First Quarter, Volume 3, Number 1

Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta
EconSouth

In This Issue

STAFF

Pierce Nelson
Editorial Director

Lynn Foley
Managing Editor

Michael Chriszt
Contributing Editor

Jean Tate
Lee Underwood
Staff Writers

Harriette D. Grissom
Stephen Kay
Elizabeth McQuerry
Myriam Quispe-Agnoli
Contributing Writers

Carole Starkey
Peter Hamilton
Designers

EDITORIAL COMMITTEE

Bobbie H. McCrackin
Vice President and
Public Affairs Officer

Thomas J. Cunningham
   Vice President and
   Associate Director
   of Research

John C. Robertson
   Vice President
   Research Department
   Regional Section

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ISSN 0899-6571

Volume 3, Number 1, First Quarter 2001
		CURRENT ISSUE Expect Continued but More Moderate Growth in 2001

		COVER STORY Productivity Growth, American Style In the mid-1970s, there was little about the U.S. economy for other industrialized nations to envy. But since those dark days the U.S. economy has reinvented itself. Although layoffs and plant closings have characterized many industries during this time, the turmoil has ushered in more efficient technologies and processes, contributing to a substantial increase in productivity.

		FEATURES Sunshine State Shines As Clouds Form in U.S. Economy Florida has long been a preferred vacation destination for domestic and international travelers. But how will Florida’s thriving tourism industry withstand the slower growth predicted for the nation’s economy? As this article points out, the full impact of a slowdown is likely to vary across Florida’s different regions, which draw significantly diverse groups of visitors.
		Dollarization: Will the Quick Fix Pay Off in the Long Run? Many Latin American countries have considered adopting the U.S. dollar as legal tender. While dollarization has its benefits, converting to the dollar may be a quick fix rather than a cure-all for economic ills, as some countries’ experiences suggest.

		DEPARTMENTS Research Notes & News Dollar Index The State of the States Southeastern Economic Indicators