Year 2000 forecast

By George Vlahakis

IU Business Outlook Panel to tour state

Since 1972, Indiana University's Business Outlook Panel has traveled the state to inform Hoosiers about the business and economic trends which affect them. Who better to forecast what's coming in the year 2000? The panel of IU experts will forecast economic conditions for the state and nation in the coming year and will discuss current state economic development issues.

1999 Business Outlook Panel

Nov. 4:
7:30 a.m.-- Indianapolis, Columbia Club Ballroom
(IU Indianapolis Business Alumni Club, 812-855-6340)

Nov. 5:
7:30 a.m.-- Kokomo, Kelley Center, Room 130, IU Kokomo
(IU Kokomo, 765-455-9231)

11:30 a.m.-- Fort Wayne, Chamber of Commerce Bldg., 826 Ewing St.
(Fort Wayne Chamber of Commerce, 219-424-1435)

Nov. 9:
7:30 a.m.-- Richmond, Forest Hills Country Club
(IU East, 765-973-8221)

Noon-- Bloomington, Frangipani Room, Indiana Memorial Union
(Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce, 812-336-6381)

Nov. 10:
7:30 a.m.-- Columbus, Holiday Inn Conference Center
(Columbus Chamber of Commerce, 812-379-4457)

Nov. 11:
Noon-- Anderson, Holiday Inn
(Anderson Chamber of Commerce, 765-642-0264)

Nov. 12:
7:30 a.m.-- Schererville, Teilbles Restaurant
and Noon-- (Cooperative Extension Service, 219-755-3240)

Nov. 16:
7:30 a.m.-- New Albany, Hoosier Room, IU Southeast
(IU Southeast, 812-941-2362)
Noon-- Evansville, Airport Holiday Inn
(Evansville Chamber of Commerce, 812-425-8147)

Visiting 10 cities over a two-week period, the panel will feature faculty members from IU's Kelley School of Business and the IU Bloomington Department of Economics, as well as guest panelists from other IU campuses and state universities who will give a local forecast.

Larry Davidson, director of the Kelley School's Global Business Information Network and committee co-chair of the Business Outlook Panel, noted that the panel's presentation features an experienced faculty in a broad range of areas and disciplines.

Like Davidson, several panelists head research centers in econometrics, state business research and real estate. Other panelists have been members of the U.S. President's Council of Economic Advisors and have counseled other governments abroad.

Economic trends looming large in the coming year include growing concerns about U.S. monetary policy and interest rates and whether the Federal Reserve will aggressively restrain economic growth to fight off inflation.

Other questions concern potential implications of a federal budget with a $1 billion surplus that excludes the Social Security trust fund. The U.S. trade deficit is larger than it has ever been in modern times, which could affect trade policies. In Indiana, questions continue to center on the state's "Rainy Day" fund and a labor shortage.

The presentations will feature a national, state and local economic forecast for the year 2000 and identification of other topics of concern to decisionmakers and business leaders in Indiana. The starting point for the forecast is the Indiana Econometric Model, which combines state statistics and a national forecast to develop projections for the coming year.

Other Kelley School personnel appearing with the panel this year, in addition to Davidson, will be Morton Marcus, R. Jeffery Green, Bruce Jaffee, Michele Fratianni, John Boquist, Phillip Powell, Michael Montgomery, Michael Simkowitz, Willard Witte and James Smith. Joining the visiting panel for local presentations will be Ammar Askari, IUPU-Columbus; Gale Blalock, University of Evansville; Fay Greckel, IU Southeast; Thomas Guthrie, IPFW; Robert Kirk, IUPUI; Don Coffin, IU Northwest; Dilip Pendse, IU Kokomo; Thayr Richey, Strategic Development Group; and Ashton Veramallay, IU East.

For more information, contact the local sponsoring organization or the IU School of Business Alumni Office at 812-855-6340.

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