economy

In 2010, there were 247 Dollar General stores in Michigan. Now there are more than 500. 

And many of the new stores are located in rural areas and small towns in Northern Michigan. 

This week, Stateside has been bringing you a series of conversations about the recent National Climate Assessment, a report compiled by 13 federal agencies that breaks down how climate change is projected to impact different regions of the United States.

Andrew Hoffman is a the Holcim Professor of Sustainable Enterprise at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. He joined Stateside to talk about the risk climate change poses to the economy, and how that risk might help convince people skeptical about climate change to change their mind. 

Judging by conventional wisdom and all-knowing polls, President Donald Trump and his Republicans face a historic wipeout in the coming mid-term elections.

But if you accept the Clintonian notion that “it’s the economy, stupid” such thinking may be just a bit too conventional.

On today’s Stateside, we answer your questions about what happens if Michigan voters legalize recreational marijuana. And, the story of broadcast executive and former Detroit Tigers owner John Fetzer’s exploration of new-age spiritual movements.

Some start-up tech companies are skipping the cutthroat atmosphere of Silicon Valley and instead opting for the Midwest.

Matthew Shaer wrote an article about that trend for The California Sunday Magazine. He joined Stateside to discuss what attracts tech companies to the Midwest, what differentiates Midwestern tech culture from that of Silicon Valley, and how the tech boom is reshaping the Midwestern economy.

When it comes to unemployment insurance, Michigan is the worst state in the Midwest for unemployed workers. A recent report from the Michigan League for Public Policy says the maximum benefits paid to the state's unemployed workers are the lowest in the region.

This Week in Review, Weekend Edition host Rebecca Kruth and senior news analyst Jack Lessenberry talk about what Michigan needs to do to clean up its act.

Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton made stops in Michigan this week to give their big economic speeches. 

Ken Sikkema and Susan Demas joined us today to talk about those speeches and how they might impact the presidential race.

For generations, the idea of the American Dream has fueled dreams, aspirations and accomplishments.Work hard and build a better life. Get ahead. And watch your children climb even farther up the ladder of success.

A recent NBC News online poll found that 57% of Americans believe the American Dream is dead.

Charles Ballard, Michigan State University economist, talks about what it means for the way we plan, spend, and work.

This week, more than 20 of Michigan's top CEOs are on what you might call a field trip.

They're visiting Israel to discover what it took to transform that nation from virtually nothing into one of the most innovative economies in the world, all in the span of just 70 years.

What will it take to get Michiganders into good jobs?

The Center for Michigan has spent the last year asking questions of more than 5,000 Michiganders for its "Getting to Work" public engagement campaign.

This is the sixth such public engagement campaign conducted by the non-profit and nonpartisan Center for Michigan.

Michigan Radio and Public Sector Consultants conducted a poll of 600 likely voters from Aug. 4-8 about how they felt financially, possible changes in redistricting, and the potential legalization of recreational marijuana.

In terms of those saying they're better off, Jeff Williams, CEO of Public Sector Consultants says things look relatively "rosy" for Michigan. More than half say they're "about the same," and around a quarter of them say they're "better off."

It has been a wild ride on Wall Street this week and it's only Tuesday.

On Monday, the Dow plummeted more than 1,000 points before closing the day down 3.6%.

Today, investors were in a buying mood and the Dow went up. 

The current negotiations over the contracts are continuing pretty much out of the spotlight. There’s a delicate balance that both sides are trying to pull off.

Detroit News business columnist Daniel Howes shared the "wants" and "needs" of both sides in these contract talks with us.

He penned a column today in the News about the talks.

With unemployment down, U.S. car and truck sales up, and consumer sentiment indices up, all the traditional signs point to an improving economy.

So why is it that many of us aren't feeling this prosperity?

Tom Walsh dug into this question for the Detroit Free Press.

It's called The Trans-Pacific Partnership, and it's big.

The proposed trade deal among the U.S., Canada and 10 nations in the Asia-Pacific region could cover 40% of America's imports and exports.

If you live in Detroit, getting a job is just the first hurdle. Sometimes you have to be incredibly resourceful just to get to work.

After finishing her training at Focus: HOPE to become a machinist, Fatima Mixon did not find a job in the city of Detroit.

But she did get a job in Warren, Michigan. She was put on the midnight to 8:00 a.m. shift. Shift work is the worst for people who need to take the bus to work. The buses don’t run overnight.

A more seamlessly connected experience.

That's what Jeff DeGraff thinks Michigan needs to move its economy forward. DeGraff is our partner for The Next Idea. He's a clinical professor of management and organizations at the U of M Ross School of Business.

DeGraff says he sees Michigan’s economy as three distinct parts: large multinational corporations based in the greater Detroit metro area; mid-level businesses in western Michigan; and small startups in places like Ann Arbor that have young, vibrant, and intelligent people.

Click on the link above to hear Cynthia's conversation with DeGraff.

When it comes to economic growth in Michigan, one size does not fit all. Take a look at the varying scope and scale of companies here and you’ll find a general pattern of three different types of businesses associated with different regions:  large multinational corporations in Southeast Michigan, small high-tech start-ups in Ann Arbor, and family-owned, mid-size companies in Western Michigan.

More economists are telling us that income and wealth inequality is growing in the U.S.

The Economist declared that inequality in wealth in America is approaching record levels. They argue that the gap between the haves and the have-nots is getting wider as the rich get richer.

Michigan State University economics professor Charlie Ballard joined us today to talk about this wealth disparity in the U.S.

You can listen to our conversation below.