Consumer Research Institute (CRI)
Tennessee Business Barometer Reports
2025
- Fall — The Bifurcated Economy: Business Leader Sentiment Accelerates, Consumer Sentiment Drops [PDF] [Booklet]
2024
- Fall — Tennessee Business Concerns are Mitigated, Positive Sentiment at a Three-Year High [PDF] [Booklet]
- Spring — Tennessee Business Leader Negative Sentiment Hits a Four-Year Low
- Winter — Tennessee Business Leader Sentiment Nears Three-Year High
2023
- Fall — Key Indicators Signal Possible Optimism
- Spring — Tennessee Business Leaders Believe the Worst May Be Behind Us
- Winter — Tennessee Business Leaders Brace for the Worst: A Look into the Current Economic Climate
2022
- Fall — Key Indicators Provide an Unclear Picture of the Future
- Spring — Outlook Declines Amid Growing Pessimism and Fears for the Future Economy
- Winter — Outlook Improves Amid Frustrations and Worries
2021
- October — Frustrations and Worries Drive Down Business Leaders’ Outlook for the Economy
- July — Outlook Wanes as Fears of Inflation Grow
- April — Outlook Improves Dramatically as Vaccinations Increase and Economic Activity Accelerates
- January — Outlook For The Future Declines
2020
- October — Outlook Among Tennessee Business Leaders Surges
- July — Outlook Among Tennessee Business Leaders Improves as Businesses Reopen
- April — Outlook Among Tennessee Business Leaders Plummets Amid Coronavirus/COVID-19 Pandemic
- January — Outlook Among Tennessee Business Leaders Surges
2019
- October — Outlook Among Tennessee Business Leaders Plummets
- July — Outlook among Tennessee Business Leaders Continues to Improve
- April — Tennessee Business Leaders Becoming More Optimistic about the Future of the Economy
- January — Uncertainty Leads to a Decline in Business Leaders’ Outlook
2018
- October — Business Leaders’ Outlook Improves Heading into the Fall Months
- July — Concerns about the Future Economy Grow as Perceptions of the Current Economy Improve
- April — Tennessee Business Leaders Increasingly Optimistic about Business Performance as Enthusiasm for the Overall Economy Moderates
- January — Tennessee Business Leaders Remain Optimistic About the Economy
2017
- October — Tennessee Business Leaders’ Optimism Rebounds; Professional Mentoring for College Students Viewed Very Positively
- July — Tennessee Business Leaders’ Optimism Wanes; Concerns over Staffing Continue; Soft Skills Dominate the Wish List for New Employees
- April — Tennessee Business Leaders’ Outlook Continues to Improve
- January — Tennessee Business Leaders’ Optimism Skyrockets Following Donald Trump’s Election
2016
- October — Tennessee Business Leaders Become More Hopeful About the Economy, Prefer Donald Trump on Issues Related to the Economy
- July — As Perceptions of the Future Economy Worsen, Tennessee Business Leaders Feel More Optimistic about Their Own Business’s Future Performance
- April — Tennessee Business Leaders Feeling Better about the Economy While Losing Confidence in Their Own Business’s Future Performance
- January — Tennessee Business Leaders Begin the Year with Growing Anxiety
2015
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Michael Peasley, Ph.D.
Director, MTSU Consumer Research Institute
615.494.8992