Pictured from left to right are Business Analytics contributors Dr. Larry Johnson and Dr. Brent Evans.
The transportation industry and its importance to the Northwest Georgia economy is the focus of the spring issue of Business Analytics, a publication of the Center for Economic Research and Entrepreneurship of Dalton State College’s School of Business.
The newsletter, which is available both online and in printed form, contains an introduction to the role of the transportation industry and logistics to the area, the history of regional transportation and its effect on our landscape and the economy, an examination of the role of “Big Data” in the transportation and logistics industry, and data for the ever-changing “Economic Dashboard,” which indicates a continued recovery in labor markets. The articles are authored by Dalton State business faculty members.
“‘Business Analytics’ is a way for Dalton State's School of Business to reach out to the local community,” said Dr. Brent Evans, Assistant Professor of Economics and the newsletter’s editor.
“We try to find content that is beyond the scope of other media and present it in a way that all readers should be able to comprehend and enjoy; that way, the content can enhance business leaders’ comprehension of the local economy, and the general public can be made more aware of the economy and its impacts.”
Dr. Evans also penned one of the newsletter’s articles, entitled “Transportation and the Regional Economy: A Historical Overview.” In this article, a brief history of the Western and Atlantic Railroad as well as the beginnings of the carpet industry are presented with attention to how large an impact the advent of swift transportation had on Northwest Georgia’s economy.
Dr. Evans attended a lecture by famed economist Alan Binder, who was adamant that the recent "Great Recession" was a result of poor financial and economic literacy, further supporting the School of Business’ view that the key to avoiding economic shortcomings is to be aware of what is going on in the economy.
“It is imperative that the general public is informed on these issues, and perhaps Business Analytics can help,” said Dr. Evans.
Dr. Larry Johnson, Dean of the School of Business, uses the Cluster Mapping Project, a continuation of the project used in last fall’s issue of Business Analytics, and analyzes clusters of industries related to warehousing, transportation, and logistics in the Southeastern United States.
Dr. Johnson illustrates the importance of transportation and logistics to the area, maintaining that the transportation and warehousing industry serves the needs of manufacturers who produce bulky or heavy products, such as flooring and heavy construction machinery, and support the agricultural and timber sectors.