Center for Global and Regional Economic Studies
The Center for Global and Regional Economic Studies at Bryant University brings together the broad and deep expertise of our accomplished faculty. The Center advances Bryant’s mission of developing the global perspective of its undergraduate and graduate students through a variety of academic and research opportunities led by expert faculty as they work to generate new and valuable ideas for promoting economic development.
The Center contributes to the development of international and regional economic perspectives in the University’s graduate and undergraduate students in a variety of ways, including interdisciplinary applied research, internships, regional and international outreach and workshops. The work of the Center offers challenging academic research experiences both for Bryant faculty and students here and abroad.
Center activities, including regional and international outreach, are led by the preeminent faculty of the Department of Economics at Bryant University in concert with students from all disciplines and with fellow faculty who hold positions in other departments at Bryant or at other distinguished institutions. All research associates have extensive hands-on experience working with empirical issues and data analysis.
Because research projects are such an important component of the Center’s activities, the Center assists in securing grant funding for faculty research, teaching, and travel. The Center also organizes respected conferences and workshops. In addition, expert consulting and econometric services are available to companies and organizations.
Research Associates
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Sam Mirmirani, Ph.D. Professor and Economics Department Chair Areas of interest/expertise health care economics, public finance, policy, international trade, and economic development |
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Madan Annavarjula, Ph.D. International Business Coordinator and Associate Professor of Management Areas of interest/expertise technology strategies of multinational corporations |
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Sharmin Attaran, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Marketing Areas of interest/expertise social media |
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Laurie J. Bates, Ph.D. Professor of Economics Areas of interest/expertise applied microeconomics with a concentration in public finance, health economics, industrial organization. |
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Aziz Berdiev, Ph.D. Macroeconomics, Political Economy, Energy Economics, Environmental Economics, International Economics |
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M. Cary Collins, Ph.D. Trustee Professor of Entrepreneurship and Global Entrepreneurship Program Director Areas of interest/expertise regulation and behavior of financial service firms, risk management, lending and credit monitoring systems, mortgages. |
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Joseph A. Ilacqua, Ed.D. Professor of Economics Areas of interest/expertise distance learning, economic education worker training, human capital development, labor economics, transition economics. |
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Jongsung Kim, Ph.D. Professor of Economics Areas of interest/expertise economics of aging population, economics of discrimination, economics of immigration |
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Ramesh Mohan Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Economics Areas of interest/expertise economic growth, economics of education, economics of information, ICT and the internet, macroeconomic issues of developing countries |
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Peter Nigro, Ph.D. Professor, Sarkisian Chair in Financial Services Areas of interest/expertise commercial banking, GSEs, small firm finance, predatory lending, small business, Small Business Association, credit scoring/credit risk modeling, mortgages, fair lending, mutual funds; former senior financial economist with the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency |
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Alan Olinsky, Ph.D. Professor of Mathematics Areas of interest/expertise computer intensive methods, data mining, genetic algorithms, multivariate statistics, spreadsheet modeling |
| Joseph Shaanan, Ph.D. Professor of Economics Areas of interest/expertise applied microeconomics, industrial organization, international trade policy |
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Edinaldo Tebaldi, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Economics Tebaldi is the Rhode Island forecaster for the New England Economic Partnership, author of the Bryant University-Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council Rhode Island Current Economic Indicators quarterly report, and chair of an annual conference focusing on the business climate in Rhode Island. Areas of interest/expertise Rhode Island economy, international trade, institutions and economic growth, applied econometrics, and discrimination. |
| John T. Quinn Ph.D. Professor of Mathematics Areas of interest/expertise environmental and land use modeling and statistical analysis, international applications |
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Srdan Zdravkovic, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Marketing Areas of interest/expertise cross-cultural consumer behavior, country of origin phenomenon, country promotion, sponsorship, international marketing, marketing management, international business |
Publications
- The quarterly Rhode Island Economic Indicators Briefing, a joint publication of Bryant University and Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council (RIPEC)
- The New England Economic Partnership (NEEP) macroeconomic forecasts of the New England region and its six individual states
Working Paper Series
The Working Paper Series publishes original research of Bryant University faculty associated with the Center for Global and Regional Economic Studies. Working papers are posted on the website on a regular basis.
Authors: Edinaldo Tebaldi, Bryant University and Logan J. Kelly, University of Wisconsin
The Dynamics of Income Inequality in Korea
Author: Jongsung Kim, Bryant University
Latent Class Analysis of Stress in Indian Call Centers
Authors: Diya Das, Bryant University; Anup Nandialath; and Ramesh Mohan, Bryant University
Reports
The reports below are produced by Bryant University faculty associated with the Center for Global and Regional Economic Studies. These reports provide information to policy makers and assist in the development of policy reforms.
Living, Working and Thriving in a Digital World: The Economic Impact of Broadband
Authors: Joseph A. Ilacqua, Professor of Economics, Bryant University and A. Ray Thomas, Associate Director, The John H. Chafee Center for International Business
Presentations
The documents below were prepared by members of the Center for Global and Regional Economic Studies as part of their academic activities. All documents are PowerPoint slides. For more information about the presentations, please contact the author or the Center at ces@bryant.edu.
The U.S. Economic Outlook: Seeking Clarity
Author: Edinaldo Tebaldi, Assistant Professor of Economics, Bryant University
The State of The Health Care Industry: Prospects and Perspectives
Author: Sam Mirmirani, Professor of Economics, Bryant University
Conferences
The expert faculty of the Center for Global and Regional Economic Studies at Bryant University is able to develop and organize dynamic conferences and workshops focusing on a wide range of topics from international business to public policy to social media.
The center’s annual Rhode Island Economic Conference at Bryant University draws hundreds of the state’s political, academic, business, and nonprofit leaders. The forum features robust multifaceted data-driven discussions about the challenges facing the state economy, including the uncertain tax climate created by budget deficits and pension liabilities.
For more information about the Rhode Island Economic Conference, visit www.bryant.edu/RIeconomics
For more information about scheduling a conference or workshop, contact the Center for Global and Regional Economic Studies at Bryant University at (401) 232-6000, extension 2-6539 or ces@bryant.edu
Partnerships
The Center for Global and Regional Economic Studies at Bryant University works in partnership with regional and global organizations. Faculty associated with the Center are available to share their expertise.
These partnerships enhance the learning experience at Bryant, provide a wide range of opportunities for students to collaborate in applied research and facilitate interdisciplinary research as well as faculty and student exchanges between Bryant and other universities
Current partners include:
- The Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council (RIPEC) partnered with the Center for Global and Regional Economic Studies at Bryant University to develop an index of economic conditions that provided a national, a regional, and a state outlook. RIPEC is an independent, nonprofit and nonpartisan public policy research and education organization. The new index, known as “The Rhode Island Economic Indicators Briefing,” combines a medley of data into a single figure intended to forecast economy activity as far as six months ahead. The Rhode Island Economic Briefing is published on a quarterly basis.
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Community Connections is an innovative training program for experienced professionals from the Newly Independent States of the former Soviet Union, also known as the Commonwealth of Independent States. A program of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the United States Department of State and the Rhode Island Rural Development Council, Community Connections began its affiliation with Bryant University in 2010.
Participants are exposed to the free market system, experience professional training opportunities through hands-on internships and job shadowing at American businesses, and establish contacts with international business executives and potential training partners. The program includes professional seminars and workshops as well as visits to cultural, governmental, educational, and business centers.
The Center for Global and Regional Economic Studies at Bryant University strengthens the Community Connections program through its ability to nimbly assemble a high-quality program tailored to meet the needs of the sponsoring organizations.
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The New England Economic Partnership (NEEP) is a member-supported, non-profit organization that provides objective economic analyses and forecasts. For more than 25 years NEEP has identified and researched economic issues relevant to the New England region of the United States, giving its members the tools to make informed, insightful business and policy decisions. An executive summary analysis of the macroeconomic conditions in Rhode Island, produced for NEEP, is published by the Center for Global and Regional Economic Studies at Bryant University in the fall and spring.
Professional Services
The Center for Global and Regional Economic Studies at Bryant University provides econometric research services using advanced statistics and computing tools focused on data-intensive projects. The Center specializes in statistical and econometric analysis, including policy impact assessment, market analysis, and economic outlook.
An econometric model developed in the Center is used to produce the Rhode Island Current Economic Indicator, which is published on a quarterly basis and disseminated through the Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council (RIPEC), an independent, nonprofit and nonpartisan public policy research and education organization dedicated to the advancement of effective, efficient, and equitable government in Rhode Island, and the media. The center is also engaged in regional economic forecasting.
The Center offers consulting services that leverage economics and statistics for strategic decision making, economic analysis, and policy impact. Economic theory and econometric tools are used to analyze data in the following areas:
- Demographic Conditions
- Regional and Global Market Conditions
- Economic Forecasting
- Policy Impact Assessment
Contact Us
1150 Douglas Pike, Suite L-113
Smithfield, RI, USA 02917-1284
Phone: +1-401-232-6000, extension 2-6539
Fax: +1-401-319-5177
Email: ces@bryant.edu
Center Director
Edinaldo Tebaldi, PhD
Assistant Professor of Economics
Phone: +1-401-232-6901
Fax: +1-401-232-3901
Email: etebaldi@bryant.edu
