Duke University/CFO
Global Business Outlook Survey
Year-End 2007

No individual firms are identified and only aggregate data are made public. Please respond by November 29, 2007. If you have any questions about this survey, please contact us.

1. Are you more or less optimistic about your regional economy compared to last quarter?
More optimistic
Less optimistic
No change		 Rate your optimism about your regional economy on a scale from 0-100, with 0 being the least optimistic and 100 being the most optimistic.

2. Are you more or less optimistic about the financial prospects for your company compared to last quarter?
More optimistic
Less optimistic
No change		 Rate your optimism about the financial prospects for your own company on a scale from 0-100, with 0 being the least optimistic and 100 being the most optimistic.

 3. What are the top three concerns your corporation faces? (rank #1, #2, #3)
   Cost of labor (wages, salaries, bonuses)
   Cost of fuel
   Cost of non-fuel commodities
   Cost of health care
   Credit markets/Interest rates
   Regulation
   Political stability		    Skilled labor shortage
   Consumer demand
   Currency values
   Foreign competition
   Terrorism
   Health of the U.S. economy
   Other:    

 4. Relative to the previous 12 months, what will be your company's PERCENTAGE CHANGE during the next 12 months? (e.g., +3%, -2%, etc.) [Leave blank if not applicable]
   % Prices of your products
   % Productivity (output per hour worked)
   % Technology spending
   % Capital spending
   % Marketing/advertising spending
   % Number of domestic employees
   % Number of foreign/off-shore
                      outsourced employees		    % Wages/Salaries
   % Earnings
   % Inventory
   % Cash on the balance sheet
   % Dividends
   % Share repurchases

5a. During 2008, does your company plan to:
  Acquire another company or companies?
  Acquire part of another company or companies?
  Both
   Neither

5b. During 2008, does your company plan to:
  Sell your company?
  Sell part of your company?
  Neither

6a. Has your company been affected by the cost or availability of credit?
  No
  Yes, somewhat   
  Yes, very    		6b. If yes, in what ways has your company been affected by the credit market turmoil?
   [check all that apply]
    Decreased availability of credit
  Increased cost of credit     If yes, How many basis points increase?   bps
  Other:   

6c. Is your company taking any actions in response to recent credit market turmoil?
   [check all that apply]
   No, we are not taking any actions in response
  Yes, delaying or reducing capital spending
  Yes, delaying or reducing hiring plans
  Yes, delaying or reducing M&A plans
  Yes, delaying or reducing share repurchases
  Yes, other action:    

7a. Will the weaker U.S. dollar help or hurt your firm in the following areas:
  Hurt Not much effect Help
Translation of foreign revenues
Competitive position domestically
Competitive position abroad
Raw material costs
Exports
Other:    

7b. The U.S. dollar's value has recently reached historic lows. Do you believe that the dollar's devaluation is:
  A cyclical / temporary phenomenon
  A permanent / long-term condition

7c. Has your firm taken any actions to offset the changing value of the U.S. dollar? [choose all that apply]
  Increased hedging position
  Changed location of investments
  Changed location of production
  Changed amount or location of outsourced work
  Other:   
  Taken no action

8. Compared to 2006, how much will year-end bonuses change at your company?
   % change (e.g., +12%, -25%, etc.)
  No change
  Our company doesn't normally give bonuses

9. What best describes China's economic growth?
  The pace of economic growth is unsustainable
  The pace of economic growth is on the verge of being unsustainable and therefore requires close attention
  The pace of economic growth is sustainable, but there is cause for concern
  Economic growth is stable and balanced

10. Do you work for a multinational company?
  Yes   
  No		 If yes, are you under pressure from headquarters to contribute a greater proportion of revenues to the company's total in 2008, as opposed to 2007?
  Yes
  No

11.  Please check one from each category that best describes your company:

     a. Industry
       Retail/Wholesale
       Mining/Construction
       Manufacturing
       Transportation/Energy
       Communications/Media		       Tech [Software/Biotech]
      Banking/Finance/Insurance
      Service/Consulting
      Healthcare/Pharmaceutical
      Other:   
  b. Sales Revenue  (U.S. Dollars)  c. Number of Employees
       Less than $25 million
       $25-$99 million
       $100-$499 million
       $500-$999 million
       $1-$4.9 billion
       $5-$9.9 billion
       More than $10 billion		       Fewer than 100
      100-499
      500-999
      1,000-2,499
      2,500-4,999
      5,000-9,999
      More than 10,000
  d. Headquarters   e. Ownership
       
  

  (Other specified) 
   		      Public
      Private
      Government
      Nonprofit
  f. Foreign Sales   g. Your job title (e.g., CFO, Asst. Treasurer, etc)
       0%
       1-24%
       25-50%
       More than 50%

      


© Duke University, 2007