Projects & Initiatives

CEBR works in partnership with businesses, government entities and non-profits to bridge the resources of Western students, faculty and staff and create solutions to challenges faced at a local, state and regional level . From answering the simple question, creating understandable thorough analysis documents, creating internships, class projects, to faculty projects we assist in creating an informed path helping business owners and policy shapers make decisions to move forward.

The Work We Do

An economic profile is a basic overview of the economy in a certain industry, business sector, or region.  Imagine having many of the key relevant economic and community metrics at a glance.  Items such as large employers, work/home shed information, wage and salary information, taxable retail sales, workforce metrics, population data and other data points allow decision makers to understand trends, patterns, and outliers.  

We create economic profiles at city, county and regional levels. These reports are customized based on your community and needs, and provide both a historical and snapshot view of your community. We also create much more comprehensive economic indicator reports which contain a much more thorough examination with longer time periods for trend analysis.

Have you ever wondered what the economic impact of a particular industry in your community is?  What if they added 10 jobs – how many other jobs would that create?  Have you ever pondered what is powering your local economy?  Do you knows what companies are contributing large percentages to your job market through the relevant multiplier?

An impact analysis examines proposed changes in a business to expose any potentially negative consequences. We conduct a wide range of impact analyses for communities to answer these and other questions.  Often this work is coupled with significant primary and secondary research that may be leveraged to answer other questions.

When reaching for information it comes in two flavors.  Secondary research is data that someone else has collected.  It is very useful and is very cost effective for analysis.  We access a lot of it in our work and have the background to explain to you the weakness inherent to the data source so you are able to make better decisions.

Primary research is data that is collected straight from the source.  We use a number of methodologies to collect information on your behalf.  Email based surveys are a great tool whether you have a targeted list or we need to acquire one.  We are also able to conduct small or large scale phone based research in addition to in-person activities ranging from intercept surveys to focus groups.

There are many advantages to having Western Washington University conduct research for you and we would be happy to discuss it with you.

All of our services are designed to support economic development efforts. You have unique needs and we would like to develop a custom solution. Economic profiles and reports can provide both a historical and snapshot view of your community, while impact studies may help you target specific industries for growth.

We are able to forecast labor supply (or shortages) and examine current hiring trends in your community to support workforce development plans or business recruitment.

Data analysis and research supports an understanding of needs and can sometimes predict what the next set of published data may look like. Our presentations may assist you in informing your team or community about relevant economic and business topics.

We do some of our best work when we stay out of information silos.  We reach not only within the College of Business and Economics for the best thinking but throughout the Western Washington University community.  Our past work has shown that these connections bring a well-rounded analysis and helps you make better conclusions.

We have found that our partnership with Huxley and their Spatial Analysis (GIS) program is especially helpful in explaining some economic activity.  Our Public Policy program has helped with local governance questions.  And the list goes on from here.  You do not need to be an expert in subject disciplines, you share your research questions and we know where the experts are.

What can we help with?

To start we have experts in:

  • Accounting
  • Business Planning
  • Finance
  • Forecasting
  • Human Resources
  • International Business
  • Marketing (Marketing Research
  • Marketing Strategy or IMC Strategy)
  • Management Information Systems (IT)
  • Management
  • Operations Management
  • Organizational Behavior
  • Project Management
  • Regional
  • Community and Business Economics
  • Strategic Planning
  • Supply Chain Management

When you contact us regarding your project we will ask you a variety of questions. Your unique needs and requirements will determine what mix of resources are available and appropriate for your project. You will be provided a proposed scope of work and terms for your project to review and discuss. This is a transparent process that promotes your success.

Who works on CEBR projects?

Projects draw upon a select group of undergraduate and graduate students who consult faculty and staff in a variety of ways. All projects are overseen and reviewed by qualified faculty and staff providing you the best thinking and guidance available.

Research with Integrity

We strive to adhere to the highest standards of research integrity. The Singapore Statement provides the guiding principals to our work.  We honor diversity and inclusion while creating exceptional learning opportunities for students.

Principles

  • Honesty in all aspects of research
  • Accountability in the conduct of research
  • Professional courtesy and fairness in working with others
  • Good stewardship of research on behalf of others