(UM Photo)
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MISSOULA – The University of Montana Bureau of Business and Economic Research reports on several of the state’s current economic issues and trends in the latest edition of Montana Business Quarterly.

In an article titled “From Boom to Bust – the Economic Impact of the Bakken,” BBER Emeritus Director Paul Polzin examines the history of the Bakken from the beginning of the boom in 2011 through the present, as well as the economic impact of the boom-bust cycle on the communities of Sidney, Montana, and Williston, North Dakota. According to Polzin, “the big news is not that these local economies started to decline, but that they have not declined more.”

“The advanced technology utilized in the Bakken has created a moderate break-even price between the low-cost Middle East petroleum and the capital intensive projects like the Canadian Tar Sands,” Polzin writes.

The Montana Business Quarterly also contains an article written by Bryce Ward, BBER’s associate director, titled “Picking the Right College: What can we learn about college quality from the average earnings of its students?”

Nate Negyi’s article, “One Beer at a Time,” follows Montana’s craft brewing industry which shows no signs of slowing down.

“Traveler Spending” by Norma Nickerson and Kara Grau of UM’s Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research looks at the spending tendencies of travelers visiting Montana. The article examines the economic impact of “geotravelers” – those who care about Montana’s well-being, our scenic and natural qualities, our culture and heritage, and what it’s like to be a Montanan. These geotravelers purchase local products and services and keep dollars local, according to the study.

Established in 1948, BBER is the main research unit of UM’s School of Business Administration. It informs Montanans about the economic climate in which they live and work. In addition to conducting its Economic Outlook Seminars across the state each year, BBER researchers engage in a wide range of applied research projects that address different aspects of the state economy, including survey research, economic analysis, health care research, forecasting, wood products research and energy research. It has published the Montana Business Quarterly since 1949.

For more information or to subscribe to the Montana Business Quarterly, click HERE.

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