Media
continued from 2012
State Sales Tax Collections Climb
Nashville Post (Feb. 24, 2012)
Sales tax collections in Tennessee continue to climb and are now up 7.4 percent over this time last year, according to data compiled by the Business and Economic Research Center at the Jones College of Business at Middle Tennessee State University.
Nashville Area's Consumer Debt Level Ticks Higher
Tennessean (Feb. 7, 2012)
People typically borrow and spend more when they're feeling better about the economy, said David Penn, a Middle Tennessee State University economist.
Auto Suppliers Bring Additional Jobs to Middle Tennessee
News Sentinel (Jan. 30, 2012); Tennessean (Jan. 20, 2012)
For each direct new hire made by the automakers themselves, there will be as many as three new positions created by suppliers to the auto plants, many of which will locate close to the vehicle-assembly facilities, said David Penn, an economist at Middle Tennessee State University who tracks employment trends.
TACIR, MTSU Tracking Tennessee's Economic Recovery (p. 4)
Tennessee County News (page 4, Jan. 26, 2012)
TACIR is collaborating with Middle Tennessee State University's Business & Economic Research Center to provide a web site (http://mtsu.edu/berc/tacir) to track the state's economy during the recovery from the recession that be- gan in December 2007.
West Tennessee
Wikipedia (January, 2012)
Demographics section
Tennessee Jobless Rate Hits 3-Year Low in December
Tennessean (Jan. 20, 2012)
Construction and manufacturing now are leading the healing of Tennessee's labor market. "The strength in those sectors now is pretty surprising," said David Penn, a Middle Tennessee State University economist and director of its Business and Economic Research Center. An uptick in multifamily housing projects and commercial ventures, such as Nashville's Music City Center, probably is behind the recent growth in construction jobs, he said. Automotive-related industries, led by Volkswagen's new Chattanooga plant, are leading the job gains in manufacturing, Penn said.
Industry Snapshot: The Highs and Lows of Theme Parks
Nashville Business Journal (Jan. 19, 2012)
"Industries that depend on entertainment dollars do well when the economy's growing," said David Penn, director of the Business and Economic Research Center at Middle Tennessee State University. "There will be ups-and-downs in the future." Penn said geography is also a strength, and that the park's overall economic impact will depend on its ability to draw new people or keep people from leaving for attractions elsewhere.
Nashville Rises in Brookings' Economic Rankings
Tennessean (Jan. 19, 2012)
MTSU economist David Penn: "I've been impressed with the drops in the unemployment rate in Nashville. It's less than 8 percent now, and that's because we're generating jobs, not because people have stopped looking for work. The question is, can it be sustained? I think it's likely, but there are risks ahead."
Fewer People Move to Tennessee
Tennessean (Dec. 25, 2011)
Fewer jobs were available to draw people to new locations, and falling home prices made it tough for people to sell a house and move to another state, said David Penn, an economist at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro.
Euro's Woes May Lead to Bargain Imports
Tennessean (Dec. 24, 2011)
"At the moment, I don't think there's much of an effect on purchases from Europe, and historically it has taken about six to nine months for exchange-rate changes to show up in Tennessee trade data," said Steven Livingston, a professor at Middle Tennessee State University who tracks trade and currency fluctuations.
Despite Difficulties, Tennessee Exports to Europe Up
WPLN (Dec. 16, 2011)
Tennessee companies sent close to a billion dollars worth of goods to Europe in the third quarter, that's more than what was exported to China. MTSU's Steven Livingston says while some European countries are having big problems, not all have gone down the drain.
TNTrade Initiative Seeks to Boost Tenn. Exports
WMOT.org (Dec. 8, 2011)
Despite Difficulties, Tennessee Exports to Europe Up
WPLN (Dec. 16, 2011)
Tennessee companies sent close to a billion dollars worth of goods to Europe in the third quarter, that's more than what was exported to China. MTSU's Steven Livingston says while some European countries are having big problems, not all have gone down the drain.
TNTrade Initiative Seeks to Boost Tenn. Exports
WMOT.org (Dec. 8, 2011)
Despite Difficulties, Tennessee Exports to Europe Up
WPLN (Dec. 16, 2011)
Tennessee companies sent close to a billion dollars worth of goods to Europe in the third quarter, that's more than what was exported to China. MTSU's Steven Livingston says while some European countries are having big problems, not all have gone down the drain.
TNTrade Initiative Seeks to Boost Tenn. Exports
WMOT.org (Dec. 8, 2011)
Middle Tennessee State University economist Steven Livingston studies Tennessee exports. He says there is room for improvement: "If you look around the state there's lots of firms that should be looking at foreign markets that aren't. We're still a little bit behind a lot of the United States in the percentage of our firms that are exporting. So there are definitely sound ground to be gained there."
Tennessee Program Aims to Boost Exports
Tennessean (Dec. 7, 2011)
Tennessee firms exported nearly $7.5 billion worth of goods in the third quarter, a 10-percent gain from the comparable year-ago period, according to Middle Tennessee State University's Business and Economic Research Center.
Red States, Green Jobs
Governing.com (December, 2011)
All totaled, 10,000 green jobs will be created in the state between now and 2014, according to a recent report by the Business and Economic Research Center at Middle Tennessee State University and the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development.
The Health of the Country's Native American Populations May Depend in Part on MTSU Research
MTSU Magazine (November, 2011)
When the United South and Eastern Tribes Inc. (USET) wanted to learn the true cost of providing health care to members of 26 American Indian tribes in 12 states, and whether adequate resources were being allocated, they turned to Dr. Murat Arik, associate director of MTSU's Business and Economic Research Center (BERC).
No Longer Made in China: U.S. Companies Start Re-Importing Some Jobs; Tennessee Companies Benefit
Tennessean (Oct. 16, 2011)
An analysis last year by Middle Tennessee State University economist Steven Livingston found the state generates almost twice the number of requests for trade adjustment aid than one would expect based on the number of manufacturing businesses. Livingston attributed that to two factors. First, many of Tennessee's manufacturing plants are branches owned by out-of-state companies, and Tennessee plants are more likely to be located in rural areas. Such sites are often among the first to be closed when the economy plummets.
Trade Deal to Send Aid to Tennessee Workers
Tennessean (Oct. 14, 2011)
Among neighboring states, only textile giant North Carolina has a greater imbalance between petitions and manufacturers. The national ratio is half the one in Tennessee. From 2006 to 2009, TAA appropriations to Tennessee increased 27 percent. "In other words, Tennessee needs more and more support relative to other states," MTSU professor Steven Livingston concluded. Textiles and apparel accounted for 13 percent of the state's petitions and auto parts accounted for 11 percent, according to the MTSU analysis. The rubber and electrical industries each comprised another 10 percent.
Middle Tennessee Jobs Gloom Eases
Tennessean (Oct. 1, 2011, Daily News Journal)
"It is much better than it was a year ago," David Penn, director of MTSU's Business and Economic Research Center, told more than 150 people gathered in a hotel meeting room here. He predicted the regional economy will maintain modest improvement in the coming year, but warned that was contingent on how the U.S. economy fares.
Nashville Area's Income Takes a Dive
Tennessean (Sept. 22, 2011)
"I guess my bottom line is, I don't think these numbers are right," said David Penn, director of the Business and Economic Research Center at Middle Tennessee State University .Nashville, he said, has weathered the recession better than most areas, and other economic metrics, such as employment growth and sales tax receipts, show a region where incomes are relatively healthy.
In Middle TN, Most Doubt Obama's Jobs Plan Will Fix Economy
Tennessean (Sept. 9, 2011)
"There's no question a lot more is needed." said Economist David Penn of Middle Tennessee State University, adding that he believes targeted tax breaks are more effective. Even if Obama's plan is enacted in its entirety, which is widely considered unlikely because of Republican opposition, "it'll have a modest impact. It's certainly not going to fix the problem."
MTSU's Impact Far Reaching
Tennessean (Sept. 4, 2011)
The university generates about $896.1 million annually in business revenue within the Nashville Metropolitan area, with $395.9 million of revenue created in Rutherford Country, according to MTSU's Business and Economic Research Center Director David Penn and his staff member Murat Arik.
Consumer Spending Robust in July for Kingsport/Bristol MSA
Times News (Aug. 31, 2011)
Consumer spending in the Kingsport/Bristol Metropolitan Statistical Area was robust again in July and led the other East Tennessee MSAs in the growth rate from June ... according to Middle Tennessee State University's Business and Economic Research Center sales tax collection data.
July Jobless Totals Mixed
Tennessean (Aug. 26, 2011)
Davidson County reported its best July unemployment rate in two years, fostering hopes that the local economy is making a shift toward recovery. "It means supply and demand are a little more balanced," said David Penn, economics professor at Middle Tennessee State University. "It's an encouraging sign." Neighboring counties, however, recorded little change from a year ago, and other major Tennessee cities saw worse joblessness than in July 2010. A possible explanation, Penn said, is that fewer people may have been looking for work in July, thereby artificially lowering the county's unemployment percentage.
Chattanooga Income Gains Double U.S. Average
Times Free Press (Aug. 23, 2011)
"The metropolitan areas of the state are generally growing faster than rural areas in this recovery," said Murat Arik, associate director of the Business and Economic Research Center at Middle Tennessee State University. "But there is still a lot of uncertainty and not the level of growth we're used to seeing in most recoveries."
Weaker Dollar, Sluggish Demand Spur Chattanooga's Exports
Times Free Press (Aug. 21, 2011)
Among Tennessee's 95 counties, Hamilton County trails only Memphis' Shelby County for the most businesses exporting goods, according to a new study of Tennessee trade by the Business and Economic Research Center at Middle Tennessee State University.
Deficit Deal Fails to Impress Middle Tennesseans
Tennessean (Aug. 3, 2011)
"It should have been done six months ago," said Middle Tennessee State University economist David Penn. "The only thing positive you can say is that it is done. But taking us right to the brink cannot have done anything positive for the economy... What we need is a long-term plan to deal with the debt and entitlement programs."
UAW Revving Up to Unionize the South
Tennessean (July 31, 2011)
Even if the UAW does succeed in organizing the Volkswagen plant, Tennessee's right-to-work law means that no one could be required to join the union or pay dues, said David Penn, a Middle Tennessee State University economist.
Green Job Growth Expected to Outpace Other Sectors
Memphis Business Journal (July 29, 2011)
According to two reports compiled by the Tennessee Department of Labor & Workforce Development and the Business and Economic Research Center at Middle Tennessee State University, 10,000 green jobs will be created in the state between now and 2014.
Haslam Links South's High Unemployment to College Graduation Rates
Tennessee Report (July 28, 2011)
"The skill issue is one that's critical," said Mhurat Arik, associate director of the Business and Economic Research Center at Middle Tennessee State University. "It may not be in the commonly used unemployment rate, but when you look at the broader picture … many don't have the educational skill to perform in the current market."
Tennessee Jobless Rate Nears 10 Percent
Tennessean (July 22, 2011)
David Penn calculated Tennessee's inflation-adjusted average wage was $20 an hour in the first quarter of 2011. While that's 15 cents lower than in the previous quarter, the state's real wage has generally risen since the recession ended in mid-2009 and is close to pre-recession levels, he said. He suspects Tennessee is creating more higher-skilled jobs, which tend to pay more, during the recovery.
Trade Report: Tennessee Export Profile: Medical Equipment Leads
World Trade Daily (July 18, 2011)
According to last quarter's MTSU Business and Economic Research Center "Global Commerce" report: "The combination of economic recovery, a falling dollar, and record commodity prices have produced surging exports thus far in 2011. Tennessee exports for the first quarter of the year rose just over $1.5 billion from a year ago to $7.354 billion. The state's rate of export growth over this period, 25.4%, was 13th best among the American states, substantially ahead of the national figure (18.4%)."
Green Jobs in Tennessee
MTSU website (podcast, July 10, 2011)
According to the Business and Economic Research Center at MTSU there are 36 exporters based in Sullivan County and 40 in Washington Co.
Eastman 'Anxious' to See Outcome of Pending Trade Agreements
Times News (July 5, 2011)
According to the Business and Economic Research Center at MTSU there are 36 exporters based in Sullivan County and 40 in Washington Co.
West Tennessee Jobs Not So Green
Commercial Appeal (July 3, 2011)
Murat Arik, MTSU professor and co-author of "Green Jobs in Tennessee" said the state has lost its competitive edge in traditional manufacturing and has lost jobs to cheaper labor markets. But Tennessee has an opportunity to seize the green economy.