The Business Research Division has been serving communities across the state for more than 100 years.
When you read the Business Forecast Report, published annually by Leeds School of Management's Business Research Department (BRD), you'll see data points from every corner of Colorado. This represents the entire business landscape, from small family-owned restaurants and farms to global corporations and every business venture in between.
To contribute to the state's economic prosperity and the thriving business community, BRD makes a deliberate effort to provide all sectors with the tools they need to succeed.
“We feel that the University of Colorado is a very important part of our state's economy, and it's very important that we analyze the economy and provide practical information to help people live better lives through education. “I think it's important,” Richard said. Mr Wobekind is Deputy Dean of Business and Government Affairs and Senior Economist at the University of Leeds. “What we do is bring the information we produce to people.”
The BRD in Leeds is over a century old, almost as old as the business school itself. The department has prioritized community engagement since its inception, and its work is created in collaboration with the Colorado communities it serves.
“This is a long-running unit within this business school that is really designed to engage with the broader business community, both in terms of presenting material and carrying out research projects,” Wobekind said. he said.
“As well as undertaking individual projects for businesses and local authorities, and forecasting projects such as our Annual Outlook Report, we disseminate information more widely through a variety of channels and Many are available for free on our website. In many ways, it's about access to trusted business information.”
They are working to develop an economic dashboard on the site that will provide a barometer of key economic indicators within the state, with an emphasis on recent economic developments and their impact and impact on Colorado's economy. . Several charts with simple analysis are provided and will be updated as key data is released.
“The work we do is to improve the quality of life in our state, one person at a time, one company at a time.”
Richard Wobekind, Deputy Dean of Business and Government Affairs and Senior Economist, University of Leeds
The center publishes the Leeds Business Confidence Index quarterly, evaluating Colorado business leaders' opinions about the economy and industry performance in the coming quarter. In addition, we produce quarterly business and economic indicators reports produced in partnership with the Colorado Business Review, which provides specific analysis on specific topics and industries, and the Colorado Secretary of State's Office, which incorporates a variety of business filing data. It reveals the correlation with the economy. Metrics. BRD has been affiliated with the Secretary of State's Office since 2011.
They are also a resource for conducting research studies on specific areas, entities, or industries. Examples include his recent 2023 Economic Impact Study for the University of Colorado and his 2019 Colorado Natural and Organic Industry Study.
A report on the nonprofit industry created in collaboration with the Colorado Nonprofit Association has been released. It showed nonprofits contribute $62 billion to the state's annual economy and support 262,000 jobs.
Commitment to Colorado
Wobekind and BRD Executive Director Brian Lewandowski frequently present virtually and in-person to the state's business community and community at large.
“We strive to disseminate the work we do and the information we collect to a wide audience both geographically and industry-wise,” Wobekind said. “Whether you're talking about the economy to the nonprofit community or to a hospital or medical group, we customize that information to make it useful.”
He added, “We're sharing general information, but when we're in northern Colorado, we emphasize data that's important to Weld County and Larimer County, and when we're in Grand Junction, for example, we highlight data that's important to that area. “We are highlighting key industries in the region.” Geographic areas such as agriculture, tourism, manufacturing, natural resources, and mining. ”
BRD celebrates 60 releasesth We presented our December 2024 Forecast Report at the annual Colorado Business and Economic Outlook Forum. There will always be in-person kickoffs with webinars and virtual opportunities for alumni and business leaders. Again, accessibility is the key to effectiveness and true impact.
“The annual report features input from more than 130 business and government contributors from across Colorado, so we wanted to highlight all this work and data collection as part of our annual kickoff. But the ultimate goal is to turn all of that into data that can be used for business, and government decision-making as well,'' Wobekind said.
Delivering services through teamwork
The BRD team includes Wobbekind, Lewandowski, and BRD data scientist Adam Illig.
The department also employs five to seven undergraduate students, many of whom are Leeds students, to help proofread the annual report and create data charts. Students help keep the tone of their reports engaging and accessible, learning how to interpret data and other useful economic research skills in the process.
In-state annual report contributors often include CU and Leeds alumni. Wobekind explains how it has been helpful over the years for Leeds MBA graduates to contribute to research projects and provide valuable perspectives from their vantage point working across Colorado's business environment.
This is a true collaboration between Colorado and Colorado because everyone involved cares about the people and the state's ultimate prosperity.
“We are deeply committed to helping people across Colorado better understand the economy, better understand their environment, and make better decisions. ,” Wobekind said.
In the media, they are often sought out as experts in understanding the twists and turns of the economy, such as housing market fluctuations, unemployment rates, and business start-up rates.
“I think what we do, our job is to improve the quality of life in our state, one person at a time, one company at a time. We support our state to be even more successful. We help government and business leaders be more effective in spending and hiring. And we help people understand the potential for dark clouds on the horizon. We’re helping people prepare for change so they can be prepared for what’s coming.”
