Hi! Thanks for a very interesting question.
According to government sources specifically the Australian Bureau of
Statistics (ABS) the latest figures for the number of small businesses
in Australia was made in 2001. From the data, Australian small
businesses increased by 2.7% per annum from 1997-98 to 2000-01. This
means that on the average 2.7% of small business in Australia during
that time were newly registered.
“The number of Australian small businesses increased by 2.7% per annum
over the three years from 1997-98 to 2000-01 according to figures
released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).”
“Across the states and territories the average annual growth rate in
the number of small businesses over the 3 years to 2000-01 was highest
in the Australian Capital Territory (7.5%), Northern Territory (7.1%)
and Western Australia (3.7 %), while Tasmania (0.3%) recorded the
lowest growth rate.”
“1321.0 Recent growth in small business sector”
http://www.abs.gov.au/Ausstats/abs@.nsf/0/89cf4ee30bb0bbb0ca256c5400000ed6?OpenDocument
The definition of the Australian Bureau of Statistics of a small
business is that it must not have more than 20 employees but in some
data more 20 employees are used as well by the ABS. Here is the data.
1-4 employees
Year 2000-2001 Total 370,100
% Change from 1999-2000 1.2%
Average annual rate of growth 4.3%
For 1990-91 to 2000-01
--------------------
5-19 employees
Year 2000-2001 Total 169,800
% Change from 1999-2000 1.6%
Average annual rate of growth 3.3%
For 1990-91 to 2000-01
----------------------
20-99 employees
Year 2000-2001 Total 35,900
% Change from 1999-2000 8.2%
Average annual rate of growth 3.0%
For 1990-91 to 2000-01
“Year Book Australia 2003 Industry Overview Number of businesses and
employment by size of business”
http://www.abs.gov.au/Ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/3474CE916E52A361CA256CAE0010BBF6
Our next article provides the information you seek as regards to
business failures in Australia.
The last study made for small business failures in the whole Australia
was made for 1996. This is according to the Victorian Government
website of Melbourne Australia.
“The latest available research on small business failure in Australia
is Business Failure and Change: an Australian Perspective, available
as a PDF document from the Productivity Commission website:
http://www.pc.gov.au/”
“Small Business Statistics”
http://www.businessaccess.vic.gov.au/web/sbv/sbvsite.nsf/pages/info_sheets_stats
What we should take a look at is the number of cessations or stoppages
of businesses.
For businesses in the first 5 years or so, 17,941 ceased operations.
These are considered failures since operations were stopped. Meanwhile
during the 5 years or so operations, 4,802 of small businesses changed
ownership.
In the next 5 years of operations, only 3,142 companies ceased
operations and 1,007 firms changed ownership for a failure rate of
6.2%. So we can say that in the next 5 years, a 94% rate for success
or staying power can be achieved.
I got this data from page 160 in Table A.8 of the document “Business
Failure and Change: an Australian Perspective”.
In the same page (page 160), just Table A.7 meanwhile provides the
failure rates for the different industries. By looking at the failure
rates, we can conversely take the success rate.
It seems that the failure rate is high in the retail sector with
18.1%, which means a success rate 81.9%. But still it seems a pretty
high success rate. The mining industry meanwhile only has a 10.2%
failure rate or conversely an 89.8% success rate.
The document is rather large (217 pages in pdf format) so a long
download time will be required if you are using only a dial-up
connection but the data contained therein answers your questions in
depth. There are more data there as well that will be of benefit to
your research.
“Business Failure and Change: an Australian Perspective”
http://www.pc.gov.au/research/staffres/bfacaap/bfacaap.pdf
Search terms used:
Australia “small business” figures failure rates
I hope these links would help you in your research. Before rating this
answer, please ask for a clarification if you have a question or if
you would need further information.
Thanks for visiting us.
Regards,
Easterangel-ga
Google Answers Researcher |
