A recent study puts Massachusetts almost at the bottom of the list of job growth in the 50 states — ahead of only Michigan. We’ll look at some of the growing small businesses and talk with economists who warn the state against fostering a "boutique economy." We visited two companies that are growing to see what they’re doing right.
Listen to the full show:
Plus, in our web specials:Inside iRobot, and shred-masters compete at a Guitar Hero tournament.
Radio Boston: Where is the Massachusetts Economy?
Airdate: December 7, 2007
- Guests:
Andrew Sum, Economics professor and Director of the Center for Labor Market Studies at Northeastern University
David Birch, Former senior researcher at MIT, creator of the Birch Index of Job Growth, founder of Cognetix, Inc.
iRobotmakes robots for home and military use. We visited their offices to see where they test their Roomba vacuum, which hit the big time when Saturday Night Live spoofedthe product.
On a serious note, we also got a look at their 7-foot tall robot 
used by the military to detect IEDs.
We also took a trip to Chelsea to visit pharmaceutical company Alkermesthat’s working on getting the approvla for its insulin delivery system which allows patients to get their insulin with an inhalerrather than a needle.
Our reporter Meghna Chakrabartitook a trip to a bar to see what all the fuss is about with the Massachusetts grown video game Guitar Hero.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PZGrfSPEgQ[/youtube]
It’s one of the most popular video games in America. It’s brought back ripped jeans and rattails. It’s unleashed your inner rockstar. It’s Guitar Hero. And it was created by Harmonix Music Systems, a Cambridge, Massachusetts based design company.Radio Boston visited a Guitar Hero tournament at the Alchemist Lounge in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts. We brought back this revealing look at… Guitar Hero: Behind the Amp.
Now that the ground has thawed let’s go on an archaeological dig. What are some of the latest big local discoveries? What do historical artifacts teach us about our past?
From the Radio Boston Email in-box:
Hi Radioboston,
I am quite sure that if the state could control the price of housing
somehow, that businesses would be more able to keep employers from
moving their companies out of the state. You have to make so much more
in Massachusetts to live in Massachusetts. This facilitates people to
live far away from business hubs in Boston and Cambridge. That leaves
unhappy employees who have to commute and still barely make ends meet.
Young educated people can barely break into industry in this state
because of the cost of living.
Alana