About Us
Overview
Founded in 1997, Quantum Dynamics is an econometrics consultancy specializing on economic development analysis. We help our developer clients secure project approvals, public grants and finance assistance, and community support by providing clear reasons for action. We help business clients from many industrial sectors better communicate their role in the greater economy, this to support objectives ranging from investor education to legislative advocacy to community relations, and so forth. We assist local government and development authorities by providing quantitative support for development strategy formation, master planning, back testing of existing strategies and programs, and other analytical services.
Core Capacity
Economic impact analysis is our foundational capacity. We excel at developing sophisticated, market-tested models to measure the economic impact of development projects, businesses, and policies. Our work in this area typically measures the direct, indirect, implied, and overall economic output across key metrics, including job creation, wages, tax revenues, value-added output, and overall economic product.
Outcome Focused
Our analyses of economic development projects, strategies, and programs provide clients with credible, transparent, quantitative information with which to compete for scarce resources, seek project approvals, set or change public policy, evaluate development strategies, and many other applications.
Depth of Experience
Since our founding we have analyzed the impact of over $15 billion in proposed real estate developments, along with numerous events, existing industries, and development policies, strategies, and plans. Our work has spanned many sectors of the economy, covering many engagement types. (See the Services section for presentation of the range of our past assignment types and business sector experience.)
Our Elevator Pitch
We serve diverse public and private sector clients by calculating the economic output derived from commercial developments and businesses, and by helping our clients use the information to support their business goals.
Our Business Perspective
We judge ourselves on our ability to understand client needs and to act adroitly and decisively to fulfill them. We long ago realized that as economic effects consultants, the credibility of our work is the key to our helping clients
achieve their business goals. To this end, we never take shortcuts or shirk our professional responsibilities. In brief, we are quality obsessed, team oriented, econometrics solution engineers.
Quality Obsessed
Much of our work involves predicting economic development outcomes. And we take this responsibility very seriously as decisions informed by our work often directly affect communities, industry, investors, and individuals. In light of this, we strive for
aptness, accuracy, and to give every client our
best effort.
Team Oriented
As specialist consultants, we are typically one of many shops working to achieve a development outcome. Mindful of this, we work at being great teammates; to meet every deadline; and to remain optimistic and focused throughout the sometimes long, hard road to a successful ribbon cutting or the fruition of a significant planning effort.
Solution Engineers
We deploy the right bench-tested, field-proven methods available and follow best-practices to develop our econometric assessments. However, if an established solution is not available to solve a client’s need we shift our focus to crafting custom methods. We not only have many
tools in our kit, but we’re toolmakers
as well.
Indicative Project Work Flow
For our project-based work, client engagements typically follow a simple pattern: We gather necessary inputs on the project or policy under evaluation. We craft appropriate econometric models and run input data through them. And, we report results as are appropriate to the job.
For our typical input-output analysis projects field work is not required. Instead, we can usually clarify the project scope and layout the needed inputs via a few phone calls and emails. Years ago field work was a staple of input-output analysis. But with today’s advanced modeling methods, such fieldwork is anachronistic (not to mention a needless expense for clients).
As a self-contained, self-managing resource, and with few occasions requiring project-related travel, we are able to efficiently and cost-effectively take on projects from throughout the United State and Canada, through most of our work so far has involved projects sited in the Northeast. Our project turnaround typically runs 3 to 10 days, sometimes a bit longer for very complex assignments.
While no two consulting engagements are ever the same, over the years we have found that most of our typical input-output projects unfold in three steps: (1) we listen, (2) we crunch numbers, and (3) we craft materials.
We Listen
We work closely with our clients to define project scope and ensure that outcomes are aligned with project goals. We long ago realized that off-point project outcomes are of no use to clients, no matter how careful our analysis or attractive our deliverables.
We Crunch Numbers
We develop the right analysis for the job, using best-practice techniques and models to calculate direct and “multiplier” effects. While of nature much of our work occurs behind the scenes, we work transparently and are always happy discuss our methodology with clients.
We Craft Materials
We develop our reports and other deliverables following through on the principle that we shape our analysis in a strategic context informed by political and pragmatic realities. We aim for our materials to apply competitive leverage towards assisting our clients in achieving their goals.
Stakeholders and Audiences
Over our years in business we’ve learned one truism: economic development is a small, highly interactive community. In fact, most of our projects involve three or more classes of stakeholders (such as a builder, a financier, and the industrial company aiming to occupy a new site); support organizations (law firms, architects, engineers, corporate communications and public relations practitioners, specialty consults, and so forth); and at least several decision makers and outside influencers (ranging from the local planning authority
and state development grant office, to newspaper editors, local talk radio personalities, and environmental and civic advocates).
The graph to the right shows how often people from each of the categories listed are involved with development efforts we’re a part of, either as teammates or people to whom our work will be directed. The data comes from a recent review of our own project files. (Hey, we’re an econometrics shop; of course we count up stuff like this). We don’t present this as indicative of our field or as a benchmark; it’s simply the mix we’ve see via our project flow. To us, the data offers a simple lesson: we need to be mindful that the products of our work must meet the needs of a wide range of audiences, each with its role in the project, “common” knowledge, and outcome perspective.
- Corporations (Public and Privately Held) 80%
- Engineering Firms / EIS Consultants 55%
- Investment Banks / Finance Consultants 40%
- Law firms / Development and Grants Consultants 60%
- Non-Governmental Development Organizations and Civic Groups 35%
- Corporate, Legislative, and Public Relations Practitioners 40%
- Real Estate Developers / Builders 85%
- State and Local Development Agencies / Other Public Sector 75%