Transcript Vision 2020

Vision 2020
Greater Bakersfield: Image in California
AUGUST 2002
www.cogentresearch.com
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•
OBJECTIVES & METHODOLOGY
•
STRATEGIC SUMMARY
•
RESEARCH FINDINGS
Overall Perceptions of Bakersfield
Attitudes of Consumers
Tourism
Relocation
Retirement
Attitudes of Businesses
Demographic Profiles
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OBJECTIVES
This quantitative study is Phase II of a two-phase
project. The purpose of this study is to measure:
• The needs of California residents with regard to
tourism, relocation, and retirement
• The needs of California businesses with regard to
relocation
• California residents’ and business persons’ perceptions
of Bakersfield
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METHODOLOGY
Population:
Residents (Random Sample)
Business Persons (Expansion
Management magazine subscribers)
Area:
California
Methodology:
Phone
Data Collection Period:
July 9 - July 26
Sample Size (error):
Residents n=400 (+ 4.90 pp)
Business Persons n=400 (+ 4.90 pp)
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Residents were not asked all questions in the survey. For some batteries of questions, residents were split into “tourist,”
“relocater,” and “retiree” groups.
References to question numbers in two questionnaires, labeled QC# for the consumer questionnaire and QB# for the business
questionnaire, appear throughout this report.
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•
OBJECTIVES & METHODOLOGY
•
STRATEGIC SUMMARY
•
RESEARCH FINDINGS
Overall Perceptions of Bakersfield
Attitudes of Consumers
Tourism
Relocation
Retirement
Attitudes of Businesses
Demographic Profiles
STRATEGIC SUMMARY
Familiarity with Bakersfield positively affects perceptions
Confirming our qualitative findings, consumers who have spent time in
Bakersfield, who have family and friends who live in Bakersfield, or who
have had the opportunity to get to know the people that live there have a
more favorable impression of the community. In addition, business
people who have a favorable impression of Bakersfield most often
attribute it to visiting the city.
A significant proportion of both consumers and business persons report
very limited knowledge of Bakersfield. In many cases, their lack of
knowledge and experience results in their having little or no impression
of the city. Over a third of both groups say that their overall impression
of Bakersfield is neither unfavorable nor favorable.
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STRATEGIC SUMMARY
As we saw in the qualitative interviews, people’s perception of Bakersfield
changed when they learned more about what the city has to offer. For
example, a common perception among consumers is that there is
“nothing to do” in Bakersfield. However, when they are read messages
about the various activities available, many say they would be more likely
to visit the city. In addition, most business persons are unaware of the
quality and availability of Bakersfield’s labor force. After hearing
messages about the labor force, they say they would be more likely to
relocate their company to Bakersfield.
These misconceptions and lack knowledge present a great opportunity for
Bakersfield to positively change its target markets’ perceptions through
education and strategic communication.
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STRATEGIC SUMMARY
Perceived Strengths of Bakersfield
Cost of living and housing
The perception that cost of living and housing is a strength of Bakersfield
is held among people looking to relocate, people who may be retiring in
the near future, and business persons. In particular, the message about
the cost of housing makes business people more likely to consider
relocating to Bakersfield.
Friendliness of people
The friendliness of the people who live in Bakersfield is perceived as
better than in other communities. This is an important feature for people
looking to relocate to another community.
Ability to offer a “change of pace”
This is a factor that tourists look for when choosing a community to visit
and one which they believe Bakersfield can provide better than other
communities.
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STRATEGIC SUMMARY
Restaurants
Bakersfield’s restaurants are perceived as being better than those of
other communities. The quality of an area’s restaurants is important to
tourists.
Cost of land and labor
Businesses are most likely to relocate in order to reduce costs and
because growth of the company has created a need for a larger facility.
In particular, the cost of labor weighs relatively heavily in their relocation
decision. Bakersfield’s cost of land and labor is perceived as better than
that of other communities.
Accessibility to highways
Accessibility to highways, which is important in business relocation
decisions, is perceived as better in Bakersfield than in other communities.
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STRATEGIC SUMMARY
Perceived Weaknesses of Bakersfield
Weather
Bakersfield’s hot, dry weather was found to have a negative impact on
both consumers’ and business persons’ impressions of the city. Weather
is perceived as being very important by all groups. In several instances,
Bakersfield’s weather has prevented tourists from visiting and relocaters
from moving there.
Cultural and recreational activities
Bakerfield’s night life, and cultural and recreational activities are
perceived as being worse than in other communities. Such activities are
very important to tourists, and influential in their decisions about where
to visit. Importantly, when read messages about the activities Bakersfield
has to offer, the majority of participants say that the information makes
them more likely to visit. The fact that survey paticipants respond
favorably to information about culture and recreation in Bakersfield is
consistent with qualitative findings.
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STRATEGIC SUMMARY
Career and higher educations opportunities
Consumers who are likely to relocate within the next two years are driven
to do so for career and educational opportunities. Those who are unlikely
to relocate to Bakersfield cite the job market as one of the reasons. Not
surprisingly, messages about the higher education institutions in
Bakersfield make potential relocaters more likely to want to move to
there.
Medical care
The availability of and quality of medical care are deemed the most
important factors to people looking for somewhere to retire. In general,
Bakerfield’s medical care is perceived as worse than that of other
communities.
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STRATEGIC SUMMARY
The quality of labor force
Labor, particularly its availability, is among the most important factors
that businesses consider when deciding where to relocate to. Work ethic
of the labor force is important to businesses. However, the work ethic of
Bakersfield’s labor force is not perceived as relatively strong. Not
surprisingly, the message about the strength of Bakersfield’s labor force
makes businesses more likely to want to relocate there.
Location
Businesses feel they need to be closer to other areas, or closer to their
established markets and customer bases, and seem unsure about the
business opportunities in Bakersfield.
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STRATEGIC SUMMARY
Recommendations
There are several areas in which Bakersfield is living up to consumers’
and businesses’ expectations and needs. We recommend that Bakersfield
continue to concentrate on excelling in these areas and communicating
its excellence in these areas to the appropriate groups.
There are also a number of areas that are important to consumers and
businesses which are perceived as being worse in Bakersfield than in
other communities. In several cases, both consumers and businesses
are simply unaware of what Bakersfield has to offer. These
misconceptions can be corrected by educating people about Bakersfield’s
true strengths.
This study explored the needs and perceptions of several different groups
of people including tourists, people looking to relocate, people who may
being retiring in the near future, and business persons. We recommend
addressing the disparate needs of each of these groups with the
messages that will be most relevant to them. The specific
recommendations for each of these groups follow.
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STRATEGIC SUMMARY
Tourists
• Educate consumers about the recreational and cultural activities
Bakersfield has to offer. Let them know that there are, in fact, many
“things to do” in Bakersfield and that there are many reasons to visit.
• Highlight Bakersfield’s superior restaurants and the “change of pace”
from regular life it can offer to tourists.
Relocaters
• Educate consumers about the abundant job opportunities and higher
education opportunities in Bakersfield.
• Educate consumers about the quality of Bakersfield’s public education.
• Promote Bakersfield’s low crime rate, low cost of living, and low cost of
housing.
• Promote the friendliness of the people who live in the Bakersfield
community.
• Concentrate less on promoting Bakersfield’s central location.
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STRATEGIC SUMMARY
Retirees
• Educate older consumers about the quality and availability of medical
care in Bakersfield.
• Promote the affordable cost of living.
Businesses
• Educate business persons about the stability, availability, skills, and
work ethic of Bakersfield’s labor force.
• Educate businesses about Bakersfield’s accessibility to major markets.
• Promote the affordability of labor, living, and housing in Bakersfield.
• Promote the abundance of affordable land available in and around
Bakersfield.
• Promote Bakersfield’s accessibility to major highways.
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OBJECTIVES & METHODOLOGY
•
STRATEGIC SUMMARY
•
RESEARCH FINDINGS
Overall Perceptions of Bakersfield
Attitudes of Consumers
Tourism
Relocation
Retirement
Attitudes of Businesses
Demographic Profiles
Perceptions of Bakersfield are consistent across both consumers
and businesses. The largest proportion of consumers and
businesses in fact have no impression of Bakersfield. In
addition, those with unfavorable views outweigh those with
favorable views.
Overall
Perception of
Bakersfield
CONSUMERS
Very favorable
3%
Somewhat
favorable
17%
Neither
unfavorable
nor favorable
39%
Very
unfavorable
14%
BUSINESS
Very favorable
6%
Somewhat
favorable
14%
Somewhat
unfavorable
28%
Neither
unfavorable
nor favorable
38%
Very
unfavorable
14%
Somewhat
unfavorable
28%
Subgroup analysis: Business persons who
have been to Bakersfield within the past year
have a more favorable impression than those
who have not been there in the past year.
QC2, QB1. What is your overall perception of Bakersfield, California? Please
use a scale of 1 to 5 where 1 is “very unfavorable” and 5 is “very
favorable.”
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Among both groups, perceptions of Fresno are similar to
perceptions of Bakersfield. Perceptions of Los Angeles are
slightly more favorable.
Overall
Perception of
Other Cities
CONSUMERS
Very
unfavorable
12%
Very favorable
7%
Somewhat
favorable
19%
Fresno
BUSINESS
Very unfavorable
9%
Very favorable
8%
Somewhat
unfavorable
20%
Somewhat
favorable
21%
Neither
unfavorable
nor favorable
38%
Neither
unfavorable
nor favorable
35%
Very favorable
13%
Los Angeles
Very
unfavorable
22%
Somewhat
favorable
27%
Somewhat
unfavorable
19%
Somewhat
unfavorable
21%
Very favorable
14%
Very
unfavorable
16%
Somewhat
favorable
23%
Neither
unfavorable
nor favorable
17%
QC3, QB2. What is your overall perception of Fresno, California?
QC4, QC3. What is your overall perception of Los Angeles, California?
Neither
unfavorable
nor favorable
24%
Somewhat
unfavorable
24%
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Factors Shaping
Perception of
Bakersfield
Consumers with favorable impressions of Bakersfield seem to be 20
most influenced by the people who live there. The majority of
consumers with negative impressions of Bakersfield are influenced
by the weather. They also mention a lack of “things to do.”
CONSUMERS
FAVORABLE:
Family/friends there
Good people/community
Other activities
Restaurants or shopping
Hot, dry weather
Only drove through
Appearance/cleanliness
A previous visit
The cost of living
Educational institutions
n=80
26%
18%
13%
11%
10%
9%
9%
4%
4%
3%
UNFAVORABLE:
Hot, dry weather
Dull/boring/nothing to do
Dirty town
Not impressed/don't like it
Only drove through
Crime/drugs
Family/friends there
A previous visit
Never been there
Other
QC45. You mentioned before that your perception of Bakersfield is (answer Q2).
What experiences or information helped form this perception?
n=165
55%
23%
14%
12%
8%
7%
7%
3%
2%
11%
Factors Shaping
Perception of
Bakersfield
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Business persons have favorable impressions of Bakersfield from
visiting the community and from reading about it and are impressed
by the business opportunities for their industry. Those with negative
impressions cite the weather and isolated location as influential.
BUSINESS
FAVORABLE:
Have visited Bakersfield
Business opportunities/industry
Have read or heard about it
New development/nice housing
Have only driven through
Used to live/work there
Rural community/not a big city
Weather
Family/Friends
Agricultural/Farming/Oil industry
Location
Other
Don't know/refused
n=82
17%
13%
12%
11%
10%
7%
5%
4%
2%
2%
1%
34%
4%
UNFAVORABLE:
Weather/hot/dry
Location/desolate/isolated
Bad business opportunity
Have only driven through
Have visited Bakersfield
Agricultural/Farming/Oil industry
Not a lot to do
Have read or heard about it
Used to live/work there
Smog/fog
Dirty/wasn't clean
Too much desert
Crime/corrupt police system
Family/Friends
Lack of education
Rural community/not a big city
Never been there
Other
QB27. You mentioned before that your perception of Bakersfield is (answer Q1).
What experiences or information helped form this perception?
n=166
42%
22%
14%
12%
10%
7%
4%
4%
4%
3%
3%
2%
2%
2%
1%
1%
1%
23%
Visits to
Bakersfield
22
Over three-quarters of both consumers and business persons
have visited Bakersfield. Over a third have visited within the
past year.
CONSUMERS
BUSINESS
Have not been
to Bakersfield
16%
Have not been
to Bakersfield
22%
Have been to
Bakersfield
85%
Have been to
Bakersfield
78%
Within last year
Within last 5 years
Within last 10 years
Within last 20 years
Over 20 years ago
Subgroup analysis: Younger consumers (18-34) are less likely
than older consumers to have been to Bakersfield. People who
live in Los Angeles county are less likely to have been to
Bakersfield than those who live elsewhere in California.
37%
29%
15%
11%
9%
Within last year
Within last 5 years
Within last 10 years
Within last 20 years
Over 20 years ago
43%
30%
14%
9%
5%
Subgroup analysis: Business persons with a more favorable impression
are more likely to have been to Bakersfield within the past year.
Q40C, Q22B. Have you ever been to Bakersfield, California?
Q41C, Q23B. When was the last time you were in Bakersfield?
Perception of
Bakersfield’s
Location
The majority of consumers and business persons feel “the
southern part of the Central Valley” best describes Bakersfield’s
location.
CONSUMERS
Something
else better
describes it
4%
Don't know
11%
The northern
part of
Southern
California
26%
The southern
part of the
Central Valley
60%
BUSINESS
Something
else better
describes it
5%
Don't
know
8%
The northern
part of
Southern
California
24%
The southern
part of the
Central Valley
63%
Subgroup analysis: Younger consumers (18-34) are more
likely than older consumers to feel “the northern part of
southern California” better describes Bakersfield.
QC42, QB24. Which of the following best describes Bakersfield’s location?
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Awareness of
Bakersfield’s
Location
The majority of consumers and business persons are aware that
Bakersfield is located in Kern County.
CONSUMERS
BUSINESS
Don't know
3%
No
32%
No
43%
Yes
55%
Yes
68%
Subgroup analysis: Younger consumers
(18-34) are less aware than older consumers.
QC43, QB25. Are you aware that Bakersfield is located in Kern County?
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Impression of
Location
Descriptions
There is a slightly larger proportion of people who have a more
favorable impression of “Kern County” than those who prefer
“Greater Bakersfield.” However, the largest proportion of
people do not have a preference between the two labels.
CONSUMERS
BUSINESS
Greater
Bakersfield
14%
Neither is
better than
the other
55%
Kern County
31%
Neither is
better than
the other
43%
Greater
Bakersfield
25%
Kern County
32%
QC44, QB26. Which description of the area do you have a more favorable
impression of?
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•
OBJECTIVES & METHODOLOGY
•
STRATEGIC SUMMARY
•
RESEARCH FINDINGS
Overall Perceptions of Bakersfield
Attitudes of Consumers
Tourism
Relocation
Retirement
Attitudes of Businesses
Demographic Profiles
Frequency of
Leisure Travel
The vast majority of consumers travel between one and five
times a year. Almost a quarter of them travel over five times a
year.
CONSUMERS
More than 10 Less than
times a year once a year
12%
14%
6 to 10
times a year
10%
About once a
year
17%
2 to 5 times a
year
48%
Subgroup analysis: Younger consumers (18-34) travel for leisure more often.
QC5. How often do you travel for leisure?
27
Factors
Influencing
Tourism Choices
28
Tourists most often consider the cultural activities/entertainment
and the weather when evaluating places to visit.
CONSUMERS
The cultural activities/entertainment available
The weather of the area
The cleanliness of the area
The safety of the area
The scenery
The outdoor recreational activities available
The proximity/location
The quality/friendliness of the people/community
The restaurants
The presence of family or friends living there
The hotels and accommodations
The historical sites in the area
The population density/number of tourists
The activities available for children and families
The cost involved
The shopping available in the area
The traffic/roadways/transportation
Other
31%
25%
17%
16%
13%
13%
10%
9%
9%
8%
8%
8%
6%
5%
5%
5%
4%
11%
Subgroup analysis: Younger consumers (18-34) are more likely than older consumers to consider the safety of the area
and the outdoor recreational activities. Older consumers(55+) are more likely to consider presence of family and friends.
Single people are more likely than married people to consider the friendliness of the people. Married people and people
35-54 are more likely than other groups to consider activities for children and families. People from northern California are
more likely to consider the scenery than people who live elsewhere.
QC6. When you are evaluating a community as a place to visit, what are the most
important factors you consider?
Factors
Influencing
Tourism
Choices
n=307
Mean
5- Very Important
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The weather, the outdoor recreational activities, and the
restaurants are most important to consumers when they are
deciding what communities to visit.
4
4.22
The weather
54%
23%
The outdoor recreational activities available
3.82
The restaurants
3.81
30%
34%
3.73
32%
29%
The area's ability to provide you with a change
of pace from your regular life
The cultural activities available
3.61
The activities available for children and families
3.45
The hotels and accommodations
3.50
The historical sites in the area
3.59
The shopping opportunities in the area
3.35
The transportation available in the area
3.15
The night life the area offers
2.88
38%
30%
28%
31%
36%
19%
27%
28%
31%
24%
23%
21%
17%
27%
26%
20%
Subgroup analysis: Outdoor recreational activities, shopping, “change of pace,” night life, and job opportunities are more important
to younger consumers. Historical sites, cultural activities, friendliness of people, and weather are more important to older consumers.
QC8-18. Now, I’m going to read a list of factors that might influence
someone’s decision to visit a certain community. Please tell me how
important each factor is to you. Please rate each factor on a scale of 1
to 5 where 1 is “Not important at all” and 5 is “Very important.”
Likelihood to
Visit
Bakersfield
The majority of consumers are very unlikely to visit Bakersfield
within the next year, while over a quarter are at least somewhat
likely to do so.
CONSUMERS
Very likely
16%
Somewhat
likely
11%
Neither likely
nor unlikely
2%
Very unlikely
58%
Somewhat
unlikely
14%
Subgroup analysis: Consumers who have been to Bakersfield recently are more likely to visit again.
People who live in Central and South Central California are more likely to visit Bakersfield than those
who live elsewhere in California.
QC46. How likely are you to visit Bakersfield within the next year?
30
Reasons
Preventing
Visiting
Bakersfield
31
Consumers who are unlikely to visit Bakersfield feel they have no
reason to do so. Other barriers, such as location and weather, are
rarely top of mind.
CONSUMERS
n=338
No reason to visit/not interested
Location
Will only come for family/friends
Weather/too hot
Family moved/no longer lives there
Health issues/age
Only go for business
“Trashy” place
Other
QC47. (If Q46<5) Why aren’t you more likely to visit to Bakersfield?
66%
11%
7%
7%
5%
4%
3%
2%
5%
Across most factors, in particular weather and night life,
Bakersfield is perceived to be below average compared with other
communities in California. Bakersfield’s strength as a tourist
destination is its ability to offer tourists a “change of pace.”
Ratings of
Bakersfield
Somewhat worse
Much worse
Somewhat better
Much better
TOURISTS
n=307
Neutral categories not shown
The area's ability to provide you with a “change of pace”
12% 10%
The restaurants
6%
The shopping opportunities in the area
The weather
The hotels and accommodations
The outdoor recreational activities available
30%
9% 4%
14%
10% 3%
10%
15%
8% 4%
7% 7% 8% 4%
10% 13% 8% 3%
The historical sites in the area
9% 11% 8% 3%
The transportation available in the area
7% 12% 6% 4%
The night life the area offers
5%
13% 6%
8%
The activities available for children/families
The cultural activities available
14%
18%
8% 12% 11% 6%
25%
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12%
13% 5%3%
Subgroup analysis: Consumers who have been to Bakersfield recently perceive activities for families, shopping,
and restaurants to be better.
QC50-60. Now, I’m going to repeat a list of factors that might be used to
evaluate a community as a place to visit. For each factor, please tell me
whether you consider Bakersfield much worse, somewhat worse, about
the same, somewhat better, or much better than other communities in
California that you are familiar with.
Importance vs. Performance
The chart on the following page illustrates how well Bakersfield performs with regard to
the factors which may influence a person’s decision to visit a community. Items are
plotted from bottom to top in increasing order of importance and from left to right in
increasing order of Bakerfield’s perceived performance.
Upper-Left Quadrant: High Importance, Lower Performance.
This is perhaps the most critical area for Bakersfield because it demonstrates areas that
are very important to consumers and in which Bakersfield is perceived as worse than
other communities.
Upper-Right Quadrant: High Importance, Higher Performance.
Items is this quadrant represent those for which Bakersfield is living up to consumers’
expectations. While there is no indication that Bakersfield’s performance is in need of
improvement, it should continue to make these areas a priority.
Lower-Right Quadrant: Low Importance, Higher Performance.
Items in this quadrant represent those for which Bakersfield is exceeding expectations.
Lower-Left Quadrant: Low Importance, Lower Performance.
Bakersfield’s performance in these areas is relatively low. However, because they are less
important to consumers, there is less reason to be concerned.
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Consumer
Importance/
Performance
Matrix
Areas of high importance and lower performance include weather
and outdoor recreational activities. Areas of high importance and
higher performance include restaurants and ability to offer a
“change of pace.”
TOURISTS
80%
Importance
Mean = 57% (Top 2 Box)
75%
High Importance
Lower Performance
High Importance
Higher Performance
Weather
70%
Outdoor Recreation
65%
Resturants
60%
55%
Change of pace
Cultural Activities
Historical sites
Hotels
Activities for children
50%
45%
40%
35%
5%
Shopping
Transportation
Low Importance
Lower Performance
Low Importance
Higher Performance
Nightlife
10%
15%
Performance
Mean = 14% (Top 2 Box)
20%
25%
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Reactions to
Messages
Much more likely
Potential tourists are more influenced by messages about the
outdoor recreational activities and cultural activities in
Bakersfield.
Somewhat more likely
TOURISTS
n=307
Bakersfield has abundant outdoor recreational activities such
as golf courses, bike paths, white water rafting, camping,
fishing, water sports, etc
Bakersfield's cultural activities include annual Jazz and
Film Festivals
Bakersfield's entertainment activities include several race
tracks, from NASCAR to drag racing, and concerts from a
variety of entertainers such as Elton John, Jewel and Buck
Owens to Korn, Blink 182 and Tool
Bakersfield and Kern County are centrally located-no more
than two hours from downtown Los Angeles-or four hours
from either San Diego or San Francisco
20%
30%
12%
30%
16%
9%
19%
20%
Subgroup analysis: Younger consumers (18-34) found the message about entertainment more appealing than older
consumers did.
QC82-85. I’m going to read you some statements about Bakersfield,
California. Please tell me whether each statement makes you less
likely, neither less nor more likely, or more likely to consider visiting
there.
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•
OBJECTIVES & METHODOLOGY
•
STRATEGIC SUMMARY
•
RESEARCH FINDINGS
Overall Perceptions of Bakersfield
Attitudes of Consumers
Tourism
Relocation
Retirement
Attitudes of Businesses
Demographic Profiles
Likelihood to
Relocate
Almost a quarter of consumers are likely to relocate within the
next two years.
CONSUMERS
Very likely
14%
Somewhat
likely
10%
Neither likely
nor unlikely
4%
Somewhat
unlikely
10%
Very unlikely
63%
Subgroup analysis: Younger consumers (18-34) and single people are more likely to relocate than older and
married consumers.
QC7. How likely are you within the next two years to permanently relocate to
another community beside the one where you currently reside?
37
Factors
Influencing
Decision to
Relocate
38
Consumers who plan on relocating are most likely doing so for
career or educational opportunities.
CONSUMERS
n=93
Employment/career opportunities
Schools/college
Family reasons
Population/crowding issues
Weather/temperature
Looking for a change/something better
Cost of living
Safety issues
Age/retirement
Looking for a new home
Environment/scenery
Want to move back to previous home
Other
QC7a. What are the main reasons prompting you to consider relocating?
35%
17%
12%
10%
9%
6%
6%
5%
5%
4%
2%
2%
14%
Factors
Influencing
Relocation
Choices
5- Very Important
The crime rate, the cost of housing and overall cost of living, and
the available job opportunities are the most influential factors in
a consumer’s decision to relocate to a certain community.
4
n=93
Mean
The area's crime rate
4.38
The cost of housing
4.29
57%
The job opportunities available
4.22
56%
The overall cost of living
4.20
The area's air quality
62%
22%
19%
27%
46%
32%
49%
The friendliness of the people who live in the area
4.18
4.08
The higher education opportunities
4.06
The quality of the public education system
4.03
The weather
4.02
The outdoor recreational activities available
3.67
26%
The cultural activities available
3.66
25%
The shopping opportunities in the area
3.58
26%
The activities available for children and families
3.52
32%
The night life the area offers
3.42
30%
The ethnic and cultural diversity of the people
3.39
27%
43%
27%
45%
30%
55%
16%
41%
23%
29%
30%
38%
25%
25%
23%
27%
Subgroup analysis: Job opportunities and nightlife are more important to single people. The weather and the friendliness of people
who live in the community are more important to people over 55. The cost of housing is more important to people 35-54.
QC19-33. Now, I’m going to read a list of factors that might influence
someone’s decision to relocate to a certain community. Please tell me
how important each factor is to you. Please rate each factor on a scale
of 1 to 5 where 1 is “Not important at all” and 5 is “Very important.”
39
Likelihood to
Relocate to
Bakersfield
Among consumers who are likely to relocate within the next two
years, just 5% are likely to move to Bakersfield.
CONSUMERS
n=93
Somewhat
unlikely
12%
Very unlikely
80%
Neither likely
nor unlikely
3%
Somewhat
likely
2%
Very likely
3%
QC48. (IF Q7 = 4,5) How likely are you to consider moving to Bakersfield
within the next two years?
40
Reasons
Preventing
Relocating to
Bakersfield
41
Consumers who are unlikely to move to Bakersfield feel they have no
reason to do so. They also mention the weather and the job market.
CONSUMERS
n=83
Have no reason to move there
The weather/heat
The job market/business
The lack of entertainment or activities
The geographic location
The location of family and friends
Too far from the beach
Not familiar with the area
Other
Don't know
19%
18%
17%
13%
12%
10%
6%
6%
15%
4%
Subgroup analysis: Younger consumers (18-34) are more likely to be prevented by the job market. Older consumers (55+)
are more likely to be prevented by the weather.
QC49. What prevents you from being more likely to consider Bakersfield?
Bakersfield’s cost of living and housing and the friendliness the
people who live there are it greatest strengths as a community
to relocate to. Areas considered weaker are the job
opportunities, night life, and cultural activities.
Ratings of
Bakersfield
Somewhat worse
Much worse
Somewhat better
Much better
RELOCATERS
n=93
Neutral categories not shown
The cost of housing
2% 3%
26%
1%
26%
The overall cost of living
The area's air quality
6%
The friendliness of the people
4% 12%
20%
22%
The outdoor recreational activities
The shopping opportunities
5%
3%
18%
24%
The activities available for children/families
The higher education opportunities
The job opportunities available
The cultural activities available
24%
8%
10%
6%
23%
4%
11% 2%
6% 2%
11% 4% 3%
18%
5%
12% 2%
2% 5%5% 3%
11%
6%
12% 2%
1% 8% 6% 3%
The quality of the public education system
The night life the area offers
15%
4%8% 8% 4%
The ethnic and cultural diversity
16%
18%
3% 3% 16%
The area's crime rate
The weather
13%
17%
6% 1%
4% 2%
Q61-75. Now, I’m going to repeat a list of factors that might be used to
evaluate a community as a place to live. For each factor, please tell me
whether you consider Bakersfield much worse, somewhat worse, about
the same, somewhat better, or much better than other communities in
California that you are familiar with.
42
Consumer
Importance/
Performance
Matrix
85%
80%
Importance
Mean = 68% (Top 2 Box)
75%
70%
65%
60%
55%
50%
As the chart shows, among perceived weaknesses, weather, job
and higher education opportunities and public education are
considered most important.
RELOCATERS
High Importance
Lower Performance
High Importance
Higher Performance
Crime rate
Job Opportunities
Cost of Living
Air quality
Higher Education
Public education
Weather
Cost of Housing
Friendliness of people
Cultural activites
Activities for families
Outdoor recreation
Nightlife
Shopping
Ethnic/cultural diversity
45%
40%
35%
5%
Low Importance
Lower Performance
10%
15%
Low Importance
Higher Performance
20%
25%
Performance
Mean = 16% (Top 2 Box)
30%
35%
40%
45%
43
Reactions to
Messages
Much more likely
Messages about higher education opportunities, recreational
activities, and Bakersfield’s ranking for business and careers
were most appealing to potential relocaters.
Somewhat more likely
RELOCATERS
Bakersfield has several public and private higher
educational institutions such as California State University
and the University of California
17%
Bakersfield has abundant outdoor recreational activities
such as golf courses, bike paths, and white water rafting
28%
15%
Emphasizing youth and family activities, Bakersfield is a
great place to raise a family
31%
14%
29%
15%
27%
Bakersfield is no more than a two hour drive from the
mountains, rivers, beaches, wine country, and LA
Bakersfield is centrally located, no more than four hours
away from either San Diego or San Francisco
33%
18%
The median home sales price in Bakersfield is $105,500
Bakersfield's cultural activities include a 70-year tradition
symphony and annual Jazz and Film Festivals
33%
14%
Bakersfield is considered one of the best places in the
United States for business and careers, ranked 53rd in the
nation and 15th in California
Bakersfield's entertainment activities include several
sports teams
n=93
12%
6%
4%
30%
26%
25%
QC86-94. I’m going to read you some statements about Bakersfield,
California. Please tell me whether each statement makes you less
likely, neither less nor more likely, or more likely to consider relocating
there.
44
45
•
OBJECTIVES & METHODOLOGY
•
STRATEGIC SUMMARY
•
RESEARCH FINDINGS
Overall Perceptions of Bakersfield
Attitudes of Consumers
Tourism
Relocation
Retirement
Attitudes of Businesses
Demographic Profiles
Factors
Influencing
Retirement
Choices
5- Very Important
46
Medical care and cost of living are most important to older
consumers when considering communities for retirement.
4
n=175
Mean
The availability of medical care
4.37
67%
The quality of medical care
4.31
66%
The overall cost of living
4.09
The cost of housing
4.05
Proximity to family or friends
3.81
The social and recreational activities
for retired people
3.67
15%
14%
46%
34%
50%
39%
34%
QC34-39. Now, I’m going to read a list of factors that might influence
someone’s decision to retire to a certain community. Please tell me
how important each factor is to you. Please rate each factor on a scale
of 1 to 5 where 1 is “Not important at all” and 5 is “Very important.”
26%
25%
29%
Consumers consider the cost of housing and living in Bakersfield
to be better than in other communities they might consider for
retirement. However, for most, Bakersfield is not as close to
their family and friends.
Ratings of
Bakersfield
Somewhat worse
Much worse
Somewhat better
Much better
RETIREES
n=175
Neutral categories not shown
The cost of housing
3%
The overall cost of living
3%
3% 4%
26%
The availability of medical care
3%5% 7% 5%
The quality of medical care
The proximity to family or friends
The social and recreational activities
available for retired people
5% 4%6% 5%
24%
15%
11%
23%
6% 5%
7% 10% 5% 3%
QC76-81. Now, I’m going to repeat a list of factors that might be used to
evaluate a community as a place to retire. For each factor, please tell
me whether you consider Bakersfield much worse, somewhat worse,
about the same, somewhat better, or much better than other
communities in California that you are familiar with.
6%
47
Consumer
Importance/
Performance
Matrix
85%
Areas of high importance and lower performance are availability
and quality of medical care. Areas of high importance and
higher performance are cost of housing and cost of living.
RETIREES
High Importance
Lower Performance
High Importance
Higher Performance
Availibility of medical
care
Quality of medical care
80%
Cost of living
Importance
Mean = 74% (Top 2 Box)
75%
Cost of housing
70%
65%
60%
Proximity to family and
friends
Social and recreational
activites for retirees
55%
50%
45%
40%
35%
5%
Low Importance
Higher Performance
Low Importance
Lower Performance
10%
15%
20%
25%
Performance
Mean = 18% (Top 2 Box)
30%
35%
40%
48
49
•
OBJECTIVES & METHODOLOGY
•
STRATEGIC SUMMARY
•
RESEARCH FINDINGS
Overall Perceptions of Bakersfield
Attitudes of Consumers
Tourism
Relocation
Retirement
Attitudes of Business Persons
Demographic Profiles
Likelihood to
Relocate
About 12% of the business people interviewed say their
company is likely to relocate within the next two years.
BUSINESS
Somewhat
likely
Neither likely 5%
nor unlikely
3%
Very
likely
7%
Somewhat
unlikely
9%
Very unlikely
77%
QB4. How likely is your company to relocate to another community beside the
one where you are currently located within the next two years?
50
Factors
Influencing
Decision to
Relocate
51
Costs and company growth are among the top reasons companies are
considering relocation.
BUSINESS
n=47
Costs (general)
Company growth/need a bigger facility
Government regulations
Energy costs
Lease is almost up
Location of corporate headquarters
Availability/cost of labor
Traffic
Other
Don't know/Refused
36%
17%
9%
6%
6%
6%
6%
4%
9%
11%
Subgroup analysis: Manufacturing companies are more likely to relocate due to company growth
and need for a bigger facility.
QB5. What are the main reasons causing your company to consider relocating?
Factors
Influencing
Relocation
Choices
52
Availability of labor and geographic location were mentioned most
often as factors that are influential in relocation decisions.
BUSINESS
Availability of workforce
Location/traveling distance to work
Cost of living
Amount of business opportunity
Transportation
Cost (general)
The people/community
Tax costs
Amount of space available
Environment
Population
Proximity to the owner's home
Accessibility to recreation/other places
Weather
Shipping/trucking services
Government support/regulations
Other
QB6. If your company were planning to relocate to a different community within
California, what are the most important factors it would consider?
22%
21%
18%
13%
12%
12%
6%
5%
5%
5%
3%
3%
3%
2%
2%
1%
9%
Factors
Influencing
Relocation
Choices
5- Very Important
53
Various aspects of a community’s labor force, including work
ethic, stability, availability, and cost are considered most
important to business relocation decisions.
BUSINESS
4
Mean
The work ethic of the labor force
4.30
The stability of the labor force
4.27
The availability of the labor force
4.28
The cost of labor
4.15
43%
35%
How well the labor force's skills fits company’s needs
4.09
44%
31%
The overall cost of living
4.00
The cost of land
3.96
The area's accessibility to major highways
3.98
The training of the labor force
3.89
The cost of housing
3.82
The area's proximity to major markets
55%
3.63
The higher education opportunities
3.38
The accessibility to air travel
3.20
The cultural and recreational activities available
3.26
48%
37%
50%
34%
37%
37%
44%
27%
40%
30%
38%
30%
30%
3.70
The area's technical infrastructure (T1 and T3 lines)
30%
37%
35%
26%
30%
20%
18%
13%
25%
27%
22%
26%
QB7-21. Now, I’m going to read you a list of factors that might be used to
evaluate a community as a place to live and as a business location.
Please tell me how important each factor would be to your company if it
were considering moving some where else in California.
Likelihood to
Relocate to
Bakersfield
Based on current perceptions, few California businesses would
consider relocating to Bakersfield. Even among businesses likely
to relocate with the next two years, only 6% are likely to
relocate to Bakersfield.
BUSINESS
Unlikely to Relocate
Likely to Relocate
n=46
n=354
Somewhat
unlikely
11%
Very unlikely
79%
Neither likely
nor unlikely
6%
Somewhat
likely
3%
Somewhat
unlikely
11%
Neither likely
nor unlikely
20%
Very
likely
2%
Somewhat
likely
4%
Very
likely
2%
Very unlikely
63%
QB28. If your company were planning on relocating to somewhere else in
California within the next two years, how likely would it be to relocate to
Bakersfield?
54
Reasons
Preventing
Relocation to
Bakersfield
55
Bakersfield’s geographic location appears to be preventing businesses
from considering it. In several cases, businesses need to be closer to
other areas or already have customer bases established elsewhere.
n=346
BUSINESS
UNLIKELY TO RELOCATE IN NEXT TWO YEARS:
Need to be close to other places
24%
Not likely we will relocate
14%
Customer base already established
12%
Bad business opportunity/small market 8%
Lacks work force/talent needed
7%
Weather is too hot
7%
Happy elsewhere
6%
Employees live elsewhere
4%
Owner's issues
3%
Nothing to attract us there
3%
Too small for our business
2%
Other
21%
n=45
LIKELY TO RELOCATE IN NEXT TWO YEARS:
Customer base already established
18%
Need to be close to other places
16%
Bad business opportunity/small market 13%
Employees live elsewhere
9%
Lacks work force/talent needed
4%
Happy elsewhere
4%
Owner's issues
2%
Other
33%
QB29. Why isn’t your company more likely to relocate to Bakersfield?
Businesses generally rate the cost of land, living, and labor in
Bakersfield as better than that of other communities.
Accessibility to air travel, higher education opportunities and
training of labor force are generally rated as worse.
Ratings of
Bakersfield
Somewhat worse
Much worse
Somewhat better
Much better
56
BUSINESS
Neutral categories not shown
The cost of housing
The cost of land
1% 5%
43%
1% 5%
43%
The overall cost of living
1% 5%
The cost of labor
6%
The availability of the labor force
5%
The stability of the labor force
The work ethic of the labor force
The area's proximity to major markets
14%
How well the labor force's skills fit needs
The accessibility to air travel
The cultural and recreational activities
8%
16%
The area's technical infrastructure
3% 11%
19%
3% 9%
18%
32%
11%
7%
17%
30%
8%
5%
4%
3%
14%
5%
11% 5%
22%
11%
11%
12%
10% 4%
29%
5%
24%
20%
23%
22%
38%
18%
31%
The training of the labor force
The higher education opportunities
13%
23%
41%
1% 6%
The area's accessibility to major highways
25%
2%
7% 4%
8% 3%
8% 3%
QB30-44. Now, I’m going to read once again a list of factors that might be
used to evaluate a community. For each factor, please tell me whether
Bakersfield is much worse, somewhat worse, about the same,
somewhat better, or much better than other communities in California
you are familiar with.
Business
Importance/
Performance
Matrix
85%
BUSINESS
High Importance
Lower Performance
Importance
Mean = 67% (Top 2 Box)
75%
High Importance
Higher Performance
Labor stability
Labor availibility
Work ethic
80%
Cost of labor
How well labor skill's fit
company's needs
Cost of living
70%
Cost of land
Assessibility to highways
Training of labor force
65%
57
Among Bakersfield’s perceived weaknesses are various
attributes of the community’s labor force.
60%
Cost of housing
Proximity to markets
55%
Technical infrastructure
50%
45%
40%
Higher education
Low Importance
Lower Performance
35%
5% 10
%
Low Importance
Higher Performance
Assessibility to air travel
Cultural and recreational
activities
15
%
20
%
25
%
30
%
35
%
40
%
45
%
Performance
Mean = 30% (Top 2 Box)
50
%
55
%
60
%
65
%
70
%
75
%
Reactions to
Messages
Much more likely
Business persons find messages about the cost of housing and
the work ethic of Bakersfield’s labor force to be most influential.
Somewhat more likely
BUSINESS
25%
The median home sales price in Bakersfield is $105,500
40%
With a turnover rate that is much lower than average, Bakersfield
has a loyal labor force with a strong work ethic
16%
The cost of labor in Bakersfield is around $3.60 less per hour than
the national average
16%
37%
The availability of labor in Bakersfield is high. On average, there
are between 5 and 10 quality applicants per job opening
16%
36%
Industrial zoned land in the Bakersfield region averages $1.40 to
$2.50 per square foot
Bakersfield's labor force has a large and diverse skill set that
spans from agriculture to high tech skills
41%
12%
35%
10%
37%
Bakersfield is considered one of the best places in the United
States for business and careers, ranked 53rd in the nation and
15th in California, according to the Forbes/Milken Institute
Several major Fortune 500 companies have headquarters or
major regional operations in Bakersfield
8%
31%
Bakersfield contains abundant ATM, ISDN, DSL, and T1 and
T3 lines
10%
27%
Situated between Los Angeles, Sacramento, and San Francisco,
Bakersfield is the hub for three key freeways- Interstate 5 and
State Routes 99 and 58
10%
26%
10%
32%
QB45-54. Now, I’m going to read you some statements about Bakersfield,
California. Please tell me whether each statement makes you less
likely, neither less nor more likely, or more likely to consider relocating
there.
58
59
•
OBJECTIVES & METHODOLOGY
•
STRATEGIC SUMMARY
•
RESEARCH FINDINGS
Overall Perceptions of Bakersfield
Attitudes of Consumers
Tourism
Relocation
Retirement
Attitudes of Business Persons
Demographic Profiles
60
DEMOGRAPHIC
PROFILE
CONSUMERS
AGE
EDUCATION
INCOME
18-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-64
65 plus
17%
16%
23%
19%
12%
13%
Less than high school
Graduated high school
Some college/Tech./Voc
Graduated college
Graduate/professional school
5%
19%
29%
35%
10%
Less than $35,000
$35,000 to less than $50,000
$50,000 to less than $75,000
$75,000 to less than $100,000
$100,000 to less than $150,000
$150,000 and above
Don't know
Refused
16%
16%
18%
14%
10%
8%
4%
14%
61
DEMOGRAPHIC
PROFILE
CONSUMERS
MARRIAGE
Single
Married
Divorced
Widow or widower
36%
49%
9%
5%
ETHNICITY
Asian
African American
Caucasian
Hispanic
Other
Refused
5%
6%
68%
15%
4%
3%
Male
Female
46%
54%
GENDER
62
DEMOGRAPHIC
PROFILE
BUSINESS
REVENUE
TITLE
Less than $500,000
$500,000 to less than $1 million
$1 million to less than $2.5 million
$2.5 million to less than $5 million
More than $5 million
6%
14%
19%
14%
37%
Manager/Supervisor/Director/Coordinator
Executive V.P./ Senior V.P./ V.P.
Owner/President/CEO
Some other executive level position
Other non-executive level position
33%
13%
21%
14%
19%
63
DEMOGRAPHIC
PROFILE
BUSINESS
INDUSTRY
GENDER
Manufacturing
High technology
Distribution
Construction/ Mining
Professional Services / Associations
Agricultural
General services
Wholesale
Retail
Other
58%
11%
5%
4%
4%
3%
3%
2%
2%
9%
Male
Female
61%
39%
For more information:
Cogent Research, LLC
2 Tyler Court
Cambridge, MA 02140
617-441-9944
www.cogentresearch.com