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BBRED in the News:

BBRED's work on the Economic Impact of Georgia Southern University was featured in two articles, one by the Savannah Business Report & Journal and the other by the Savannah Morning News.

BBRED's work on the closing of the Pilgrim's Pride plant was featured in the Wall Street Journal. 

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BBRED Mission and Services 2009 PDF Print E-mail

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Coastal Empire and Low Country Holiday Shopping Survey PDF Print E-mail
With many economists seeing technical signs of a national economic recovery, the question is, “Will this translate to a better holiday shopping season in the Coastal Empire and Low Country?”

To answer this question, Georgia Southern University’s Bureau of Business Research and Economic Development (BBRED), in conjunction with Dr. Jacqueline Eastman’s Marketing Research classes, conducted The College of Business Administration’s semi-annual consumer survey. The COBA Poll, as it’s often referred to, was started in 2003 as a way of focusing on consumer behavior within the Coastal Empire and Low Country.   The region is comprised of 9 counties in Georgia and 3 counties in South Carolina which are located along the coastline or in contiguous counties such as Bulloch County.  The survey was conducted during the November 2-5, 2009 period.

The primary focus of the poll conducted in the fall is holiday spending.  The poll solicits consumer intentions regarding the upcoming holiday shopping season in the following areas:

(1)    Expected number of gifts to be purchased;
(2)    How much consumers are planning to spend;
(3)    Types of items to be purchased;
(4)    Expected methods of purchase;
(5)    Where consumers plan to shop; and
(6)    Holiday travel plans.

Year-over-year comparisons are made in order to note peaks, slippages, and trends in spending.  A stratified random sample is used to make the survey representative.  The survey results are combined so that they sustain measurements that represent the total consumer market.  There were 527 individuals polled out of a sample size of about 2700.  This equates to a 4.3% margin of error.

The survey provides data that can be statistically beneficial in assessing overall consumer purchasing trends and reasons behind this behavior.  It also measures consumer confidence and buying power. Moreover, the survey results provide a better understanding of the socioeconomic and demographical factors that contribute to consumers’ decisions and behaviors.  Consumers are specifically asked questions regarding their income, ethnicity, level of education, age, marital status, and number of children inside the home.  Data from the surveys is also used to develop preliminary conclusions behind certain consumer behavior based upon the demographic factors.

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