New York SBDC Research Network

From America's SBDC : Small businesses are an integral aspect of not only the economy, but also communities and families across the country. They are the face of America because they represent the creativity, ingenuity, and hard work that fuels this country’s economy. It is critical that we understand the state of entrepreneurialism in America and develop strategies to support and promote the success of current and future generations of entrepreneurs — whatever their age. This national study is an important step toward achieving this goal. It was designed to uncover research-based insights into the entrepreneurial mindset of Americans, and how to engage them by understanding their perceptions, motivations, and behaviors when it comes to small business.

From MarketingProfs : Consumers in the United States rate Wegmans, Publix, and Amazon.com as the most socially responsible companies, according to recent research from The Harris Poll. The report was based on data from a survey of 23,000 consumers in the United States. Respondents were asked to rate the 100 most visible companies in the US on attributes such as supporting good causes, environmental responsibility, and community responsibility. Consumers say the most important corporate social responsibility issues are employee treatment (39% cite it), ethics (38%), and respectful treatment of customers (35%). Monsanto, Wells Fargo, and Goldman Sachs rank as the least socially responsible companies.

From SampleTemplates : When a private company wants to partner with a potential stakeholder, clients or supplier for a particular project, the capability statement shows the private companies' achievements, competencies, and qualifications to be able to get the deal on a proposed project. The presenting tool must be simple and short which only highlights the companies’ competencies and outstanding performance to do business with them. A Capability Statement should be very brief (only 1 or 2 pages), to the point and written specifically to the individual agency's needs. Ideally, it is a living document that changes depending on the targeted agency. Why is this? Because savvy companies know each agency has its own mission and focus, and the capability statement speaks directly to those needs The five key areas included in a successful statement are: 1. Core competencies - This is NOT everything a firm is able to do, but the core expertise of a firm 2. Past performance -

From ThomasNet : Think it's tough to get a job in the manufacturing industry? While that may be the common perception, the truth is that the manufacturing job market offers more opportunities than you think. In fact, Forbes recently looked at the state of the hiring within the industry and found that all but 18 of the country’s 70 largest metropolitan regions have seen an uptick in industrial employment since 2011. They also ranked all 357 metropolitan areas to determine the locations with the best, most thriving manufacturing employment situations. Rankings are based on a number of factors, including recent growth trends (year-over-year and the last two years) mid-term growth (2011-2016), long-term growth (2005-2016) and regional momentum. So, which areas topped the list? Here's a partial list... *Albany-Schenectady, in upstate New York, is the only metro area in a "blue" state ranked in the top 10. With local factories producing everything from steam and g

From eMarketer : As trust and familiarity with sharing economy services continues to grow, so too will the number of users. According to eMarketer’s latest estimates, over a quarter (26.0%) of US adult internet users—or 56.5 million people—will use a sharing economy service at least once in 2017. This is a higher figure than previously projected due to stronger-than-expected uptake of both ride- and home-sharing services. eMarketer’s definition of the sharing economy includes community-based online services that coordinate property, goods and services. It excludes crowdsourcing, group buying, incorporated professional services and online marketplaces like eBay.

From The Balance : Coming up with a business idea is the first step in starting a business. But how do you come up with a business idea that is right for you? If you are looking for a small business idea to kickstart your path to entrepreneurship, you are in the right place. This list of 101 small business ideas includes everything from personal services, to retail opportunities, to environmental services, to pet-related ideas, to technology businesses.

From 24/7 Wall St : Work hard, play hard. For American workers, that old bromide might more appropriately be “work harder, play a little.” According to a recent study, in the past 12 months, an average U.S. employee who is entitled to vacation or paid time off work uses about half (54%) of that time to get away. The somewhat better news is that 91% of employees reported having taken at least some time off during the past 12 months, up a bit from 85% who said they had done the same thing in 2014. But even when they do manage to get away, 66% report that they do work while on vacation. Only 23% report that they took their full allotment of paid vacation in the past 12 months and another 23% took just a quarter or less of their allowed time off. A full 9% took no time off at all.