George Hammond, EBRC Director and Research Professor
The Economic and Business Research Center provided key contributions to the outreach mission of the Eller College and the University of Arizona last year
The Economic and Business Research Center is the premier source for socio-economic data, analysis, and forecasts for Arizona. Starting in 2020, the Center team greatly expanded its efforts to keep the community informed about the economic impacts of the pandemic and that effort continued in 2021.
The Center is a national leader in the digital delivery of information on the Arizona economy, through its Arizona’s Economy online magazine, the MAP Dashboard and the Arizona-Mexico Economic Indicators websites. Last year the Center again received national recognition when Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) selected the MAP Dashboard for the 2021 Research Award for Data Collection, Dissemination, and Visualization.
In 2021, EBRC websites served 122,000 users, which was a 1% increase from 2020 and a more than 50% increase from 2019. Across all websites, the team published 192 articles to inform policymakers and the public on the latest economic trends and forecasts. These articles tracked the state’s labor market, real estate trends, population and demographics, and many more key issues.
Further, Center researchers did 35 public presentations that attracted 3,400 attendees at events ranging from MAP Talk Webinars to the Eller Annual Economic Outlook and Breakfast with the Economists events.
The Center is a coordinating agency in the Census Bureau’s State Data Center Program. This partnership makes Census data, analysis, and education more widely available to users in Arizona, thus improving data-driven decision making across the state.
The Center also maintained its popular Arizona’s Economy smartphone app, which delivers the latest high-frequency data to users. The app is free and available for download on the Apple App Store and Google Play for Android devices.
The Center’s research generated significant statewide and national visibility through 73 media citations including the Washington Post, Arizona Republic, Arizona Daily Star, Arizona Public Media, KJZZ, KGUN, KVOA, and other state and local media outlets.
Finally, the team maintained a strong social media presence with 2,800 followers across Facebook and Twitter.
Background Information on EBRC
The mission of the Economic and Business Research Center is to provide Arizona’s citizens, educators, business leaders, and decision makers with high-quality applied economic research, forecasts and analysis of trends that impact business success and quality of life in Arizona.
The purpose of the Center is to expand the outreach and service mission of the College and University. The Center accomplishes this by being the premier source for socio-economic data, analysis, and forecasts for Arizona. The Center has fulfilled this role since 1949.
The Center supports the land grant mission of the College and University by expanding outreach to the local, state, national, and international communities. Under the current strategic plan, the Center primarily falls under Pillar III: The Arizona Advantage. Through our outreach to the business community, policymakers, and the general public, the Center provides critical information on Arizona’s economic performance to local Arizona communities, the State, the nation, and the world.
The Center seeks to fully leverage 4th Industrial Revolution advancements to lead in the digital delivery of economic information (websites, smartphone app) for the state of Arizona. This improves decision making at all levels of business, government, and education, which in turn fosters innovation and contributes to economic development.
The Center builds key relationships with stakeholders across Arizona, including businesses, state and local governments, and utilities. These mutually beneficial partnerships advance planning, innovation, and economic growth in our region.
