Economic growth is often measured in scale. More jobs, higher output, and rising investment are used as signals that a region is moving in the right direction. Yet for many communities, those signals can be misleading. Growth may be occurring, but not in a way that sustains opportunity for the people who live there.
This disconnect is at the center of award-winning research by Rob Ogburn and William Provaznik of Central Washington University, and Coco Wu of Tennessee Technological University, recipients of the Best Paper Award at the 2026 SAM International Business Conference. Their work introduces a new way of thinking about regional performance, one that focuses not just on how much an economy produces, but on whether it is creating a sustainable future.
The Regional Sustainability Gap Index, or RSGI, offers a simple but powerful framework for understanding this distinction. Rather than relying on broad economic indicators, the index focuses on wages as a direct measure of opportunity. It evaluates both where a region stands today and where it is headed, combining current wage levels with long-term wage growth trends to reveal whether communities are advancing or falling behind.
At the core of the model are two components. The first measures a region’s current position relative to its state’s economic frontier, capturing the reality of purchasing power and income potential. The second evaluates whether that region is closing the gap or drifting further away over time. Together, these measures provide a clearer picture of long-term sustainability than traditional metrics alone.
What emerges from this approach is a more honest view of regional dynamics. Some areas that appear stable when measured by output or employment are, in reality, experiencing declining opportunity. Wages may be stagnant, growth may be slowing relative to stronger regions, and long-term prospects for residents may be narrowing.
The research illustrates this through real-world application, showing how regions with both low current wages and weak wage growth face compounding challenges. In these environments, opportunity does not just lag, it continues to erode. Over time, this influences how individuals make decisions about education, careers, and where to live. When the path forward appears limited, people adjust their expectations or leave in search of better opportunities elsewhere.
This dynamic creates a feedback loop. As skilled workers migrate away, local economies lose capacity. As capacity declines, wage growth slows further. The result is a cycle that becomes increasingly difficult to reverse without targeted intervention.
What makes the RSGI particularly valuable is its practicality. It is built using publicly available data and simple calculations, making it accessible to policymakers, regional planners, and community leaders. It does not require complex modeling to interpret. Instead, it provides a clear signal about whether a region is moving toward greater opportunity or further away from it.
This clarity is important because it shifts the conversation. Rather than focusing solely on growth, it encourages leaders to focus on sustainability. It asks whether current strategies are improving long-term outcomes for residents, not just producing short-term gains.
The implications extend beyond economic policy. The ability of a region to retain talent, support families, and create pathways for advancement is tied directly to wage dynamics. When those dynamics weaken, the effects are felt across education systems, workforce development, and community stability.
The Best Paper Award recognizes research that advances both theory and practice. This work does exactly that by providing a tool that is both conceptually sound and immediately useful. It challenges leaders to look beyond surface-level success and to focus on the deeper indicators that shape long-term prosperity.
In the end, sustainable growth is not defined by how large an economy becomes, but by whether it continues to create opportunity for the people within it. This research offers a clear and actionable way to measure that outcome, and in doing so, sets a new standard for how regional success can be understood.