Economics and Business Group
Sean McAlinden, director

The Economics and Business Group’s program performs economic and business modeling of many areas of the world motor vehicle industry for the purpose of forecasting and policy analysis. The economics and business group frequently carries out economic surveys, and organizes and collects special sets of information on the motor vehicle industry. Special automotive topics of investigation for the group have included international trade, global investment, estimation of the economic significance of the industry, the development of major human resource issues, productivity measurement, the of impact and need for public policy measures, and changes in both product and process technology. All types of business and economic research methods are employed by the group in partnership with other researchers from many other organizations and universities. The major research focus areas of the group are to better understand the economic role of the motor vehicle industry in society and to describe the essential economic causes of industry change.

Major sponsors have included: the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, the Association of International Automobile Manufacturers, the Mott Foundation, the State of Michigan, and the U.S. Departments of Commerce, and Labor.

The Economics and Business Group's current projects include work in the areas of the automotive industry's contribution to the U.S. economy and the Internet readiness of second tier automotive suppliers. The group is also involved in the Michigan Automotive Partnership (MAP) — a program sponsored by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. MAP activities and research focus on providing the State with information regarding the concerns of Michigan automotive industry participants.

New study available online: Contribution of the Automotive Industry to the U.S. Economy in 1998: The Nation and Its Fifty States.

New study available online: Economic Contribution of the Automotive Industry to the U.S. Economy – An Update.

Several reports produced for the MAP are available online. Four previously released reports are available. Positioning the State of Michigan as a Leading Candidate for Fuel Cell and Alternative Powertrain Manufacturing, a report released in August, 2001 is also available for download.