New York SBDC Research Network

The Statistical Abstract of the United States , published since 1878, is the authoritative and comprehensive summary of statistics on the social, political, and economic organization of the United States. Use the Abstract as a convenient volume for statistical reference, and as a guide to sources of more information both in print and on the Web. Sources of data include the Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Bureau of Economic Analysis, and many other Federal agencies and private organizations.

Flooding is the number one natural hazard in the U.S. It doesn’t matter where your business is located, it can still be at risk from hurricanes, flash floods, blocked storm sewers, snow melt, and so on, and unfortunately the devastation can be costly. According to the National Flood Insurance Program, almost 40 percent of small businesses never reopen their doors following a disaster because just a few inches of water can cause tens of thousands of dollars in damage and close your doors long enough to lose your customers. More HERE .

Statistics from 12 economic indicators are now easy to access and easier to use with the new economic indicator database search. With the release of the Quarterly Financial Report for retail trade, all 12 of the Census Bureau's economic indicators are accessible in this user-friendly Internet tool. It provides an easy way to create statistical tables in ASCII text or time series charts in spreadsheet format. Users can select an indicator and choose statistics by item, time period and other dimensions using drop-down menus at http://www.census.gov/econ/currentdata/ .

The report , authored by James Wilcox: State and national data for banks and credit unions for 1986-2010 show credit unions may have provided extra business lending in response to reductions in bank lending. The research summary can be found HERE . Should you need further information, please feel free to contact Victoria Williams at (202) 205-6533 or advocacy@sba.gov.

WASHINGTON – When it comes to putting together a business continuity plan, most CEOs put their employees at the top of the list of valuable assets to protect. Ironically, while the company may be ready to reopen soon after the disaster, the employees may not be able to return. They’re busy trying to get recovery assistance, or working to clean up at their own homes. Nationwide, homeowners and renters are currently dealing with the post-disaster challenges of dealing with insurance companies, finding reliable building contractors, or trying to normalize their family routines. Recent hurricanes, floods, tornadoes and wildfires are a reminder to individuals that planning for a crisis can save money, time and lives. During National Preparedness Month, the U.S. Small Business Administration and Agility Recovery Solutions are hosting free weekly disaster preparedness webinars. On Wednesday, Sept. 21, Tom Heneghan, manager of preparedness for the American Red Cross, will talk about best...

The report [PDF] , authored by Joe Peek, finds that liquidity of bank assets became a factor in the financial crisis, as healthier banks tended to shy away from small C&I and small CRE loans. The research summary can be found here [PDF] . Should you need further information, please feel free to contact Victoria Williams at (202) 205-6533 or advocacy@sba.gov.

Starting a new business from the ground up can be exciting – developing new ideas and selling these concepts to anyone who will listen is something many people thrive on. But it’s certainly not for everyone. What about those folks whose previous job experience or personality types might not transfer as successfully to starting a business by scratch? Another avenue to consider is franchising. Opening a franchise is no easy (or necessarily cheap) option but it definitely has some advantages: lower failure rates, instant name recognition, buying power, and so on. There are thousands of options out there – from donut shops to car repair to haircuts. How to decide where to start? There are many rankings of franchises available. One place to start is a list of the “best franchises for the buck” that writers from Forbes have put together . The authors of this report looked at four variables: minimum initial investment, total locations, survival rates, and training hours offered. So are th...