The Center for Economic Research was founded in 1978 with a mission to encourage faculty and students in the Argyros College of Business and Economics to engage in research of the highest quality and widely disseminate the results.
The Center’s inaugural Orange County Forecast, presented in December 1978, was the first economic forecast in the U.S. to be based on an urban econometric model. The Chapman Econometric Model grew out of a class project. It was developed by Argyros College faculty and students working together with a focus on providing the most relevant information relating to past, present and future trends in the Orange County economy.
In March 1997, the Center was named the A. Gary Anderson Center for Economic Research in gratitude for the generous support of the A. Gary Anderson Family Foundation. The Foundation’s endowment gift also created the A. Gary Anderson Chair in Economic Analysis, with center director Esmael Adibi as its inaugural holder. President Jim Doti stated at that time, “The gift is quite significant in that funds will be available in perpetuity to fund the center’s operation. It means we will be able to not only expand the center’s research effort but make it possible for the center to remain in the forefront of urban and regional analysis.”
For over 40 years, the Economic Forecast has afforded students in the Argyros College hands-on experience not only in using the econometric tools necessary to revise and update the Chapman Model but also in analyzing current economic trends. The focus continues to be on providing information that businesses and organizations need to make more effective planning and investment decisions.
The Economic Forecast has grown significantly scope and received national recognition for its statistical accuracy. Forecasts have been quoted in major media outlets across the nation.
Between 2004 and 2021, Chapman’s real GDP forecasts were more accurate than the forecasts issued by all 17 agencies who participated in the Blue Chip Economic Indicators surveys for that entire time period. Chapman also ranked #1 in an accuracy ranking of the four variables of real GDP, Unemployment Rate, GDP Price Deflator, and Housing Starts. The Chapman Forecast Model outperformed the highly regarded Blue Chip Consensus forecast in both rankings.
The Chapman Forecasts include economic variables in the following categories:
U.S. Forecast:
- Real GDP
- Employment
- Monetary Aggregates
- Price Indicators
- Housing
- Interest Rates
California, Orange County, and Inland Empire Forecasts:
- Payroll Employment
- Personal Income
- Taxable Sales
- Housing
- Construction Activity
The following directors have provided leadership to the Anderson Center for Economic Research:
James L. Doti, Ph.D. (Founding Director, 1978 – 1985)
Esmael Adibi, Ph.D. (1985 – 2016)
Raymond Sfeir, Ph.D. (2016 – present)