BBER celebrates 50 years of service.

• Author: Schultz, Carolyn
• Position: University of Montana's Bureau of Business and Economic Research

Fifty years ago, most people weren't concerned about the world's diminishing resources and the United States' position in the global economy.

Back then, war, infectious disease, hunger, and the ominous atomic bomb were more prevalent issues for Americans. People didn't question the consequences of cutting down trees in old growth forests, disposing of oil in storm drains, or burning trash in their back yard.

Americans had yet to experience credit cards, the birth control pill, AIDS, domestic terrorism, personal computers, health insurance, and space exploration. Very few people invested in the stock market, watched a television, read about mental illness, or swallowed an antibiotic.

Indeed, the world has transformed over the past 50 years. Throughout these vast changes, The University of Montana's Bureau of Business and Economic Research has worked to help Montanans understand their state and make informed decisions in their personal and professional lives.

The Bureau Today

The Bureau - a research department within the School of Business Administration at The University of Montana-Missoula - was founded 50 years ago in 1948 to monitor the state's economic and business conditions. The Bureau has expanded from a staff of four to a department of nine full-time employees and a dozen part-time workers.

Economists at the Bureau research and collect a wide variety of economic and industry data which assists individuals. businesses, and government agencies, across Montana. Several research programs within the Bureau study the statewide industries of forest products, health care, manufacturing, and oil and gas. These programs provide a wealth of information unavailable elsewhere. In fact, Bureau staff field approximately 6,000 requests each year from people seeking information about topics ranging from inflation rates to county demographics to business startup tips.

The Bureau's established survey research division regularly conducts the Montana Poll, using its state-of-the-art telephone interview facility to determine Montanans' attitudes and opinions about a variety of economic and social issues. Through the Forest Products Research Program, the Bureau collects and analyzes the forest products industries of Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho and provides detailed information including timber yield, markets, production, and employment. The Health Care Industry Research Program analyzes markets, trends, industry structure, costs, and other high visibility...