What does it take to start, grow and sustain a business in Indiana? How important is foreign competition? What’s the state’s role in economic development and what initiatives offer the greatest growth opportunities?
For scholars, executives, elected officials and reporters covering the business community, these questions create a dialogue and a foundation on which we can help build a strategic plan to drive our state’s economy. It is also an opportunity to hear directly from Indiana executives about their challenges and the issues that impact their businesses, from health care costs and corporate reputation to customer loyalty and retention.
Study highlights from 2011 include the following
- Corporate reputation continues to be the most important business issue while growing internationally is the least important. This may be an artifact of the survey being over-represented by small companies.
- Cost of living is still seen as the strongest advantage that Indiana has over neighboring states and has been on the rise as the strongest advantage since 2007.
- Perceptions of Indiana’s infrastructure, economic incentives for businesses and overall business environment have all risen significantly since 2010.
- CEOs believe that private and public funds inside Indiana are significantly more available than in 2010.
- CEOs believe the state is strongest in providing educational programs in agriculture, life sciences and information technology.
- Indiana’s CEOs and executives continue to be concerned, in 2011 much more so, about the availability of non-skilled workers relative to the demand in the state. This year’s survey has a greater number of large companies represented and this opinion may be a result of this representation.
► CLICK HERE for the Indiana CEO Survey Results
Media Coverage from 2011
While Indiana business leaders have expressed some optimism about the overall business environment in 2011, some are concerned about the future of health care insurance.
The United States faces a critical time in preparing young people for the demands of the workplace and setting them on a path to contribute to the well being of our communities.
Why is the stock market up so much over the last couple of years when it seems the U.S. economy is still struggling?
The results of this survey reinforce many things we already know: Indiana is a low-cost, business-friendly place for companies to conduct business and it’s getting better. In fact, Indiana’s economic recovery has been among the strongest in the country.
The 2011 edition of State of Our Business: Perspective From Indiana Executives provides still more proof that the Indiana economy is in the midst of a recovery that is leading the Midwest and could be among the most impressive in the nation.
Butler University College of Business, Ice Miller and Inside INdiana Business announce the results of the fifth annual statewide survey of Indiana's chief executive officers and senior executives.
