in 2003?
More: 47%
Less: 18%
No change: 35%
QUESTION: Do you expect your company or organization to spend more or less on advertising its products or services in 2004 than it did in 2003?
More: 65%
Less: 6%
No change: 29%
QUESTION: In what time frame would you predict that the local economy is most likely to take a turn for the better?
Within the first two quarters of 2004: 65%
Toward the end of 2004: 24%
It’s at least a year away: 11%
