The average duration Korean manufacturers expect their firms to last is growing shorter, as they suffer from falling profitability amid the prolonged economic slowdown at home and abroad, a survey showed Monday.

Korean firms’ average expected longevity was 8.4 years, according to a poll by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry of 2,400 manufacturers across the nation

Electronics-makers forecast the shortest lifespan, while textile producers had the longest.

Nearly half of the respondents said they doubt the survival of their businesses after eight years, citing difficulty in keeping up with technologies and market conditions.

The survey also showed that 38 percent of firms expected to survive for just three years, which is an indication that Korea is one of the harshest markets for businesses among Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development countries.