A new poll commissioned by the Hartford-Springfield Economic Partnership shows despite employing survival strategies, most firms are optimistic and taking actions that will prepare them for a recovery after the recession.

The recession has taken a toll on businesses across the country, and Hartford-Springfield firms are no exception: 83 percent report the recession has had a direct negative effect on their business, according to the 2009 Hartford-Springfield Regional Business Survey.

To remain competitive, the poll shows many businesses in the interstate region have postponed capital spending (48 percent), cut their workforce (45 percent) or initiated hiring or pay freezes (39 percent). Only a handful (9 percent) have raised prices. More businesses have lowered prices to boost demand, and almost half (49 percent) have increased marketing efforts to prepare for recovery when the economy bounces back.

The proportion of businesses expecting to record a loss in 2007 and in 2009 has remained the same (23 percent), but the share of businesses expecting to record a profit dropped precipitously from 71 percent in 2007 to a projected 41 percent in 2009, the survey showed.