(Posted 8-2-99)
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
News Service Contact: Steve Gilliam, 336-334-5619

OFFICE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC RESEARCH
BEING CREATED BY BRYAN SCHOOL AT UNCG
 

Dr. James Weeks

Dr. Andrew Brod

GREENSBORO -- A new Office of Business and Economic Research (OBER), designed to conduct high-quality applied research projects in the Piedmont Triad and the state, is being started in the Bryan School of Business and Economics at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

The new operation will draw on the expertise of Bryan School faculty and will undertake projects from both the public and private sector. It will be directed by Dr. Andrew Brod, an economist in the school.

"This research office is one of the most exciting new programs to be developed in the Bryan School in recent years," said Dr. James Weeks, dean of the school. "Economic development has become increasingly complex and relies more and more on analysis of economic factors. We have high-quality talent in the area of applied research on the Bryan School’s faculty. We think this expertise can be utilized for the mutual benefit of the community, the university and the faculty."

The primary goal of the OBER is public service, said Brod, who said that future projects could be conducted for regional business and industry, state and local governments, chambers of commerce and trade groups. The core of its work will include economic impact studies, regional analyses, policy analyses and program assessments.

The office will contract research on a fee basis in order to cover its operating expenses, said Brod. It also will do some research for community and government entities, such as serving on committees or community boards, on a pro bono basis.

"In general, economic analysis is best used as an information resource," said Brod. "The Bryan School’s goal for the Office for Business and Economic Research is for it to become a source of dependable and objective economic analysis for the Triad region of Greensboro, High Point and Winston-Salem, and for North Carolina as a whole.

"The focus of this office will not be highly theoretical. If you look at both the public and private arenas, more and more decisions are being made based on perceived economic effects. Decision-makers in government and business need the best and most reliable information if they are to make informed decisions. We hope to be able to provide that information through this new venture."

Initially, Brod and four UNCG faculty members will be associated with the project. They are Dr. Donald Jud, a professor in the Department of Business Administration; Dr. Peter Bearse, an assistant professor in the Department of Economics; and Dr. John Rees, a professor, and Dr. Keith Debbage, an associate professor, both of the Department of Geography.

Brod noted that applied research opportunities for businesses and industry associations may become available to involve other faculty and graduate students from the Bryan School’s departments of business administration, economics, accounting and information systems.

The OBER will be housed on the third floor of the Bryan School. Interested persons with potential research projects can contact Brod in the school at 336-334-5464.

A quarterly review of research activity and information also is in the planning stages for the OBER. The Triad Business Index, a survey of local business indicators for the Piedmont Triad which Jud compiles, will be included in the review.

For its contract work, the OBER will generate high-quality research in economics and business policy that is of value to the Triad and the state, said Brod. In addition to the research, it also will coordinate seminars and publications.

Brod checked with other universities in the state to assess both the need for the new center and possible competition. He also checked with out-of-state universities of comparable size and enrollment to UNCG. "A lot of universities have research and outreach arms, but their missions vary greatly," said Brod. "The larger universities tend to have centers with more of a national focus in their research. In looking at the centers on other campuses, they were active, self-supporting and provided badly needed services."