Woodward To Unveil Economic Status Report At Convention

Attendees of the 2009 Home Builders Association of South Carolina's state convention July 23-26 in Greenville will hear first-hand news on the economic status of South Carolina's home building industry on both state and local levels. Dr. Douglas P. Woodward, director of the Division of Research at the University of South Carolina's Moore School of Business will unveil the first of a series of economic status reports he and his team are composing specifically for the HBASC and its members.

Most economic reports available to our members provide a keyhole view of the economic conditions in the SC housing industry. Dr. Woodward's report will open the door on current and future trends in our industry that will allow our members to make informed decisions, said Mark Nix, HBASC executive director.

Dr. Woodward will review the current economic conditions in S.C. and the current conditions in our construction industry. He will focus on housing and construction indicators that can serve as an invaluable planning tool for businesses in the construction industry. This type of real-time information and analysis can allow our industry to make informed decisions and forecast future industry trends in South Carolina.

Dr. Woodward will report on the following:

• An analysis and interpretation of local economic data and their implications for the South Carolina economy: leading economic indicators, employment growth, construction activity, home sales, wage levels, consumer expenditures, and production costs - what these statistics tell us about the state of our local economy.
• Outlook on changes in the South Carolina economy over the next six months - where you can expect our economy to head in near future.
• An analysis and interpretation of the local construction industry. Utilizing data on employment, population, housing values, housing starts, and housing permits to evaluate local trends in housing demand at the county level - what the current economic picture looks like for builders in different parts of South Carolina and how it relates to current market conditions.
• Information on job creation, population growth, and housing starts that will allow for an outlook on local housing demand over the next six months - the economic conditions for the construction industry you can expect in the near future.

Dr. Woodward earned his Ph.D. in Economics at the University of Texas in 1986. His primary research interests are industry location, economic development, and foreign direct investment. He has published articles on these and other topics in economics and regional science journals. Over his career, Dr. Woodward has received numerous grants and awards. He has testified before local, state, and national government committees and has presented his research at many conferences around the world.

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