Metric Issues for Small Business

摘要

Summarized is a report: 'Survey of Small Businesses--Issues in Metric Planning and Conversion', December 1980 (AD-A095 103). A mailed, self-administered survey was made of 2500 randomly chosen small business firms covering five industrial groups (manufacturing, construction, transportation, wholesale trade, and retail trade), selected as representative of a population of about 725,000 firms. The study was conducted in 1980. About 500 firms could not be located; of the remainder, about 1100 (55 percent) responded with useful data. Among the findings are: (1) About one-quarter of small business are using metric measurements in some of their activities. Industry action and customer demand dominate as reasons for converting; lack of customer demand leads as a reason for not converting. (2) While small business does a considerable amount of planning, very little planning for metric conversion is seen. It is a matter of conjecture as to what constitutes conversion planning and just how much planning is needed for small business metrication. (3) When problems with conversion are confronted, suppliers are often called upon for assistance. When problems with conversion under hypothetical conditions of extreme market pressure are envisaged, the government is likely to be called upon for help. (4) Those conversions that have been undertaken by small businesses seem to have been accomplished with little trauma. When difficulties are encountered, they seem to have been overcome within the resources of the marketplace.