February 18, 2013

"How should North Dakota Handle its Oil Boom?" - Resources for Your Essay.

The following list of articles should seen as a beginning, not an end to your research. Don't forget to check out the Essay website and list of sources there.


Every policy has trade-offs, opportunity costs. Externalities. Scarcity. A  good essay needs good research combined with sound economic logic. Why will your investment or ideas work? Prove it with research. 

In-Text Citations:
1. Read here for proper citation info.

NEW! What leads to a better economic future (economic growth)? 
1. Investment in human capital (education).
2. Infrastructure.
3. Natural Resources.
4. Investment in capital goods and technology.

Possible Topics: 
1. Invest in Education, Infrastructure... which lead to Future Economic Growth.
2. Invest Money in Better K-12 and Post Secondary vocational training, useful careers. Model on a German Education System. 
3. With so many Negative Externalities, ND should slow or stop Development - What role for Government? 
4. Invest in Alternative, Green Energy to provide a sustainable future. 
5. How to deal with labor, housing shortages?
6. Where have oil booms been successful? Been a bust? Examples for North Dakota. 



Research and History of Oil Booms:
1. The secret to Germany's low youth unemployment - their education system. Ideas for North Dakota.
2. Investing in Education - with Germany style vocational education and training.
3. Study on how investing in education leads to economic growth.
4. Study on how infrastructure spending helps economic growth.
5. History of past oil booms: How Texas invested its oil money in education, and other areas.
6. North Dakota will spend surplus on infrastructure, schools.
7. Could the boom go bust due to Government Regulation?
8. New: ND enjoys boom, but prepares for a slowdown.
9. ND Columnist's ideas for managing the boom.
10. NEW! How oil-rich Norway avoided the "oil curse"

The Boom!
1. $1.6 budget surplus.
2. Tax cuts, increased government spending in ND.
3. Importance of free markets learned in ND.
4. Economic impact of the boom. National Geographic.
5. Oil boom helps MN railroads.
6. Ideas how to manage the boom.
7. Possibilities to manage the boom.
8. Why Menards flies workers to N.D. every week.

Externalities:

1. North Dakota's struggle with population growth.
2. Video: Fight over Missouri River rights.
3. Boom leads to duck bust? Star tribune article.
4. More oil fracking regulation from Obama could lead to oil bust?
5. High cost of oil boom.
6. Growing pains of oil boom. PBS article and video.
7. Downsides of living in an oil boom.
8. A positive externality: North Dakota teen pregnancy rates lowest in the nation. The reason: OIL