Art work by Ashley Davenport for AIS

Dean Howard Smith
 Professor of Economics
and Applied Indigenous Studies

Director, Business and Policy Programs, Sustainable Energy Solutions
 
Northern Arizona University
P.O. Box 15066
Flagstaff AZ 86011-5066
 
e-mail me: dean.smith@nau.edu
 
Visit the AIS site: www.ais.nau.edu
 
 

Visit the NAU economics site: http://www.franke.nau.edu/pinto-j/Economics/
The mission of the Sustainable Energy  Solutions (SES) Group is to provide society with broadly educated energy experts and new technologies, as well as to help shape energy decision-making in both the private and public sectors while increasing the public's energy literacy.

Visit the SES website: www.ses.nau.edu .

Artwork by Stephanie Smith

First Nations people know that a tribe must have control over its resources and sustain its identity as a distinct civilization for economic development to make sense. With an integrated approach to tribal societies that defines development as a means to the end of sustaining tribal character, Dean Howard Smith offers both conceptual and practical tools for making self-determination and self-sufficiency a reality for Native American Nations. Through a century of changes in federal policy, tribal development has typically been viewed through mainstream society's goals and system, or according to some pan-Indian framework. Instead, Smith argues that any development prospectus must be created and evaluated within the dictums of the individual indigenous social structure. Otherwise, a tribe must choose between cultural integrity and economic development. Smith draws from his extensive experience as a consultant, teacher, and instructor to offer a wide variety of detailed case studies, and readers will learn from both successful and failed development initiatives. While focused on the United States, his work will be  applicable for indigenous peoples in many parts of the world. In addition to tribal employees and communities, Modern Tribal  Development will be important reading for scholars and students in Native American studies, development studies, community  planning, and cross-cultural studies. 

Click here for the Publishers web page:

http://www.rowmanlittlefield.com/Catalog/SingleBook.shtml?command=Search&db=^DB/CATALOG.db&eqSKUdata=0742504093
 

“MANAGING TRIBAL ASSETS: DEVELOPING LONG TERM STRATEGIC PLANS” 

Joseph S. Anderson, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Management
 
Dean Howard Smith, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Economics
 
As Native American tribes move toward self-determination with their governments and self-sufficiency of their peoples, they face daunting problems. Beginning from the status quo of unemployment rates ranging as high as 90%, concomitant social and health issues unseen elsewhere in the U.S., and limited financial assets, tribes need to develop long-term strategic plans. However, traditional economic development models and techniques are of little use in designing these plans. Additionally, some tribes are earning substantial financial assets through gaming operations. Nearly all tribes, however, still face the challenge of using their assets to build vibrant communities after many years of destitution. To this end, the development of a long-term strategic community development plan is called for. The National Executive Education

Program for Native American Leadership (NEEPNAL) in conjunction with the Center for American Indian Economic Development (CAIED) has developed a method for aiding tribes to develop such plans. This paper addresses the multiple, difficult issues surrounding development of an effective long-term strategic planning process for productive uses of tribal assets. Further, the NEEPNAL/CAIED method for overcoming these difficulties is presented, with positive examples from tribal experience. 

Click for the entire article:
http://www.franke.nau.edu/working_papers/papers&abstracts/Anderson-Smith/tribal_assets.htm 

Papers Forthcoming: 

“Socially Endogenous Modifications of Utility Functions”

A theoretical discussion of social change as a mechanism for understanding how utility functions, the basis for individual decision making, are altered by social change. Using examples primarily for the environmental consciousness movement, this paper argues that social change can only be the result of endogenously changing utility functions. This idea has been entirely void of analysis within the field of economics. Indeed, Stigler, Samuelson, Allen, Silberburg and others have questions why this issue has been avoided, but never went any further than listing the issue. 

“Zone Pricing: Good Management or a Legislator’s Opportunity for Good Press? Gasoline Pricing Policy”

Recent events in the oil and gasoline markets have resulted in price fluctuations and increased interest from politicians. One practice that has come under fire is that of zone pricing, or price discrimination. This paper shows that this practice is beneficial to the public and simply makes sense when looking at the market from an imperfect competition perspective. Additionally, the political rhetoric is investigated to show speciousness of the arguments. 

“If Dogs Run Free, Then Why Not We?”

A neat little paper I wrote for and have been using in the University Colloquium. It is written for the freshmen level to introduce students to the concepts of decision making within a market system and in a democracy. Using environmental issues such as global warming the paper present the ideas of the production possibilities frontier and hypothesis testing. 

Contact me for copies of the working papers: dean.smith@nau.edu 

PROFESSIONAL CONSULTING CLIENTS and FIELD PROJECTS:
Note, the reports from these projects are proprietary in nature and are not available for review. 

Mishognovi Village (Hopi), Colorado River Indian Tribes, Navajo Partitioned Lands Commission, Quechan Indian Tribe, Hualapai Nation, Jeddito Chapter (Navajo), Apache Aerospace, Navajo Community College (Dine College), Ft Belknap Indian Community, Ogalala Sioux Tribe, Cochiti Pueblo, Ft. Mohave Indian Reservation, Yavapai-Apache Reservation, Western States Petroleum Association.  

For consultation on tribal and community development, alternative energy and energy policy contact me with details and project ideas: dean.smith@nau.edu 

The five-fingered hand at the top shows us as humans. The tree branches below show how we are connected to Mother Earth. Learn what you can and guard the connections we all must live with. Let your education open your mind to new and wonderful possibilities