R.E.I. Essay, Research Paper

Regional Economic Impacts

of

Idaho State University, 1996

Dr. Richard Bowen, President of Idaho State University, requested the Center for

Business Research to conduct a study of the impact of the University on Idaho,

with particular emphasis on its regional impacts upon the Pocatello area. This

publication reports the findings and results of that effort, which was begun in

the fall of 1997.

This report is a follow-up to, and a complete revision of, a previous study

conducted in 1988 (”A Report to the President of Idaho State University: The

Impact of University-related Expenditures on Idaho’s Economy, 1986-87). For

several reasons, the direct comparison of the findings of the two reports is not

advised.

Specifically, the present report utilizes multipliers refined and updated by the

Regional Science Research Institute, while the previous report relied upon

Input-Output estimates generated by the US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional

Input-output Measurement System (RIMS). Secondly, the focus and emphasis of the

present report is on the Pocatello area economy, while the 1988 study emphasized

state level impacts. Third, the present report attempts to discount those

impacts generated by permanent area residents, attempts to estimate a “return on

investment” for the State of Idaho, and makes other refinements or improvements

to the 1988 approach.

Paul R. Zelus, Ph.D., directed the study, and was ably assisted first by Nancy

L. Kelly and then Walter Bulawa, Ph.D., Research Associates of the Center for

Business Research at Idaho State University. Acknowledgement is also extended to

the many campus officials who provided the often tedious and detailed

information needed to conduct the study. The many faculty, staff, and students

who responded to expenditure surveys are acknowledged for the critical

information they provided.

This project was aided immeasurably by the shared experiences of researchers

from Boise State University, Northern Arizona University and the University of

Virginia. In that order, I acknowledge the helpful comments and advice of Dr.

Charles Skoro, Dr. Jerry Conover and Dr. John Knapp.

Paul R. Zelus, Ph.D.

Project Director