Publications

Multinationals from Emerging Economies: Growing but Little Understood

By Silvio Contessi and Hoda S. El-Ghazaly

Their share of the foreign investment pie grew from 0.4 percent in 1970 to 15.8 percent in 2008. What’s behind the growth?

(3 Ratings)

Unconventional Oil Production: Stuck in a Rock and a Hard Place

By Kristie M. Engemann and Michael T. Owyang

Oil can be derived from oil sands and oil shale, but the job is both economically and environmentally costly. How high must the price of oil be in order to make these alternatives cost-effective?

(8 Ratings)

Community Development Professionals Retool: Exploring Innovation Week Brings New Voices to the Future of Community Development

By Yvonne S. Sparks

The community development industry has undergone major changes of late and continues to look for new ways to build capacity within respective organizations. In this issue of Bridges, read about various strategies many District nonprofits have taken to survive these tough economic times and retool for the future.

(9 Ratings)

Economic Hangover: Recovery Is Likely To Be Prolonged, Painful

By William R. Emmons

It’s time to pay the piper for our freewheeling spending of the past decade. Although some scenarios for the future economy provide reason to hope, the recovery is likely to be slow and volatile. Take our poll.

(12 Ratings)

Fed Conference Call Helps Banks Navigate CRE Loan Workouts

Promoting good, prudent workouts has three components

(3 Ratings)

Income Differences around the Globe Go Beyond Physical, Human Capital

By Riccardo DiCecio

Differences in physical and human capital don’t fully explain the staggering differences in living standards around the globe. The high cost of starting a new business and the difficulties in obtaining financing in some countries also are key factors.

(1 Ratings)

Signs Point toward Another Jobless Recovery

By Kevin L. Kliesen

(3 Ratings)

Earliest Indicator of Bank Failure Is Deterioration in Earnings

By Yadav K. Gopalan

In general, the reasons for bank failures today are the same as failures in the past.

(16 Ratings)

The Return to Education Isn't Calculated Easily

By Natalia A. Kolesnikova

Most studies estimate that the return to each year of education is about 10 percent. But calculating the financial gain is not a cut-and-dried process. Even more difficult is calculating the nonmonetary return.

(9 Ratings)

U.S. Income Inequality: It’s Not So Bad

By Thomas A. Garrett

Each year, the U.S. Census Bureau releases data on the income levels of America’s households. A comparison of the annual data over time reveals that the income of wealthier households has been growing faster than the income of poorer households—the real income of the wealthiest 5 percent of households rose by 14 percent between 1996 and 2006, while the income of the poorest 20 percent of households rose by just 6 percent.

(18 Ratings)

When It Comes to Workforce, States Matter

By Andrew Pack

Developing a strong and stable workforce is certainly a national concern, but it is often at the state and local level that issues are addressed on the front lines. In this issue of Bridges, read about successful workforce development programs in the Eighth Federal Reserve District and how they are defined, implemented and measured. Take our poll.

(6 Ratings)

Commercial Real Estate Lending Challenges Banks in District

By Michelle Clark Neely

The numbers provide clues to project when commercial and industrial vacancy rates will finally peak in several District metro areas. Take the poll.

(6 Ratings)

Housing's Great Fall: Putting Household Balance Sheets Together Again

By William R. Emmons

The simplest way to avoid another devastating housing crash and foreclosure crisis probably is to reduce household borrowing and, then, to keep it low.

(3 Ratings)

Recessions Happen: Now What?

By Marta Burgin and Andrew Pack

It may be difficult to think about the next recession while we’re dealing with the fallout from current economic problems, but the reality is that recessions happen. They are an inevitable part of the economic cycle. The winter issue of Bridges looks at policies that can help communities weather this recession and prepare for the future. In particular, communities will need to take a regional approach to building a suitable workforce.

(14 Ratings)

GO! Network: Corporate, Nonprofit Worlds Join Forces To Help Unemployed Professionals

By Eileen Wolfington

GO! Network is helping hundreds of professionals in the St. Louis area deal with the difficult problems presented by unemployment. Celtic Creative, a social enterprise of the St. Patrick Center, started the program in partnership with several area companies and nonprofit organizations. The program includes seminars, a speaker series, job fairs, an interactive web site and entrepreneurial opportunities.

(8 Ratings)

Why Are Banks Failing?

By James W. Fuchs and Timothy A. Bosch

Scores of banks have failed this year, and they all have at least one of four primary reasons in common. They have an imbalance of risk versus return, they fail to diversify, they offer products and services that management doesn't fully understand, and they poorly manage risks. How can banks avoid these pitfalls?

(15 Ratings)

As College Costs Rise, Student Loans Are Harder to Find

High school students planning for college can look forward to multiple questions—and not just those they might confront on standardized tests. In addition to getting into college, students and their families have to figure out how much college will cost, and how to pay for it.

(5 Ratings)

Innovation: What Can It Do for Your Community?

By Linda D. Fischer

The nation's economic crisis brought down some mighty players during the last year. As the dominoes fell, community development professionals saw funding vanish and dreams fade. The future may be uncertain, but is it all doom and gloom? A recent conference sponsored by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis focused on innovation and its role in helping organizations survive, and thrive, despite the economy. This issue of Bridges is devoted to topics covered during the conference.

(7 Ratings)

Which Came First—Democracy or Growth?

In today's world, most rich countries are democratic, and most dictatorships are poor. In the United States, democracy goes hand in hand with political institutions that promote economic freedom. Although most economists agree that economic freedom promotes growth, it is not clear that more political freedom improves economic performance.

(4 Ratings)

Ethanol: Economic Gain or Drain?

By Joshua A. Byrge and Kevin L. Kliesen

Corn-based ethanol can make a dent in demand for oil, but at what price? Food costs go up. Environmental damage worsens. If oil prices fall, ethanol production will probably collapse—as it did 20 years ago.

(6 Ratings)

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