ADP Employment Report: Job Creation Marches On

Private-sector employment increased by 191,000 during the month of March, according to the latest ADP National Employment Report (NER) released yesterday. The NER suggests a steady, albeit uneven growth of nonfarm private employment since net job creation first turned positive during the first quarter of 2010. The pattern of rising employment gains, confirms signs of an accelerated economic recovery reinforced by a March report that is above the 12 month average. 

Though the report is an indicator of continued recovery, job growth forecasts for the month were closer to 205,000. As fears of a jobless recovery recede, the US economy has a long way to go before pre-recession employment levels are achieved. Full employment requires the economy to create over 200,000 jobs per month for 48 consecutive months to achieve pre-recession employment levels. The monthly average is well below that level; even though the unemployment rate has been trimmed to 6.6%. 

The March report is encouraging because it points to an accelerating pace of job creation. The post Christmas season employment surge represents a 70,000 job gain over January's anemic numbers. The service sector accounted for over 164,000 of the job gains. The manufacturing and goods producing sector combined to create 28,000 jobs. Construction offered confirmation of a tepid recovery in the housing market adding 20,000 jobs during the month. The construction industry has lost over 2.1 million jobs since its peak in 2008. 

The report also indicated that the five selected industry groups all reported positive job growth for the second consecutive month. The professional/business service sector was the strongest performer adding 54,000 jobs, followed by trade/transportation/utilities with 36,000 and financial services and manufacturing each adding 5,000 jobs. Job creation is welcomed for all sectors of the economy but sustainable economic growth can only be achieved by a robust turnaround in the goods producing and manufacturing sectors. Service sector jobs offer lower wages, tend to be highly correlated to retail consumer spending and positions are often transient in nature. Small and Mid-Sized Enterprises (SME) is where the highest concentration of service jobs are created and the employment figures bear that out with SMEs accounting for over 124,00 jobs created in March. 

Large businesses added 67,000 jobs during the month. The balance sheets of large corporations are strong. The great recession provided large corporates an opportunity to rationalize their business franchise with layoffs, consolidations and prudent cost management. Benign inflation, global market presence, favorable tax codes, outsourcing, low cost of capital and strong equity markets created ideal conditions for profitability and an improved capital structure. The balance sheets of large corporations continue to exceed $1 trillion in cash and it appears that large businesses are beginning to deploy this capital into job creating initiatives. 

The restructuring of the economy continues. The Federal Reserve Quantitative Easing program is ratcheting down. The capitalization of banks has grown considerably stronger with fewer bank failures and only Citibank failing the last round of FDIC stress testing. Most believe this will free more capital for loans to SMEs. This coupled with the emergence and development of nascent alternative credit channels bodes well for future job creation. 

Macroeconomic Factors: 

The principal macroeconomic factors confronting the economy are the continued widening of the wealth gap and the creation of low paying jobs. The unemployment rate continues to decline and signs of a recovering housing market are encouraging. Tax policy, fiscal stability of state and local governments and the underfunding of deteriorating civic infrastructure continue to vex economic recovery strategies. 

In the United States, as the 2014 election cycle proceeds, acute partisanship will undermine the political will to address recovery initiatives with legislative action. The Affordable Health Care Act (AHCA) is being implemented against a backdrop of continued partisan strife. The AHCA should drive long term economies in public health care. The goal of seven million program enrollments was achieved by the March 31 deadline. Enrollment levels confirms the pent up market demand for affordable health care. Going forward a nagging concern of the AHCA is the quality of the experience pool of enrollees and the consistent payment of monthly insurance premiums to fund the program. The complex rules for business participation in the program creates a level of uncertainty of how the AHCA will affect SMEs. 

Globally, political uncertainty in Eurasia is an emerging risk particularly for the European Community which is just beginning to emerge from its recession. The cooling of the BRICS as global economic drivers seems to have run its course as is the case with all commodity sensitive business cycles. China's GDP growth is expected to be 7%. This predicted modest growth will tamp down China's role as a principal driver of global growth. 

The volatility of global energy markets remain susceptible to the political stability of OPEC. Political instability in Venezuela and the disintermediation of Russian oil and natural gas supply to the EC may encourage the acceleration of NG , shale oil extraction and refining in North America. 

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has recently issued a report. The panel indicated that evidence is pointing to accelerated rates of climate change. Though climate change poses significant risk to political stability and economic growth, it also offers opportunities for governments, businesses and communities to engage in mitigation and adaptation initiatives with positive economic benefits. 

Political uncertainty tends to heighten risk aversion in credit markets. The emergence of the US and EC from the distress of the Great Recession and Global Credit Crisis has improved the conditions of global credit markets. Bank stabilization has grown opportunities for increase commercial lending to SMEs. The development of alternative credit channels like crowd funding, micro lending, asset financing is developing to the benefit of the global SME sector. 

Highlights of the ADP Report for March include: 

Private sector employment increased by 191,000 

Employment in the service-providing sector rose 164 ,000 

Employment in the goods-producing sector increased 28,000 

Employment in the manufacturing sector increased 5,000 

Construction employment increase 5,000 

Large businesses with 500 or more workers increased 67,000 

Medium-size businesses, between 50 and 499 workers increased 52,000 

Employment among small businesses less than 50 workers, increased 72,000 

Overview of Numbers: 

The 72,000 jobs created by the SME sectors represents over 65% of new job creation. Large businesses comprise approximately 20% of private sector employment and continues to underperform SMEs in post recession job creation. The strong growth of service sector though welcomed continues to mask the underperformance of the manufacturing sector. The 11 million manufacturing jobs comprise approximately 10% of the private sector US workforce. The 5 thousand jobs created during March accounted for 2.5% of new jobs. Considering the severely distressed condition and capacity utilization of the sector and the favorable conditions for export markets and cost of capital, the job growth of the sector appears extremely weak. The US economy is still in search of a driver. 

The stock market continues to perform well. The Fed taper of QE2 initiative seems to signal a change in fiscal policy principally focused on the troubling dynamics of inflation/deflationary pressures. The IMF forecasts a 2.8% GDP growth rate for the US. 

Interest rates have been at historic lows for four years and despite the QE2 taper adverse conditions in the credit market appear to be benign. The political crisis in the EU has settled down but the long term stability of the currency and European Federation are under severe attack by growing nationalist movements across the continent. 

As the price of agricultural commodities, water rights and food staples continue to trend upward The balance sheets of large corporate entities remain strong. The availability of distressed assets and market volatility has eased. Venture capital and private equity capital formation continues to drive premium asset valuations in numerous tech sectors encouraging business start ups and global entrepreneurship. 

Solutions from Sum2 

Sum2 offers a portfolio of risk assessment applications and consultative services to businesses, governments and non-profit organizations. Our leading product Credit Redi offers SMEs tools to manage financial health and improve corporate credit rating to manage enterprise risk and attract capital to fund initiatives to achieve business goals. Credit Redi helps SMEs improve credit standing to demonstrate creditworthiness to bankers and investors. On Google Play: Get Credit|Redi

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Risk: unemployment, SME, China, EU, small business, QE, Federal Reserve, Citibank, stress testing, manufacturing, BRICS, fracking, inflation, service sector, micro lending, AHCA, Obamacare

For information on the construction and use of the ADP Report, please visit the methodology section of the ADP National Employment Report website.

ADP Job Report: small biz still struggling

ADP has released its National Employment Report for April. Non-farm private employment increased 32,000 during the month on a seasonally adjusted basis. ADP also reported an upward revision of 19,000 jobs for March. The two consecutive net employment gains reported by ADP indicates that job loss may have bottomed and the slim increase in employment confirms a positive trend is underway. The massive governmental intervention to recapitalize the banking sector and initiate stimulus programs have stabilized the economy. The abatement of extreme risk aversion in the credit markets, favorable interest rates, improving consumer sentiment, low inflation and the dramatic rebound in securities markets are all positive growth drivers for the economy.

Highlights of the ADP report include:

• Estimates non-farm private employment in the service-providing sector increased by 50,000.
• Employment in the goods-producing sector declined 18,000.
• Employment in the manufacturing sector rose for the third consecutive month by 29,000 jobs.
• Employment in the construction sector dropped by 49,000.
• Large businesses with 500 or more workers added 14,000 jobs
• Medium-size businesses, defined as those with between 50 and 499 workers increased by 17,000.
• Employment among small-size businesses with fewer than 50 workers, increased by 1,000 in April.
• Employment in the financial services sector dropped 14,000, resulting in over three years of consecutive monthly declines.

Overview of Numbers

The net gain of 32,000 jobs for the massive US economy is an admittedly weak gain for an economy that has shed 11 million jobs but it is an indication that the economy is stabilizing.

The correlation of the loss of jobs in construction and financial services is an indication of a US economy that continues to transition its dependency on residential and commercial real estate development. The difficult conditions in the commercial and residential real estate market will continue as excess inventories brought on by high foreclosure rates continue to be worked off. As the ADP report highlights construction employment has declined for thirty-nine consecutive months, bringing the total decline in construction jobs since the peak in January 2007 to 2,159,000. Its clear that the US economy has lost two critical recovery drivers.

Soft conditions in the construction sector weighs heavily on small business job creation. Most contractors are small businesses and with the anemic rate of new housing construction small business job creation will continue to be soft.

Specialty retail is another large component of the small business market. Improving consumer sentiment will help this sector. However small retailers have suffered massive business closures during the recession. A robust recovery in this sector will not commence until commercial lending for start ups and business expansion becomes more readily available from the banks.

The report also indicates that the goods producing sector of small businesses shed 24,000 jobs during the month to continue the trend in the deterioration of small manufactures. This decline was offset by a 25,000 gain in service based jobs. The growth of the service sector of the US economy continues at the expense of the manufacturing sector. The growth of small business service sector indicates that businesses continue to managed fixed costs of their business by outsourcing various services.

This ADP report is a positive indication that we may be at a bottom of the economic cycle. Bottoms don't mean that things are improving they indicate that conditions are not worsening. The economic recovery is still confronted with headwinds. The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the economic and growing political instability of EU countries and the cooling off of the Chinese economy may present some challenges to a sustained and robust recovery in the United States.

Solutions from Sum2

Sum2 advocates the establishment of an SME Bank to sustain long term economic growth. Sum2 offers SME's the Profit|Optimizer to help them manage risk, devise recovery strategies and make better informed capital allocation decisions.

For information on the construction and use of the ADP Report, please visit the methodology section of the ADP National Employment Report website.

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Risk: unemployment, recession, recovery, SME

Sum2's Hamilton Plan Gets Scholarly Attention

The following research paper on The Hamilton Plan was written by Deepak Verma, a business student at Baruch College. To our knowledge it is the first scholarly research that incorporates the Hamilton Plans theme of a focus on SME manufacturing.

ISSUES MANAGEMENT PROJECT
Prof. Michael Kirk Stauffer

DEEPAK VERMA

The Societal and Governmental Environment of Business
Baruch College, the City University of New York
December 16, 2009

Table of Content

Topic Page No
1. Executive Summary 2
2. The Issue: Shrinking Manufacturing Base 3-4
3. The Origin of the Issue and Solution 4-5
4. Small & Medium Enterprises; Catalyst of Sustainable Growth 6
5. Initiative for Development of SMEs 7-8
6. Future of SME and SMEs in USA 9
7. Appendix : References 10

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Living beyond means is not sustainable. One of the primary reasons of prolonged Economic and Credit Crisis in United States is its low manufacturing base and American way of consuming more than what is produced. This research paper will examine issue of shrinking manufacturing base of USA, unfair and unethical business practices adopted by countries such as China to boost export thereby causing trade deficit to USA, reasons for low manufacturing base and role of small and medium enterprise (SME) manufacturers in developing a sustainable manufacturing base of the US economy.

Prior to coming at Baruch College for pursuing MBA in finance and investments, I worked for over 10 years with Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI), an apex financial institution of India engaged in the development and financing of SMEs and micro financial institutions. Having worked with this financial institution, I realized the importance of SMEs in bringing sustainable economic development and employment creation, particularly in a mixed economy like India.The paper will discuss on public-private initiative in USA for development of SMEs, their efforts and capital investment for empowerment and financing of SMEs. Various initiatives taken by private and public sector will be analyzed. Efforts have been made to forecast future of SMEs vis a vis manufacturing sector, role of community development financial institutions (CDFIs), and flow of commercial bank credit and private equity investment in SMEs in the United States.

THE ISSUE: SHRINKING MANUFACTURING BASE
Why should shrinking manufacturing base be an issue in a market driven service oriented economy like US? Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke stated on Feb. 28, 2007, “I would say that our economy needs machines and new factories and new buildings and so forth in order for us to have a strong and growing economy.” Strong Manufacturing base is the only solution to rising trade deficit and industrial job loss. Manufacturing promotes innovation which leads to investments in equipment and people, research and development, improved products and processes and increase in productivity and higher standards of living. Increase in manufacturing leads to increase in demand for raw materials and other commercial services.

United States has transitioned from an agricultural economy to Industrial economy to a service economy. Over a period of this transition US has lost its manufacturing base substantially and has been importing goods from around the world which has resulted into huge trade deficit and industrial job losses. IMF has categorized the US current account deficit as unsustainable. Warren Buffet also once commented “The U.S trade deficit is a bigger threat to the domestic economy than either the federal budget deficit or consumer debt and could lead to political turmoil… Right now, the rest of the world owns $3 trillion more of us than we own of them.”

Since the United States joined the WTO, US trade deficit has risen from $150.6 billion in 1994 to $817.3 billion in 2006. US reliance on imports ranges from electronic items to apparels and other consumables. For example, electronic items sold in United States are developed by companies such as Philips, Toshiba, Sony, Hitachi, Samsung and Sharp. We have lost significant market share in Auto Industry also. Toyota has surpassed General Motors to become leading auto manufacturer in terms of global sales. Ironically, items such as clothing and apparel where USA had its dominance are also being imported from foreign countries. Over 90 percent of clothing and shoes sold in the United States are made in foreign countries. US economy has thrived on consumerism which has led to increase in demand for goods over the years but production of domestically manufactured goods has been declining, thereby giving rise to imports from foreign countries and loss of industrial jobs.

Critics of the argument say it is the increase in production efficiencies, resulted from technological innovation and advancement that has resulted in loss of jobs. Additionally, it is the increase in consumption which is the root cause of import deficit rather than shrinking manufacturing base. Undoubtedly long term data indicates an increase in US manufacturing, but the way we are loosing our manufacturing share from last 2 decades and if we continue shrinking, we will soon have no choice but to consume whatever is dumped in our market and will be on the mercy of foreign imported goods. Increase in manufacturing has not kept pace with global growth in manufacturing in USA. Since 2000 global manufacturing growth has been 47%, whereas USA has recorded a growth rate of only 19%.

ORIGIN OF THE ISSUE & SOLUTION
What is causing shrinking manufacturing base in the United States? Is it purely competitive and cheaper products manufactured in Asia and Europe or some other factors are also responsible? Undoubtedly competitive global business environment has severely affected domestic production in the United States, this crisis in large arises due to unfair and unethical business practices adopted by its trading partners mainly China. Some of those practices are significant government subsidies, currency manipulation, large-scale dumping in the U.S. market, and other market-distorting practices. Additionally, unfavorable govt. policies, tax structure, increase in cost involved in healthcare, litigation, and regulation has significantly affected the bottom line. Increase in cost and strict regulation forced manufacturing units to move their facilities to other countries where companies do not face those kinds of impediments. Companies operating in the U.S. started outsourcing low-value tasks like simple assembly or circuit-board stuffing, but lower cost of outsourcing and shrinking margin lured them to continue outsourcing sophisticated engineering and manufacturing capabilities that are crucial for innovation in a wide range of products. As a result, the U.S. has lost or is in the process of losing the knowledge, skilled people, and supplier infrastructure needed to manufacture many of the cutting-edge products it invented.

Is there any way to bring back our manufacturing base? The view that the U.S. should focus on R&D and services is completely flawed. Manufacturing is part of the innovation process and United States has to expand its manufacturing base to remain a world leader.

Following may be suggested to address the issue:

(1) Increase the tariffs on foreign goods so that they are more expensive than domestic goods.
(2) Demand the same level of quality in all foreign goods as American goods.
(3) Diplomatic measures should be taken to create pressure on foreign countries particularly China to stop manipulating their currencies.

Efforts should be made to open up foreign consumption markets adequately to U.S. producers so as to increase export and minimize trade deficit and should endeavor to combat predatory foreign trade practices aimed at undermining U.S. producers in their home market. Next big step is to promote small and medium enterprises to set-up manufacturing units.

SMALL & MEDIUM ENTERPRISES (SMEs); CATALYST OF SUSTAINABLE GROWTH

The issue of shrinking manufacturing base in the United States has been discussed by economist, policymakers, industrialists, and think tanks since economic integration and various measures to improve domestic manufacturing base have been suggested. But considering our free market dominance no sincere efforts were made to expand manufacturing base. Alarming rise in trade deficit and current economic and credit crisis which resulted in to massive industrial job loss has called for immediate intervention of private-public participation to protect and develop domestic manufacturing base for long term sustainable economic growth of United States. It is this time only that the role of SME manufacturers was felt inevitable to address this alarming issue.

President Obama during an interview said "We've got to make sure that we're cultivating small businesses and entrepreneurs who are going to be driving employment growth," the President said, "so that 20 years from now we can look back and we can say, 'This was the pivot point, this is where we started to turn the corner."

US need to change course at this point of time and need to develop a network of small and medium enterprises focusing on cleaner and green technology. The U.S. can explore strategies used in emerging markets for development of SMEs. According to Hau L. Lee, a professor at Stanford Graduate School of Business, “America needs large industrial zones devoted to specific industries--similar to zones in Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, and much of China. Such areas offer tax breaks, cheap or free land, workforce training, plenty of water and power, and agencies that serve as one-stop shops for all of the necessary permits and regulatory approvals.” A national level specialized financial institution may be created to provide low cost credit to newly setup SMEs in the manufacturing sector. US strength lies in high end technology, innovation, R&D, robust infrastructure, and know-how.

INITIATIVE FOR DEVELOPMENT OF SMEs

US govt. runs a number of programs for providing technological know-how, contracting opportunities, counseling and assistance, financing, and R&D facilities to small and medium enterprises. Some of the prominent programs run by US department of commerce are Manufacturing Extension Program, Advanced Technology Program, Technology Transfer, and Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program. State govt. and number of govt. agencies are deployed for implementation of these schemes across the United States. SBA provides technical and financial assistance to SMEs through its partner lending institutions.

On November 17, 2009 The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. launched 10,000 Small Businesses -- a $500 million initiative for development of 10,000 small businesses across the United States. The plan envisaged to provide greater access to business education, mentors and networks, and financial capital to small businesses. Lloyd C. Blankfein, Chairman and CEO of Goldman Sachs quoted “Small businesses play a vital role in creating jobs and growth in America’s economy.” Warren Buffett, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway also mentioned “Our recovery is dependent on hard working small business owners across America who will create the jobs that America needs. I’m proud to be a part of this innovative program which provides greater access to know-how and capital – two ingredients critical to success.”

Sum2 LLC, a firm which assists SMEs in implementing sound business practices by offering a series of programs and products, announced The Hamilton Plan on Labor Day. The Hamilton Plan is a ten point program to foster the development of manufacturing in the United States by tapping the entrepreneurial energy of small and mid-size enterprises (SME). The Hamilton Plan requires concerted focus of investment capital to fund development and establishment of an SME Development Bank (SDB) which will focus, manage and administer capital formation initiatives to incubate and develop SME manufactures.

I contacted James McCallum, CEO of Sum2llc to discuss the issue of shrinking manufacturing base and how SMEs can help in restoring manufacturing base in the United States. In response to my comment here is what he stated “It is pretty amazing that the United States has not done more to specifically encourage and address the unique needs of this critical economic driver. Many Asian countries are miles ahead of the US in SME banking and capital formation. These banks have extensive portfolios of finance products and technical assistance they provide to SME's. The reasons that the US lacks focus in this area are many. US commitment to free market forces has badly warped our economic infrastructure. SMEs in the US have primarily relied on community banks for financing. Most of which went for real estate and construction projects. SME manufactures have just about disappeared from the economic landscape of the US. The credit crash and the economic malaise are awakening our understanding of the critical nature of SMEs and our need to manufacture products. Goldman's 10,000 Businesses Initiative coalesces nicely with the Hamilton Plan we developed in 2008.”

USA MANUFACTURING & SMEs IN YEAR 2030

With the concerted government efforts for promotion and development of SMEs and private sector initiatives such as “10,000 Small Businesses plan” by Goldman, SMEs will be largely benefited having access to innovative financial products and services from a network of financial institutions. Ten point program suggested in Hamilton plan, if implemented, will bring cluster based development of SME manufacturers. Cleaner and green technology will drive long term sustainable growth, increase national income and result in employment creation. Healthy SMEs will be focusing on export of goods thereby reducing the trade deficit and offer a new market for commercial banking sector. High-tech growth oriented SMEs will also have access to private equity investments and will offer a new avenue of diversification to private equity industry.

But the task of SME development is a challenging task and requires strong will on the part of different stakeholders. SMEs are considered to be the riskiest segment of borrowers from a financial institution’s perspective and thus struggle for timely and adequate credit. Access to technical and market information, financial assistance and trained and educated workers is the biggest challenge for SMEs. Future SMEs require sound business practices such as corporate governance, risk management, stakeholder communications and regulatory compliance.

I believe that SMEs are sine qua non for manufacturing sector & I can foresee a bigger space for SMEs in next 20 years from now. I am so intrigued with the idea of SMEs development and their contribution in the economic growth that in the long run I wish to work as a freelancer offering consultancy and advisory services on financial and strategic matters to SMEs. I would work with a network of financial institutions, venture capitalists, engineers, environmentalists, social workers, suppliers, and policy makers so as to offer SMEs a comprehensive set of services.

APPENDIX: REFERENCES

U.S. Needs to Return to Its Manufacturing Base
http://seekingalpha.com/article/119136-u-s-needs-to-return-to-its-manufacturing-base

Securing America’s Future: The Case for a Strong Manufacturing Base, A Study by Joel Popkin and Company, Washington, D.C. June 2003, Prepared for the NAM Council of Manufacturing Associations

http://www.pmihome.org/Popkin_Study_3-03.pdf

President predicts it will take decades to revive declining U.S. manufacturing base?

http://www.sodahead.com/united-states/president-predicts-it-will-take-decades-to-revive-declining-us-manufacturing-base/question-637119/

Manufacturing & Investment Around The World: An International Survey Of Factors Affecting Growth & Performance, ISR Publications, revised 2nd edition, 2002. ISBN 978-0-906321-25-6.

Economy Watch: Economy, Investment & Finance Report

http://www.economywatch.com/world_economy/usa/export-import.html

USA Manufacturing output continues to increase (over the long run), Curious cat, Investing and economics blog

http://investing.curiouscatblog.net/2008/12/02/usa-manufacturing-output-continues-to-increase-over-the-long-term/

Alliance for American Manufacturers http://www.americanmanufacturing.org/issues/manufacturing/the-us-manufacturing-crisis-and-its-disproportionate-effects-on-minorities/

Can the future be built in America? http://proquest.umi.com.remote.baruch.cuny.edu/pqdweb?index=28&did=1860761601&SrchMode=1&sid=2&Fmt=3&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1259505905&clientId=8851

TO SAVE AMERICAN MANUFACTURING: USBIC’S PLAN FOR AMERICAN INDUSTRIAL RENEWAL BY Kevin L. Kearns, Alan Tonelson, and William Hawkins

http://americaneconomicalert.org/USBIC_Save_American_Manufacturing_Jobs_Plan.pdf

Goldman Sachs Launches 10,000 Small Businesses Initiative

http://www2.goldmansachs.com/our-firm/press/press-releases/current/10-k-business.html

Goldman Sachs as Social Entrepreneur http://sum2llc.wordpress.com/

Hamilton Plan by Sum2llc http://sum2llc.wordpress.com/2008/09/03/sme-development-bank/

You Tube Video: Isley Brothers, Work to Do

Risk: SME, manufacturing, economic revitalization, social wealth

ADP Reports 250,000 More Jobs Lost in September

ADP has released its National Employment Report for September. Nonfarm private employment decreased 254,000 during the month on a seasonally adjusted basis. The ADP report indicates that job loss continues to decelerate. Though slowing, the unemployment rate continues to creep higher. The impact of the loss of a quarter of a million jobs is an indication that economic recovery remains sluggish and the US has a long way to go before the benefits of wide spread sustainable growth are realized.

The evaporation of jobs will continue to hinder a broad recovery in the housing market. Yesterday I heard a speaker claim that approximately 25% of homes in Florida are in foreclosure or are behind in their mortgage payments. It is an incredible statistic that speaks volumes about the acute systemic problems of the service based, boom/bust Florida economy.

Highlights of the ADP report include:

Employment from July to August was revised from a decline of 298,000 to a decline of 277,000

September’s employment decline was the smallest since July of 2008

Employment losses have diminished significantly over the last two quarters

Nonfarm private employment in the service-providing sector fell by 103,000

Employment in the goods-producing sector declined 151,000

Employment in the manufacturing sector dropped 74,000

Employment with large businesses with 500 or more workers declined by 61,000

Employment with medium-size businesses with between 50 and 499 workers declined 93,000

Employment among small-size businesses with fewer than 50 workers, declined 100,000

Employment losses among small-size businesses have diminished in each of the last six months

Construction employment dropped 73,000. This was its thirty-second consecutive monthly decline, and brings the total decline in construction jobs since the peak in January 2007 to 1,632,000.

Employment in the financial services sector dropped 19,000, the twenty-second consecutive monthly decline.

Sum2 advocates the establishment of an SME Bank adoption of The Hamilton Plan to address the recession.

For information on the construction and use of the ADP Report, please visit the methodology section of the ADP National Employment Report website.

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Risk: unemployment, recession, recovery, political

Rutgers Job Study: Full Employment By 2017!

Rutgers University has released a sobering study on expected recovery rates in employment levels for the United States economy. The study, America's New Post-Recession Employment Arithmetic indicates that the employment deficit has grown so large that it may take until 2017 for the nation’s labor market to return to its pre-recession level.The study, released by the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy is a cause for concern. The study reports that the US economy has shed over 7 million jobs since the recession officially began in December 2007. This has reduced the total number of jobs in the United States by 5.8%, the largest drop during any downturn since World War II. The authors of the study, James W. Hughes and Joseph J. Seneca, project that the employment deficit will total 9.4 million private sector jobs by the end of the year.

The study estimates that if the economy adds more than 2 million jobs annually starting next year, it would take until August 2017 – more than seven and a half years – to both recover the jobs lost since December 2007 and create new positions for the roughly 1.3 million people who join the labor force each year.

Hughes and Seneca believe that a recovery in 2017 may be an optimistic assumption. An economic expansion that lasts for seven years is about 50 percent longer than the average for postwar recoveries. Hughes and Seneca refer to the last ten years as “The Lost Employment Decade,” because the U.S. is on track to finish this year with 1.3 million fewer total jobs than it had in December 1999. “This is the first time since the Great Depression of the 1930s that America will have an absolute loss of jobs over the course of a decade” the report states.

The past decade has witnessed a startling reversal in economic fortunes for the US economy. The U.S. finished the 1990s with 19 million more private sector jobs than it had at the start of the decade. Approximately 16 million jobs were created during the 1980s. Before the recession, annual rate of job growth was about 1 million jobs per year, about half of the growth rates of the previous two decades.

Hughes and Seneca believe that this will force states into fierce competition to realize job growth. States must respond by creating desirable environment for business based on costs, affordability, business climates, support infrastructure, labor force quality and tax policies.

We believe that joblessness and unemployment continue as significant threats to economic growth. The conception of the unemployment rate as a lagging indicator is emerging as a lead driver inhibiting economic recovery. High unemployment continues to inhibit consumer spending and works against a rebound in the housing market and related construction industries. Retailers are already bemoaning the bleak forecast for this years holiday shopping season. State and local governments reeling from dwindling tax receipts are beginning to crack under the strain to fund basic community services, public schools and social assistance programs.

The structural dysfunction of the American economy is a critical issue that must be addressed. A concerted program aimed at the development and incubation of SME manufactures will encourage the entrepreneurial energy and kick start badly needed economic drivers to ignite a recovery. Sum2 advocates the adoption of The Hamilton Plan and the creation of an SME Development Bank to reestablish sustainable growth and national prosperity.

You Tube Music Video: Bruce Springsteen Seeger Sessions, Pay Me My Money Down and Erie Canal

(RU and Bruce, Perfect Together)

Risk: unemployment, job creation, SME, political stability, recession

Get Ready for Small Biz Stim

Reuters reports that the U.S. Treasury will soon launch a new program aimed at aiding small business lending, the head of the Treasury's $700 billion bailout fund said on Thursday. Herbert Allison, the Treasury's assistant secretary for financial stability, declined to provide details or specific timing on the program in testimony before the U.S. Senate Banking Committee.

The US Treasury has focused for the past year on stabilizing the banks with massive capital infusions into the sector with the TARP program. The TARP seems to have succeeded in its goal to shore up the economic capital base of bank's but lending activity to small and mid-size enterprises (SME) has dramatically slowed. Capital constraints and heightened risk aversion by commercial banks has curtailed access to moderately priced credit products for many SMEs. Credit risk aversion and the recession has hurt the sector and has contributed to growing bankruptcy rates by capital starved SMEs.

SMEs employ more workers then any other business sector demographic. One of the reasons the recession has been so severe is due to the massive layoffs and business closures within the by SME segment. There are approximately 6 million SMEs in the United States. If each SME hired one person that would put a serious dent in the unemployment rate.

Some statistics on the SME demographic includes:

• Represent 99.7 percent of all employer firms.
• Employ half of all private sector employees.
• Pay more than 45 percent of total U.S. private payroll.
• Have generated 60 to 80 percent of net new jobs annually over the last decade.
• Create more than 50 percent of non-farm private gross domestic product (GDP).
• Supplied more than 23 percent of the total value of federal prime contracts in FY 2005.
• Produce 13 to 14 times more patents per employee than large patenting firms.
• Are employers of 41 percent of high tech workers (such as scientists, engineers, and computer workers).
• Are 53 percent home-based and 3 percent franchises.
• Made up 97 percent of all identified exporters and produced 28.6 percent of the known export value in FY 2004.

(Source: Cornell School of Industrial and Labor Relations, Basesky and Sweeney)

The US Treasury program will target the SME segment and direct capital to help lead the economic recovery. SMEs are the leading source of job creation, product innovation and wealth creation. A vibrant and financially healthy SME sector is key to any sustainable economic recovery. This program will also help to bolster the ailing community banking sector that has seen over 95 closures by the FDIC this year.

It is critical that SMEs prepare to participate in this program. Sum2 offers a complete product suite to help SMEs capitalize on the many opportunities economic recovery will present. Sum2's recently announced webinar series "Recovery Tools for a New Economy" offers SME critical management tools to profit from the emerging business cycle.

As the lending program to SME rolls out, bankers will initiate engagement process and business reviews. They will be looking to determine if SME managers have identified risks confronting their business. It is incumbent on small business managers to understand how changing market dynamics and operational risk factors are impacting their business and demonstrate how they will mitigate these risk factors.

Sum2 provides a series of risk assessment products that assist companies to chart paths to profitability and growth. The Profit|Optimizer, is a unique risk management and opportunity discovery tool that helps SMEs effectively manage the challenges posed by the recession and recovery business cycles.

Risk: SME, recession, recovery, stimulus, commercial banking

For the Want of a Nail: Lennar Homes

Community developer Lennar Homes lawsuit against drywall manufacturers reminds me of the old Mother Goose nursery rhyme, "for the want of a nail." The rhyme begins with a nail that was not available to affix a shoe to the hoof of a horse. The loss of the nail loses the shoe, which loses the horse, which loses the rider, which loses the battle, which loses the war, which loses the king which loses the kingdom. For the want of a nail is an instructive tale of how seemingly insignificant or minute events can create consequences that escalate into a catastrophic incident that impacts and endangers many.

The Lennar lawsuit is yet another egregious example of supply chain contamination that has recently come to light. The discovery of toxic substances within drywall manufactured in China and used in the construction of Florida homes has prompted the lawsuit against manufacturers and a number of installation subcontractors that purchased the contaminated drywall on behalf of Lennar.

Lennar's lawsuit alleges that subcontractors it employed to install dry wall, substituted high quality domestic brands with the less expensive contaminated drywall. The subcontractors imported the contaminated drywall from China to save on costs of materials in an attempt to boost profits for their contracted work. The drywall was discovered to contain toxic substances after a number of homeowners began to complain of foul odors, product deterioration and in some cases sickness due to exposure to the contaminated product.

It is believed that the Chinese drywall was found to contain a quantity of dry ash which was used as a filler substance in the manufacturing process. Dry ash is a waste by product of coal fired power plants that are so prevalent in China. The dry ash is known to contain concentrations of heavy metals that are considered dangerous to humans.

This event is certainly unwelcome news for the beleaguered construction and real estate industries. Particularly so in deeply distressed markets like southern Florida. It has heightened the risk profile of all parties involved and could spell catastrophic consequences for some of the involved manufacturers, homeowners, and contractors. This event can also impact the profitability of banks that may be forced to write off non-performing mortgages and construction loans sold to affected homeowners and contractors. Insurance companies may be required to pay off clams for product liability and homeowner policies. Municipalities are also at risk due to this event. Tax ratables and property values are threatened due to property abandonment and the suspicion that toxins have been introduced into the community.

This risk event will require the drywall manufacturers to face severe legal liability. It will impact profitability due to the financial stress of remediation expenses. Most significantly these types of events do severe damage to the company brand and reputation. A great deal of company and product branding is about trust. This types of events compromise the trust of brand consumers. Once that trust is violated it is very difficult to win it back.

Lennar violated its customers trust by allowing its supply chain to be contaminated. This violation of trust will result in financial loss and may create a long term health risk for Lennars customers and their families.

The municipalities that welcomed Lennar with the anticipation that development will serve the citizens of their communities have now been scarred by an ecological hazard. This will continue to haunt the reputation of these towns for many years because it threatens the value of both contaminated and non contaminated homes.

The drywall installation contractors face a high probability of bankruptcy and potential criminal prosecution. This event will fire a deepening distrust of Chinese manufactured products. It will certainly add stress to the delicate political balance of the highly codependent China USA trade relationship. Instigating calls for more protectionism and "Buy America" mantra by American based manufacturers. The prospect of added strain with China is particularly delicate due to China's important roll in financing government spending through its large purchases of US government bonds. All because some subcontractors wanted to realize a little more profit margin. For the want of a nail indeed.

The unfortunate realization is that this risk could have been prevented. Master contractors need to put in place service and supply level agreements that prohibit the use of substituted materials. Master contractors need to manage supply chains by insisting that all materials used by subcontractors meet quality specifications and are sourced from trusted and thoroughly vetted providers. Adherence to international product quality and testing standards must be ascertained before those are accepted into the supply chain. This is just one aspect of ascertaining weather a supplier meets acceptance criteria into a company supply chain.

The Profit|Optimizer helps manufacturers, developers, contractors and lenders conduct a risk assessment of their supply chain. It is something that many businesses often take for granted yet holds the potential to become one of the most dangerous risks to the financial health and stability of the business enterprise.

Sum2 sells nails. The Profit|Optimizer helps business nail down risks that can deconstruct your business. It is a great set of tools to build profits and construct a healthy sustainable business.

Next time you read Mother Goose "for the want of a nail" to a child remind them to pay particular attention to its sage advise. It may be the first lesson in effective risk management that they will receive.

You Tube Music Video: Peter Paul and Mary, If I Had A Hammer

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Risk: supply chain, product liability, reputation risk, ecological

Kashi's Kismet

Salmonella

Last night as I was researching the Peanut Corporation of America's (PCA) peanut paste recall, my wife received an urgent telephone call from our local supermarket. The caller informed us that the Kashi products we purchased were subject to recall. I was a bit astonished by the call for several reasons. The first being notified of the unhappy news that a premium brand product that I so enjoy has the potential to kill me or make me very ill due to Salmonella bacteria. It goes without saying that it was a most bracing experience. I was also a bit bemused about the ability of my local supermarket to track me down to inform me that my favorite breakfast cereal might endanger me. At the very least letting me know that this is no breakfast for champions.

Though this is a positive example of how consumer product data mining and customer tracking business intelligence is employed; the realization that your breakfast eating habits are tucked away in some giant relational database remains a bit unnerving. But that is a different subject for another day.

After checking with the Kashi website the cereal products I purchased were not listed on the recall list. Kashi website lists granola bars and cookies as its only products that are subject to recall. As a committed consumer of the brand I remember when I purchased the cereal a free granola bar was included in the package for product promotional purposes. When I returned home I eagerly consumed the free granola bars. I am happy to report that I have not fallen ill. I'll have to go back to the supermarket and ask if the non contaminated cereal I still have in my cupboard remains subject to the recall. An interesting product bundling dilemma.

The mechanics and execution of the product recall seems to be effective. The sophisticated use of data mining technologies and the ability of the manufacturer to contact a retail consumer through a digital trail that includes customer loyalty cards, credit card, and product bar codes is pretty impressive.

What is of concern about Kashi and other processed food manufacturers that are dependent on an expanded and complex supply chain is their failure to uncover the risk associated with the supplier. In this case PCA. It is alleged that PCA had a leaky roof that played a role in contaminating the peanut paste. A simple walk through of the facility may have uncovered this risk factor. Certainly if a company fails to perform the most basic facilities maintenance functions (like a leaky roof) odds are that the company has other issues and businesses functions that it is not addressing. This is the cockroach theory. Where you see one there are usually many others. A simple walk through may have revealed that all was not kosher at PCA.

Supply chain risk is becoming more prominent as manufacturers and service providers aggregate components and ingredients from numerous providers to deliver a finished product or service to end user consumers. The implementation of a sound practice program that addresses risk associated with supply chains is a key ingredient for a sustainable business enterprise.

The Profit|Optimizer devotes a section to supply chain risk. All process manufacturers must require suppliers to conduct a thorough risk assessment of processes and functions as outlined in the Profit|Optimizer. The Profit|Optimizer also includes a section on facilities risk. The risk assessment tools offered by the Profit|Optimizer would have uncovered the dangerous risk factors at PCA and may have prevented the fatal and costly release of contaminated products.

The kismet of commercial enterprises like Kashi will continue to be bright so long as the mantra of sound risk management is practiced with more vigilance. In doing so the health and well being of its loyal customers will flower as will the value of its product brands and the sustainability of the business.

You Tube Video: Vince Guaraldi, The Peanuts Theme

Risk: reputation, brand, product liability