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entrepreneurial climate has some positive features. According to Inc. <br />magazine, in 1983, the Region had one of the strongest showings of any metropol- <br />itan area. In a ranking of the 100 fastest growing small businesses in the <br />nation, seven are located in this Region. Only the Denver -Boulder metropolitan <br />area, with five companies, had a comparable showing. <br />Between 1970 and 1980, the total number of business establishments in the <br />Region increased by 49 percent, compared with a 29 percent national increase. <br />Employment in these firms increased 38 percent in the Region, compared with a <br />national increase of 31 percent. <br />The number of small businesses in the Region, those with 20 or fewer employees, <br />increased 51 percent from 1970 to 1980, compared with a 28 percent increase <br />nationally. In the Region, small businesses made up 82 percent of all business <br />establishments in 1980, compared with 86 percent at the national level. <br />Things have been good if one looks at the past 10 to 20 years. However, the <br />last two years have not been good ones for the Region economically, Questions <br />have been raised about the stability of the state economy and future growth <br />prospects. The policies that follow are part of an effort to help deal with <br />that issue. <br />6 <br />