The Bureau of Business Research and Economic Development (BBRED) is a nonprofit organization within the College of Business Administration (COBA) at Georgia Southern University and was established in 1987. Its initial goal was to meet the research and information needs of the business community that Georgia Southern University served. Over the years, BBRED's role has evolved and expanded as our understanding of the region's economic development needs have advanced.

Region Served by BBRED

BBRED serves 58 counties in southeast Georgia, as shown by the blue region in the map on the left. Within those 58 counties, there are both rural and urban economies. However, the region is largely comprised of rural counties. In fact, all but 6 of the 58 counties in the region were Tier 1 or Tier 2 classified counties (for more information about the classification of Tiers, please visit the Department of Community of Affairs web site) and 89% of the counties were among the poorest in the state.

Mission Statement

The Bureau of Business Research and Economic Development (BBRED) is a division of the College of Business Administration (COBA) at Georgia Southern University. BBRED plays a vital role as a campus leader in economic development outreach in the 58 county region served by Georgia Southern University. BBRED serves as an essential link between the local, state, national and international business communities and the intellectual and creative resources of the University and the College of Business Administration.

BBRED's mission is to conduct applied research on economic, demographic and business trends in the region by capitalizing on the intellectual capital of the University, and to provide stakeholders in the region's economy with timely analysis of local, state, national and international issues likely to impact their competitiveness.

Staff