This publication is based on a research procedure that has remained fundamentally un- changed from the beginning. A large sample of small-business owners, all members of the Na- tional Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), is sent a mail questionnaire. 1 The question- naire presents 75 potential business problems, public policy related and not. Respondents are asked to rate the severity of each potential problem on a scale of 1 to 7 anchored by “Critical Problem” on one end and “Not a Problem” on the other. The array of potential problems presented to small-business owners for evaluation has undergone minor changes over the years to.
