Ending Soon! Save 33% on All Access

Few People Believe Small Businesses Lead to Job Creation, Sobering Study Reveals A majority of people said keeping manufacturing jobs in the country is the best solution for job creation.

By Rose Leadem

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Shutterstock

Job creation remains one of most debated subjects today. From reducing government regulations to improving education, there are a number of different suggestions for creating more jobs.

A recent poll by Gallup uncovered top recommendations for job creation, by asking 1,011 American participants, "What would be the best way to create more jobs in the United States?"

Related: 10 Tips for Finding a Job That Will Make You Happy

The number one recommendation from participants was "Keeping manufacturing jobs from going overseas." Nineteen percent of people polled said this would be the best corporate action. And while President Donald Trump's campaign consisted of much talk about creating and retaining more manufacturing jobs in the U.S., this topic has been long-discussed even before his campaign. Keeping manufacturing jobs in the U.S. also topped Gallup's 2009 and 2011 polls.

Reducing government regulation, lowering taxes, creating more infrastructure work and improving education were also among the top suggestions from surveyed Americans. In fact, 12 percent of people said less government regulation would be the best solution and another 12 percent said lowering taxes was the answer.

Related: These 5 Robotics Startups Are Changing The Way Work Gets Done

Unfortunately for entrepreneurs, few people believe that small businesses will help lead to job creation. In fact, only 6 percent voted on "Do more to help small businesses" this year, while this number was 12 percent in 2009 and 11 percent in 2011. Forty-eight percent of the U.S. workforce is employed by small businesses, according to the Small Business Administration.

With the rise of technology, people are beginning to worry about their jobs. Compared to 2009 (3 percent) and 2011 (4 percent), a substantial amount of more people (10 percent) voted on "Improve education" as the best way to create more jobs. That's because a primary concern for many people today is that their jobs will be eliminated by technology, AI, robots and automation, so better education could lead to better jobs.

Rose Leadem is a freelance writer for Entrepreneur.com. 

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Starting a Business

I Wish I Knew These Four Things Before Starting My Own Business

Starting a business is hard work to say the least. These are four lessons I wish someone had shared with me before going solo, so I'm here to share them with you.

Side Hustle

These Brothers Had 'No Income' When They Started a 'Low-Risk, High-Reward' Side Hustle to Chase a Big Dream — Now They've Surpassed $50 Million in Revenue

Sam Lewkowict, co-founder and CEO of men's grooming brand Black Wolf Nation, knows what it takes to harness the power of side gig for success.

Leadership

How a $10,000 Investment in AI Transformed My Career and Business Strategy

A bold $10,000 investment in AI and machine learning education fundamentally transformed my career and business strategy. Here's how adaption in the ever-evolving realm of AI — with the right investment in education, personal growth and business innovation — can transform your business.

Marketing

What I Learned From Spending $5.9 Million on Marketing Last Year

Road-tested tips to 6X your revenue per lead, double your social media leads and increase sales conversations. I know because I lived it!

Science & Technology

3 Major Mistakes Companies Are Making With AI That Is Limiting Their ROI

With so many competing narratives around the future of AI, it's no wonder companies are misaligned on the best approach for integrating it into their organizations.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.