State of the Region: What are your goals for 2012?
ECONOMIC uncertainty has cast a shadow on business in 2011, but are the gloomy headwinds preventing companies from setting meaningful objectives over the next 12 months?
TheBusinessDesk.com’s State of the Region survey aims to paint a true picture of the economic landscape and what it’s like for you to run a business in this region.
We want business owners to tell us what they perceive to be the biggest challenges and opportunities for their organisations.
Respondents to TheBusinessDesk.com’s State of the Region survey last year said they expected to experience business growth in 2011, but were also expecting difficulties in accessing finance and increased competition, and predicted that cuts to pubic sector spending would make a difference to growth plans.
Readers can tell us if these trends are still being experienced as the economic downturn continues to bite.
TheBusinessDesk.com is delighted to be running this milestone project in association with our lead sponsor, law firm DLA Piper, and which is also supported by accountancy group PwC and the CBI.
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David Gray, managing partner, DLA Piper, Manchester, said: “It’s been a challenging 12 months for businesses of every shape and size. 
“With the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement making no adjustments to overall spending and borrowing, it seems business confidence across the region is unlikely to be restored and that realism is probably the overriding emotion as we approach 2012.
“After a year of progress on some fronts and unexpected new challenges on others, it will be interesting to see where attitudes now lie, and what predications the North West business community is making for 2012 and beyond. Has confidence increased or do businesses foresee new challenges on the horizon?
“With the Government emphasising the importance of individuals playing a more active role in the way their local economy is managed, the State of the Region survey creates an opportunity for professionals from all sectors to have their say on what they regard as the priorities for the region.”
Martin Heath, audit partner at PwC in Manchester, said: “We believe that the North West has a great deal of potential to support the UK through economic recovery and there are many stand-out examples of businesses that are achieving good growth despite the economic conditions.
“In the year ahead it will be important that businesses stay focused on driving export activity and innovation to help sustain the region in the face of public sector spending cuts.”
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