Causes and Macroeconomic Implications of the Growth of the Professional Business Services

Companies are increasingly outsourcing work instead of employing workers directly. Economists Gorkem Bostanci, Harun Alp, and Sergio Villalvazo will investigate causes for the increase in outsourcing, how outsourcing impacts labor measurements, such as productivity and job creation, and how outsourcing impacts businesses’ ability to adapt to changing economic conditions. They will analyze data from Federal Reserve Board reports, COMPUSTAT, the Annual Survey of Manufacturers, the Services Annual Survey, and the Longitudinal Business Database for their study.