Companies in Western Norway pessimistic about the future
A survey of almost 1,000 business leaders in Rogaland and Hordaland reveals that many envision a dark future ahead.
Three out of four respondents in the survey think the business community is in crisis as a result of the oil crisis, newspaper Dagens Næringsliv writes. Approximately 40 percent of the companies report that they expect lower level of activity over the next year, while that proportion was 11 percent one year ago.
– We were a bit shocked when we saw the results. We had thought that only a small minority would answer that there is crisis. Now most of the companies dare to speak of a “crisis”, industry policy chief Atle Kvamme in Bergen Chamber of Commerce says. The Chamber has prepared the survey together with industry associations in Stavanger, Haugesund and Stord.
30 percent of respondents say they expect the staffs of their companies to be reduced during the year, compared with 15 percent one year ago.
Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today
