UHERO
Steven Bond-Smith
Diversifying Hawai‘i’s specialized economy: A spatial economic perspective
Specialization in tourism exposes the economy of Hawai‘i to external shocks that trigger collapses in tourist numbers. Furthermore, Hawai‘i’s economic growth has diminished for decades…
The effects of the pandemic on the economy of Hawaii
The economy of Hawaii was extremely vulnerable to the COVID-19 pandemic due to its heavy reliance on tourism. This article is a thorough survey of…
Is O‘ahu’s new Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy strategic enough?
By Steven Bond-Smith The draft O‘ahu Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) for 2022-2026 is now out for public comment. The importance of the CEDS is…
Economic Impact of Astronomy in Hawai‘i: 2019 Update
Astronomy continues to be a sizable and stabilizing source of economic activity. In 2019, local astronomy related expenditures in the state totaled $110.02 million with…
The cost of “excess inflation” in Hawaii
By Daniela Bond-Smith, Steven Bond-Smith and Carl Bonham The cost of living in Hawaii continues to rise. In March, the Urban Hawaii (Honolulu) Consumer Price…
Blog: The Importance of Understanding Distance and Scale
By Steven Bond-Smith The economic geography of Hawaii is rather unique in the world. The economy is relatively small compared to other US states. But…
UHERO Annual Report: Response to COVID-19
By the end of 2020, The University of Hawai‘i Economic Research Organization (UHERO) received $1.2 million in private support to fund critical economic research, and…
The unintended consequences of increasing returns to scale in geographical economics
Increasing returns to scale is the basis for many powerful results in economics and economic geography. But the limitations of assumptions about returns to scale…
Location, Location, Location! A uniquely Hawaiʻi economic development strategy
By Steven Bond-Smith* Hawai‘i’s vulnerability to economic shocks has become a paramount concern during the pandemic. Extreme specialization in the visitor industry exposes Hawaiʻi to…