Date of Award

Summer 8-2013

Degree Type

Masters Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Economic and Workforce Development

Committee Chair

Chad Miller

Committee Chair Department

Economic and Workforce Development

Committee Member 2

Mark Miller

Committee Member 3

Barbara Travis

Abstract

The impact of exports on jobs, particularly manufacturing jobs, has not been convincingly established. However, most researchers have identified the manufacturing sector as the highest exporter in the United States. Studies regarding this relationship have both been conducted at the national and state level, mostly using the input-output model. Using the state of Mississippi as a case study, this study examines the direct relationship between manufacturing exports and manufacturing jobs among the twenty-one manufacturing industries under the 3-digit level of the North American Industrial Classification System. This study further determined the sub sectors that support job creation in the state of Mississippi. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Pearson correlation was used to analyze the research questions.

The statistical analysis proved a strong negative relationship between the manufacturing exports and jobs in Mississippi at a significant level of 0.001. The secondary research analysis found that textile mill, apparel, leather and allied product, petroleum and coal products, nonmetallic mineral product, and primary metal manufacturing support job creation in Mississippi. Apparel, and petroleum and coal products have the most significant impact on job creation in the state of Mississippi through exports. The study fills the gap of accessing the direct impact and relationship between Mississippi manufacturing exports and manufacturing jobs. The secondary research analysis informs economic developers and policy makers as to which of the manufacturing industries in Mississippi support job creation.

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