Article Title
College
College of Business
Abstract
A research park and an industrial park are each a hub of economic activity and their effect on the local economy can be measured in terms of jobs, income and output generated from its development. These sites provide an opportunity for the surrounding institutions and businesses to likewise develop post hoc. An economic impact study can shed light on the supply chain of the industries in the region, the kinds of jobs created, and the value of the industries in these parks to the region. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the economic impact of the Mallard Fox Creek Industrial Park in Decatur, Alabama, and Cummings Research Park in Huntsville, Alabama, and to understand the similarities and differences between the two. Interviews with key stakeholders, administrators, and participants within the parks were conducted in order to obtain qualitative and quantitative data on each park. Our findings suggest that the two parks are comparable in terms of job creation and income generation. Both parks observe significantly large job multipliers in steel/metals industries, and the research park observes significantly large income multipliers in research and development, management, and computer/engineering services at the state level. Disparities in the multipliers of each park increase when comparing local impacts to state impacts.
Recommended Citation
Brookshaw, Christopher and Grogan, Jared
(2017)
"Mallard Fox Creek Industrial Park and Cummings Research Park: Investigating Employment and Income Impacts,"
Perpetua: The UAH Journal of Undergraduate Research: Vol. 2:
Iss.
1, Article 2.
Available at:
https://louis.uah.edu/perpetua/vol2/iss1/2