Indiana Business Research Center

Indiana Business Research Center
Name	Indiana Business Research Center
Formation	1925
Headquarters	Bloomington, Indiana
Leader title	Director
Parent organization	Indiana University

Indiana Business Research Center

The Indiana Business Research Center is a research unit based at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana that produces applied analysis on regional Indiana economic and demographic trends, labor markets, and public policy for state and local decision makers. The center's outputs inform stakeholders including officials from the Governor's office, staff at the Indiana General Assembly, planners in Marion County, executives in firms such as Cummins, and analysts at organizations like the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago and the U.S. Census Bureau.

History

Founded in 1925 as a small research office within Indiana University Bloomington, the center expanded through the Great Depression, World War II, and the postwar industrial boom to become a prominent source of regional analysis alongside institutions such as Purdue University's research centers and the Ball State University Urban Design Studio. During the 1970s and 1980s the center adapted to shifts highlighted by events including the 1973 oil crisis and the decline of manufacturing in the Rust Belt, collaborating with entities like the Hoosier Environmental Council and foundations such as the Lilly Endowment. In the 1990s and 2000s the center incorporated digital mapping and microdata, paralleling trends at the Brookings Institution and the Institute for Research on Poverty at University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Mission and Activities

The center's mission aligns with the public service traditions of Indiana University and targets audiences from municipal officials in Fort Wayne, Indiana to corporate planners at Eli Lilly and Company and nonprofit strategists at United Way of Central Indiana. Activities include applied research, policy briefing papers for the Indiana Department of Workforce Development, economic forecasting for chambers of commerce such as the Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce, and training workshops for staff at agencies like the Indiana Economic Development Corporation. The center engages with national organizations including the American Economic Association and the National Association for Business Economics.

Publications and Data Products

Key publications have included periodic briefs distributed to partners such as the Indiana Chamber of Commerce, white papers commissioned by the Ballance Fund, and statistical reports used by journalists at outlets like the Indianapolis Star and the Indianapolis Business Journal. Data products include county- and municipal-level datasets used by researchers at the Pew Research Center, interactive tools cited by policymakers at the Kauffman Foundation, and mapping projects that draw on standards set by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Office of Management and Budget. The center has produced long-running series comparable to those at the Urban Institute and regional analyses resembling work from the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments.

Research and Economic Indicators

Researchers at the center develop indicators tracking metrics relevant to state planners and investors, including employment series cross-referenced with Bureau of Economic Analysis data, demographic estimates aligned with U.S. Census Bureau releases, and business formation statistics comparable to reports from SCORE (organization). The center's forecasting models have been used by officials at Indianapolis International Airport and planners at institutions such as Indiana Department of Transportation and Metropolitan Indianapolis Board of Realtors. Comparative studies have placed Indiana trends alongside those in states like Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, and Kentucky.

Partnerships and Funding

The center partners with academic units at Indiana University Bloomington and external partners including the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis and nonprofit funders such as the Lilly Endowment and the Ball Brothers Foundation. Project-specific funding has come from state agencies like the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration, philanthropic organizations such as the Glick Philanthropies, and corporate sponsors including Bosch and Eaton Corporation. Collaborative grants have been pursued with national research entities such as the Russell Sage Foundation and federal programs administered by the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Facilities and Staff

Located on the Indiana University Bloomington campus, the center occupies office and lab space near academic units including the Kelley School of Business and the O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs. Its multidisciplinary staff have included economists trained at institutions such as Harvard University, University of Chicago, and Princeton University; GIS analysts familiar with tools from Esri; and policy specialists experienced with agencies like the U.S. Department of Labor. The center also hosts interns and graduate research assistants from programs at Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington and the Paul H. O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs.

Category:Indiana University Category:Research institutes in Indiana Category:Economics research institutes