Search Results
Journal Article
New England's educational advantage: past successes and future prospects
Any enumeration of New England's competitive strengths is likely to include the high education levels of its work force. The growing availability of highly educated workers in the region has permitted the development of industries that make use of advanced skills and raised the average standard of living during the past several decades. This article investigates the sources of New England's educational advantage historically, examines recent trends in key determinants, and discusses prospects for the future. ; The author presents the basic facts on educational attainment in New England and ...
Report
Achieving greater fiscal stability: guidance for the New England states
This report considers the New England states? past preparedness for revenue downturns caused by business cycle fluctuations and assesses policy actions that could promote greater fiscal stability in the future.
Journal Article
Labor markets and earnings inequality : a status report
Journal Article
Geographic shifts in higher education
A common complaint of businesses nationwide is that they have not been able to hire as many highly educated workers as they would like to employ, resulting in unfilled vacancies in professional and technical positions. Regardless of the traditional relationships between employers and nearby universities, many states now are reexamining how their higher educational institutions can play a larger role in the development and growth of "knowledge-based" industries. Colleges and universities have an effect on the availability of labor in their local area in a variety of ways, most notably in ...
Discussion Paper
Towards a more prosperous Springfield, MA: what jobs exist for people without a college education?
This paper analyzes projections of Massachusetts employment opportunities by occupation to address concerns about a shortage of jobs for those who lack a college education. While occupations requiring a college degree will grow more rapidly over the period 2006-2016 than occupations that do not require college, replacement needs will ensure large numbers of job openings that do not require college. Wage levels in jobs that do not require college are generally low, however. The exceptions usually require meaningful training of another sort, such as long-term on-the-job training or courses in ...
Journal Article
Observations: top-heavy job loss
The job downturn has fallen heavily on the highest wage industries.
Journal Article
Effects of state and local public policies on economic development: an overview
The use of state and local public policy as an instrument of economic development is more controversial than ever. Profound technological and political changes have enhanced the geographic mobility of capital and extended firms' geographic range, intensifying competition among states and localities. At the same time, demand for state and local public services continues to rise, while impending reductions in federal aid compound the states' fiscal dilemma.> Caught between conflicting long-run fiscal pressures, state and local policymakers have sought advice on which policies are most ...
Journal Article
The costs of defense-related layoffs in New England
Since the late 1980s, declines in defense spending have resulted in dramatic employment reductions in defense-related sectors of the economy. Although considerable information exists on the fate of major defense contractors and military bases in New England, little is known about what has happened to laid-off defense workers.> This article reviews the distinctive features of life insurance companies and how they have reshaped their liabilities and restructured their assets in order to cope with the consequences of rising interest rates and increasing competition for savings during the past ...
Journal Article
Migration of recent college graduates: evidence from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth
In the context of today's tight labor markets, as well as projections of continued demand for workers with high skills, various states are considering how to retain and attract college graduates. Such efforts involve identifying an area's relative strengths and weaknesses and taking actions as needed, either to capitalize on the strengths or to mitigate the weaknesses. Perhaps surprisingly, however, little systematic evidence exists on the factors influencing location decisions of recent graduates. This study is a first step in providing such evidence, making use of the National Longitudinal ...