Latest ASLA Business Quarterly Released
ASLA members can now access the February issue of the Business Quarterly to read up on firms' economic outlook and more.

ASLA's Business Quarterly, a publication that tracks the economic outlook for landscape architecture firms, has released its latest issue. This issue's survey asked hundreds of firms about their billing hours, inquiries, and hiring plans. Other BQ articles include advice for small firms on staying competitive and how firms can get all members of their staff involved in business development.

The majority of landscape architects remain busy despite trouble in the housing market. More than six in ten firms reported steady or increased work, and nearly four in ten firms planned to hire in the upcoming quarter. The survey asked quarterly benchmarks on key statistics including billable hours, inquiries, and hiring plans, with 319 firms responding.

As with third quarter of 2007, the fourth quarter saw the majority of firms staying busy despite larger housing market troubles. Fifty-nine percent of respondents described their billable hours as either “well above average” (six percent), “slightly above average” (25 percent), or “average” (27 percent). Thirty percent said their hours were “slightly below average,” and 10 percent said “well below average.” When asked to compare Q4 2007 with Q4 2006, 61 percent said their hours were either “higher” (31 percent) or “about the same” (30 percent); 36 percent said that compared to 2006 their hours were “lower.”