Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Parkersburg Area Economic Outlook: 2022-2026, Connor Kelly, Lauren Moore, Glenn Whited, John Deskins, Brian Lego

Bureau of Business & Economic Research

The Parkersburg Area economy experienced a substantial loss in jobs during COVID-19 recession, as the combination of public health measures and massive negative shock to economic activity globally caused employment in the area to plunge by nearly 8,000 jobs in early-2020. By some measures, the area’s recession was not demonstrably worse than what occurred at the state and national level yet was still unprecedented in terms of how fast these losses happened when compared to previous economic downturns. At the same time, the area has recovered nearly 6,000 jobs over the last six quarters, putting its overall recovery on par …

Weirton Area Economic Outlook: 2022-2026, Mackenzie Hill, Ben Sbei, Isabelle Dallaire, Brian Lego, John Deskins

Bureau of Business & Economic Research

The Weirton Area1 suffered a sharp drop in employment during the COVID-19 recession, but the region experienced a relatively milder bout of job losses during the early phases of the pandemic compared to many areas.

The Economic Impact Of The Fort Martin Power Station On The Monongalia County And West Virginia Economies, Eric Bowen

Bureau of Business & Economic Research

In this report, we estimate the economic impact of the Fort Martin Power Station on both the West Virginia economy and the Monongalia County economy. We begin with an overview of the effects of the COVID pandemic on Monongalia County’s economy, followed by the economic impact of the power station.

The Economic Impact Of The Harrison Power Station On The Harrison County And West Virginia Economies, Eric Bowen

Bureau of Business & Economic Research

In this report, we estimate the economic impact of the Harrison Power Station on both the Harrison County economy and the West Virginia economy. We begin with an overview of the effects of the COVID pandemic on Harrison County’s economy, followed by the economic impact of the power station.

Greater Wheeling Regional Plan: Economic Profile, Eric Bowen, Christiadi, Brian Lego, Cody Adams

Bureau of Business & Economic Research

The Greater Wheeling region, defined in this report as consisting of Brooke, Hancock, Marshall and Ohio counties in West Virginia, and Belmont, Jefferson, and Monroe counties in Ohio, has experienced a volatile economy over the past decade with significant swings in employment across multiple sectors.

In this report, we make a detailed examination of the recent economic indicators in the Greater Wheeling region. This report is part of a series from West Virginia University researchers at the Bureau of Business and Economic Research and the WVU Extension Service that evaluate the Wheeling Metropolitan Area’ economy with the goal of providing …

Greater Wheeling Regional Plan: Workforce And Education Assessment, Christiadi, Eric Bowen

Bureau of Business & Economic Research

Human capital is a crucial element of any regional economic growth plan, as companies looking to locate or grow in a region require a skilled workforce to meet the demands of their businesses. In this report, we examine human capital in the Wheeling Metropolitan Statistical Area, focusing on occupational and educational requirements to support the region’s growth over the next five years.

Greater Wheeling Regional Plan: Action Plan For Economic Development, Michael J. Dougherty, Eric Bowen, Christiadi

Bureau of Business & Economic Research

The Wheeling Region has a long and rich history. However, the passage of time and the change that it has brought has not always been beneficial to the region. As a result, leaders in the region have begun a process to reevaluate and reinvent the Wheeling area and improve the regional economy. In this report, we discuss these strategies and recommend actions to further the Wheeling region’s economic development.

Greater Wheeling Regional Plan: Industrial Cluster Analysis, Eric Bowen

Bureau of Business & Economic Research

One of the most prominent strategies followed by economic development officials is to identify what the region already does well and work to enhance these strengths. Improving on a region’s competitive advantage has been the focus of Porter’s work on economic clusters, which he defines as network of companies that forms within a geographic location based on supplier relationships. In this report, we identify the industry clusters that are present in the Wheeling Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) and provide tools to assess the most promising clusters for economic development targeting. This type of cluster analysis has become an increasingly important …

Greater Wheeling Regional Plan: Survey Results, Michael J. Dougherty, Cody Adams

Bureau of Business & Economic Research

The Wheeling Area Strategic Plan included a process for public involvement. Originally, it was to have involved holding open forums and in-person stakeholder meetings. The sessions had been scheduled for early Spring, but they were delayed and eventually cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, we conducted a web-based survey to gather ideas and opinions from people from across the region.

Parkersburg Area Economic Outlook: 2021-2025, Joseph Gutmann, Sarah Ihlenfeld, Sofia Nunez, Ryan Snyder

Bureau of Business & Economic Research

The Parkersburg Area economy has generally struggled over the past several years. Even though the region outperformed many other portions of West Virginia during the early- to mid-2010s, the five-county area has failed to gain much traction since 2015. Indeed, the Parkersburg Area lost nearly 4,000 jobs between early-2015 and mid-2017. The region did see a modest rebound in job growth during 2018 and 2019, due in large part to gains in manufacturing and construction activity.

Examining Future Expansion Opportunities At The Morgantown Industrial Park, Brian Lego, Christiadi

Bureau of Business & Economic Research

The Morgantown Industrial Park (MIP) encompasses a wide area between the Monongahela River and Interstate-79, and currently houses approximately 20 companies. A new interchange on Interstate 79 at River Road (approximately mile marker 151) is expected to improve access to the industrial park in a substantial manner, allowing expanded access into the MIP and creating the opportunity to house a variety of new businesses from several sectors. In this study, we provide a brief look at the North Central West Virginia region’s economic and demographic characteristics as a means of assessing the area’s viability and attractiveness to potential businesses. Measures …

Huntington Area Economic Outlook 2019-2024, Emily Frasa, Will Mccleery, Tucker Miller, Trip Patterson, John Deskins, Brian Lego

Bureau of Business & Economic Research

No abstract provided.