Economy

The Contribution of the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa to Hawai‘i’s Economy in 2012

January 15, 2013

The University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa (UHM) generates economic activity through its purchases from local businesses, its payment to its employees, and spending by students and visitors. This report estimates UHM’s total economic activity in the state of Hawai‘i in fiscal year 2012. Following a standard approach, we define economic impact to be the direct, […]

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Details of the Fiscal Cliff Deal

January 3, 2013

On New Year’s Day, almost 24 hours after the deadline had passed, members of Congress approved the American Taxpayer Relief Act that shielded the majority of Americans from the effects of the “fiscal cliff”, which threatened to send the economy back into recession. The key elements of the fiscal cliff deal are the following: Up […]

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Personal Income Growth Slows in 12Q3 for HI & US

December 21, 2012

The latest data released by the US Department of Commerce Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) indicates that personal income growth decelerated in the third quarter of 2012 for Hawaii and the US as a whole. Despite slow growth in the most recent quarter, conditions continue to improve both locally and across the nation. PERSONAL INCOME […]

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Q & A: New Zealand’s big subsidies for the newest Hobbit film

December 13, 2012

1. IT’S A BIG WEEKEND COMING FOR THE FILM BUSINESS, WITH THE NEWEST FILM IN THE HOBBIT TRILOGY OPENING WORLDWIDE TODAY AND TOMORROW. Yes, the film is called The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and once again the esteemed New Zealand film director, Peter Jackson, is the creative genius behind this film. I watched the film’s trailer and […]

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Q & A: Walking the Tightropes in Europe and the United States

November 27, 2012

1. LAST NIGHT EUROPEAN FINANCE MINISTERS AND REPRESENTATIVES OF THE INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND MET IN BRUSSELS BUT COULDN’T REACH AGREEMENT ABOUT RELEASING SOME ALREADY PROMISED FINANCIAL AID TO GREECE. WHAT’S GOING ON IN EUROPE? That’s correct and what made the lack of agreement even more bewildering was that when the ministers entered the negotiations that […]

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UHERO State Forecast Update: Tourism Shines, Construction Clouds Lifting

November 2, 2012

Hawaii’s tourism juggernaut powers onward, but growth elsewhere remains elusive. Broader—and a bit stronger—expansion is in the pipeline. A summary of this forecast is available as a service to the public. For more detailed analysis, subscribe to UHERO’s Forecast Project.

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Hawaii’s Proposed 400MW Wind Energy Project Explained

November 1, 2012

HOW WILL THE PROPOSED 400 MW WIND ENERGY PROJECT CONTRIBUTE TO THE STATE’S RENEWABLE ENERGY GOALS? Hawaii has one of the most stringent Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS)* policies in the country as well as the highest electricity rates due to dependence on oil for electricity generation (Coffman et al., 2012). As such, renewable energy technologies […]

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UHERO Forum to Discuss Critical Issues on Economy, Environment and Society

October 23, 2012

Check out this video of UHERO Executive Director and Professor of Economics Carl Bonham discussing what is to be expected at the inaugural UHERO Forum, which will take place on Oct. 29, 2012. It will focusing on critical issues facing the state of Hawai’i and will welcome local researchers and business leaders, as well as experts from […]

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How China’s Approved Destination Status Policy Spurs and Hinders Chinese Travel Abroad

October 8, 2012

China’s “Approved Destination Status (ADS) policy allows citizens of mainland China to take pleasure trips abroad on group package tours to countries that have negotiated and implemented agreements with China. In this paper, we examine the reasons for this unique preferential and incremental travel liberalization system and how it affects mainland Chinese outbound pleasure travel.

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