The statewide business survey was conducted to confirm or adjust the direction of education and Microsoft Office User Specialist (MOUS) Certification testing and the value placed on various means of education. Approximately 2,000 surveys were emailed to businesses around the state of California, which resulted in a survey response of approximately 21 percent. Responses came from business professionals located in various counties all over California and from industries ranging from education and computer technology to professional services and consulting. The significant majority of respondents were from small businesses with employees totaling fewer than 50.

The survey revealed that 70 percent of our respondents used some portion of the Microsoft Office Suite with Word Perfect/Lotus following at 20 percent. However, only 30 percent indicated a familiarity with the MOUS certification offered by Microsoft. Of those familiar with the certification only 10 percent require employees to be MOUS certified and consider the MOUS certification a valid means of measuring computer skills or competency.

With regard to an education, 60 percent of our respondents require 60-100% of their employees to have a college degree. Furthermore, 60 percent feel that an education obtained online holds significant value only when combined with experience. Likewise, 80 percent indicated that a degree obtained via a community college, trade or private institutions hold significant value only when combined with experience.

Approximately half of the respondents offer educational reimbursement and have an internship program in place.

Many of these business professionals feel that computer skills are important as well as decision-making skills, diversity tolerance, multicultural emersion exposure, foreign language skills, and the ability to take responsibility. These are other areas community colleges can place an educational focus. It was clear that the Internet is an integral part of business and students need to learn proper use of the Internet as well as to perform valid, productive, and fast web searches.

1. What is the name of your organization?

2. What is your title at your organization?

3. Your organization is located in which county?

4. Please estimate of the number of employees in your organization.

0-9 (50%)

10-50 (30%)

51-150 (10%)

151-999 (10%)

1000+

5. How would you categorize your organization?

Administrative (1%)

Computer/Information Technology (10%)

Consulting (15%)

Distribution (9%)

Education (20%)

Engineering/Architecture

Entertainment

Financial/Banking (2%)

Health Industry

Hotel/Restaurant (5%)

Insurance (5%)

Legal (2%)

Manufacturer

Marketing/Advertising (2%)

Mechanical/Automotive (2%)

Professional services (10%)

Real Estate (5%)

Recreation

Retail/Sales (3%)

Support services

Telecommunications

Transportation (5%)

Utilities

Other (4%)

6. Which "office suite" software does your organization use?

Microsoft Office Suite (70%)

Star Office

WordPerfect/Lotus (20%)

Other (10%)

None

If your organization uses the Microsoft Office Suite, please answer questions 8-13.

If not, skip to question 14.

Percents based on the 70% figure from question #6

7. Does your organization use MS Word?

Yes, it's the only word processing program used (30%)

Yes, moderate to high usage (40%)

Yes, used for special projects only

Yes, but very limited usage

No (30%)

8. Does your organization use Microsoft Excel?

Yes, it's the only spreadsheet program used (30%)

Yes, moderate to high usage (20%)

Yes, used for special project only (10%)

Yes, but very limited usage (10%)

No (30%)

9. Does your organization use Microsoft Access?

Yes, it's the only database program used (10%)

Yes, moderate to high usage (10%)

Yes, used for special projects only (20%)

Yes, but very limited usage (10%)

No (50%)

10. Does your organization use Microsoft PowerPoint?

Yes, it's the only presentation program used (10%)

Yes, moderate to high usage (10%)

Yes, used for special projects only (20%)

Yes, but very limited usage (10%)

No (50%)

11. Does your organization use Microsoft Outlook?

Yes, it's the only scheduling program used (10%)

Yes, moderate to high usage (20%)

Yes, used for special projects only

Yes, but very limited usage (10%)

No (60%)

12. Does your organization use Microsoft Project?

Yes, it's the only project management program used

Yes, moderate to high usage

Yes, used for special projects only (30%)

Yes, but very limited usage

No (70%)

13. Are you familiar with the MOUS (Microsoft Office User Specialist) Certification? *Visit http://www.microsoft.com for information

Yes (30%)

No, skip to question #17 (70%)

Percents based on the 30% figure from question #13

14. Do you require current or prospective employees to be MOUS certified?

Yes, 80-100%

Yes, 60-80%

Yes, 40-60%

Yes, 20-40%

Yes, 5-20% (10%)

No (90%)

15. Do you recognize the MOUS Certification as a valid means of measuring computer skills or application competency of your employees?

Yes (10%)

No (90%)

16. What percentage of your employees is required to have a college education?

80-100% (40%)

60-80% (20%)

40-60% (20%)

20-40%

0-20% (20%)

17. How much value do you find in educational degrees that were obtained online.

Significant value

Significant value when combined with experience (60%)

Moderate value

Limited value (20%)

No value

Not sure (20%)

18. How much value do you find in educational degrees and/or certificates that were obtained through a community college?

Significant value

Significant value when combined with experience (80%)

Moderate value (10%)

Limited value (10%)

No value

Not sure

19. How much value do you find in degrees and/or certificates that were obtained through trade schools or private educational institutions-business or otherwise?

Significant value

Significant value when combined with experience (80%)

Moderate value (10%)

Limited value (10%)

No value

Not sure

20. Does your organization offer continuing education and/or education reimbursement programs to qualified employees?

Yes (40%)

No (60%)

21. If you answered yes to question #21 what percentage of your employees take advantage of this benefit?

80-100%

60-80%

40-60% (10%)

20-40% (10%)

0-20% (80%)

22. Does your organization have an internship program in place?

Yes (50%)

No (50%)

23. What business and/or computer courses should community colleges offer their students so they are better prepared for employment in your organization?

1.       We are a group of automotive business so our computer use is "low tech". Invoicing and inventory and bookkeeping...

2.       Word Processing Packages, Scheduling Packages, Computer Hardware Interface Education, Web page Design, Internet Marketing and Applications

3.       Website maintenance; network technician; MS Office suite applications; database manager.

4.       Decision-making; Taking Responsibility

5.       SQL, Access, Programming, Accounting

6.       Diversity Tolerance with multi-cultural emersion. Grant writing.

7.       Excel, Access, HTML, Macromedia Dreamweaver, Windows 2000 Server, Marketing for Small Business, Operating a Small Business, Intuit Quickbooks, Accounting, Personal Financial Planning

8.       MS Office Suite overall basic, MS Word in depth, Excel medium, Access basic, PowerPoint is very intuitive, so familiarity would be enough; general knowledge of programming logic in GUI based systems - how to find what you need, how to find out how to do it; email clients, message processing and uploading/downloading of files; browsers; system management [backups, defrags, virus scans, installation, deinstallation]; Internet skills - browsers, navigation, research tricks. Basic-est knowledge of HTML and web site design/uploading etc. - to the extent that it should not be an alien frightening thing to them, that they should know what these things are and how they work in principle, that they should have done them a couple of times so that they can find their way around them again in a new setting.

9.       A familiarity with other, more layout oriented programs, esp. Framemaker, would be advantageous, as it is the application of choice for many user manuals etc.

24. Please use the box below to explain any "other" answers or provide additional information or comments.

1.       All business is in a very rapid transition, community colleges need to emphasize the changes that are going on in business-- and assist in preparing students for both local and international business. All aspects of the Internet and its uses need to be emphasized. Search engines are becoming bogged by too many sites. Teach the students to sharpen their searches. Also become familiar with upcoming programs in their majors.

2.       When I graduated with a BS in Business from a state university, I still didn't have a clue in terms of how to manage my personal finances and how to start investing. Some Community College students may opt for self employment, and much of the traditional business school courses are a bit ivory tower and not in touch with the realities of the small business. Learning how to run internet servers, by at least getting started with a few courses such as Unix and windows 2000 server and html, can lead to a good career path and job opportunities as the commercial use of the internet is still a fairly recent development. It helps to know some accounting, but also the use of a popular accounting system. I would put more emphasis on the more challenging office applications than the easy ones. Anyone can figure out a word processor for example and most people don't use all of a word processor's features unless they are an administrative assistant.

3.       You need to allow for more than one answer in the "suites" question, #7. Very many organizations use both WordPerfect and Microsoft, and clients regularly ask us to deliver work in both formats. Thanks for doing this, even if it is obviously sponsored by Microsoft and designed to feather their nest in the future. Nevertheless, training the workforce of the future is of paramount importance. Another thing I would definitely recommend, both from our industry perspective and because now California is no longer Caucasian dominated [last census] is to acquire basic to intermediate knowledge of another language. For Anglo speakers, Spanish is easiest to learn. In education, we need to look 10 years ahead before we teach young people anything.

Survey Results Charts

The following charts display the percentage of Microsoft Office applications used by our respondents and how these business professionals value various means of education.

Percentage of Microsoft Office applications used by our respondents

Case Study Results

Linda Rahman, director of state and local taxes, Pacific Bell headed a case study that was conducted following the initial online survey period. Each participant was given the survey in hardcopy form and was asked to evaluate possible answers based on his or her professional experience in a corporate setting. Over a period of six weeks, the participants meet twice to share outcomes and finalize a valid opinion.

The purpose of the case study was to identify any variation between small business and corporate perceptions of MOUS certification, Microsoft Office application usage and means by which education is acquired. In general comparison, significant similarities between the small business and corporate perceptions were apparent.

Corporate perceptions differed in the area of Microsoft Office application use. Small business indicated 70 percent usage; while in the corporate arena, usage would be closer to 90 percent. However, corporations will upgrade versions at a slow rate. College education is another area where corporations are looking at a higher percentage. Approximately 60 percent of small business respondents claim 60-100% of employees are required to have a college education, while corporations state that number would be closer to 80-100%. Lastly, it was agreed that 90-100% of corporations tend to offer continuing education reimbursement programs compared to small business, which trails with a mere 40 percent. However, 50 percent of small businesses offer internship programs as compared to 30 percent for corporations.

Overall, the perceptions granted for corporations tend mimic that of our small business respondents with a few minor exceptions. A major consideration is the increased usage of the Microsoft Office Suite of these corporations. This is very good news for current and prospective students. Corporations are using these applications and looking for qualified employees, however, MOUS certification does not seem to be a factor at this juncture.

The surveys primary goal was to gather reliable information from business professionals across the state of California. The information obtained focused on work-based and labor market relevance issues with special emphasis on modes of education and office certifications that are recognized and accepted by business and industry. In completing this survey, it was possible to identify the MOUS certification as a recognized means of validating computer skills and competency as viewed by businesses around California. As the MOUS certification becomes increasingly available and business professionals become increasingly aware of its value, the percentages revealed in this survey (see above) will undoubtedly continue to increase.

The survey also revealed the attitudes toward alternative means of education, including instructional delivery. The results indicate that California businesses value educational certificates and degrees as a whole. However, the value is dependent on the method of acquiring the certificates and degrees. Business professionals expressed that they place significant value on distance learning only when combined with experience. Internet-based distance learning is in its late infancy stage, which may reflect the current attitude toward it as a means valuable education as compared to other methods. Even with this positive outlook, the respondents continue to value community college and privately acquired certificates and degrees much higher. As awareness and competency increases in the world of online teaching and learning, so will the attitudes of those professionals hiring our students.

Overall, the survey results depict a positive attitude in both small and large businesses around California toward alternative education and MOUS certification. The survey was successful in gathering important and valuable information for the educational arena. It would be prudent to continue in the current direction headed and increase present marketing efforts to increase awareness throughout California businesses.