The Center for the Study of Public Choice and Private Enterprise supports the land grant mission of North Dakota State University. We are committed to helping local communities and the Upper Great Plains region, as well as humanity on a national and global scale, thrive.
Our Mission
The Center engages in research and educational programs to uncover the institutions and policies that encourage and enhance human well-being. While we are grounded in economics, the Center supports and actively encourages efforts that cross traditional boundaries set by departmental and college delineations.
Our current research project is titled Prairie Prosperity: An Economic Guide for the State of North Dakota. This research analyzes North Dakota’s boom-and-bust history and current financial situation. It also makes key policy recommendations for the state’s future fiscal health. In addition to this project, we have published research in Independent Review, Contemporary Economic Policy, and the Journal of Happiness Studies.
As a Center that supports and encourages interdepartmental collaboration, our programs are open to students of all majors. Through our research, we have collaborated with the Mercatus Center, who is a co-publisher of Prairie Prosperity. Additionally, we have co-hosted events with the NDSU School of Nursing and Emergency Management Department. As we plan future programs and events, we remain open to possibilities for collaboration.
Data collection is an important component of the PCPE research mission. We compile data and produce reports to help business owners, lawmakers, and other stakeholders remain up-to-date on issues relevant to North Dakota and the region. We produce quarterly labor market analyses for North Dakota, Minnesota, and South Dakota. These reports include employment data for the region’s largest metro areas and can be found on our website.
To accomplish our mission, we are committed to maintaining open communication with the public. We accomplish this by making our reports available and accessible, publishing a weekly blog, and participating in the conversation with local news media. On our website, visitors can read three different types of publications: 1) posts on the PCPE Blog, 2) “In the News,” which features articles and commentary we contributed to in the press; and 3) research projects.
PCPE hosts the Capitalism and Society Lecture Series. This series showcases speakers of diverse viewpoints on topics related to economics, entrepreneurship, public policy, and more. These events are free and open to the public with each lecture followed by a brief Q&A session and pizza and refreshments. We record and share all of our lectures so they can be enjoyed by a wider audience, and to ensure transparency. You can find them on our website and social media channels.
In order to share information with the broader academic community, we present our research at a variety of conferences and events. Our faculty and staff have given presentations across North Dakota and at other national institutions of research and education. We also present to industry leaders and community stakeholders, such as the audience at the Outlook Conference for Ag Lenders. Additionally, our researchers may give expert testimony to the legislature or other bodies.
We are proud to be active members of the community at North Dakota State University. As part of the Department of Agribusiness and Applied Economics, we regularly engage with students and faculty. Being in the classroom allows us to spread our mission by sharing our research and programs with interested students. Recently, our faculty and staff have taught classes on microeconomics, macroeconomics, public economics, and game theory and strategy.
The Mancur Olson Reading Group, named after North Dakota native and NDSU alumnus Mancur Olson, was established in fall 2017. Reading groups enhance the university experience by helping students network with peers, explore new ideas, and develop scholarly skills. Each semester, we select 10 students to become Mancur Olson Scholars. They attend regular meeting to discuss the readings and freely share their thoughts. At the end, they each receive a $500 scholarship.
