Babson Professor Josh Stillwagon Speaks at Globe Summit 2024

Listen

Inflation may be cooling, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t other concerns about the economy.

Josh Stillwagon, associate professor of economics at Babson, touched on the state of the economy at a panel last month at Globe Summit 2024, a two-day event from The Boston Globe.

Josh Stillwagon
Josh Stillwagon, chair of the Economics Division at Babson

The Globe Summit featured discussions on a wide range of topics, from climate change and health care to sports and food. Stillwagon spoke on a panel entitled, Navigating Economic Shifts: A Vision for Massachusetts.

“The employment situation looks a lot softer now,” said Stillwagon, who also is chair of the Economics Division at Babson. “I think the risks in the economy have really switched from being primarily about inflation with a very hot job market to now there are more worries about the soft job market.”

Moderated by Zeninjor Enwemeka, a senior business reporter at NPR station WBUR, the panel was held at the Harvard Club of Boston, with the audience attending virtually. The panel looked at the shifting economic landscape in the state and beyond, with participants focusing on topics such as the labor market, access to credit, and how Massachusetts can take advantage of its strengths in tech and higher education.

Stillwagon spoke about the exodus of young people that Massachusetts is experiencing and what can be done about it. “It’s really an affordability question, primarily around housing but also energy, issues of transportation cost, and commute time,” he said. “We need to make sure that we address the affordability issue.”

Watch Stillwagon and the panel discussion on YouTube below:

Posted in Babson Briefs

More from Babson Briefs »

Latest Stories

Close up of young woman holding happy smile face on background epic sunset
Best Way for Employers to Support Employees with Chronic Mental Illness Is by Offering Flexibility New research suggests that workers with chronic mental illnesses need their managers to be flexible and trust them, write Emily Rosado-Solomon of Babson College and Sherry Thatcher for The Conversation.
By ,
January 13, 2026

Posted in Insights

airplane cabin
Takeoffs and Turbulence: A Babson Professor Examines the State of the Airline Industry With a lifetime of experience and expertise in the airline industry, Babson Professor Dennis Mathaisel considers the business health and ongoing headaches of air travel today.
By
John Crawford
Senior Journalist
John Crawford
A writer for Babson Thought & Action and the Babson Magazine, John Crawford has been telling the College’s entrepreneurial story for more than 15 years. Assignments for Babson have taken him from Rwanda to El Salvador, from the sweet-smelling factory of a Pennsylvania candy maker, to the stately Atlanta headquarters of an NFL owner, to the bustling office of a New York City fashion designer. Beyond his work for Babson, he has written articles and essays for The Philadelphia Inquirer, Notre Dame Magazine, The Good Men Project, and other publications. He can be found on Twitter, @crawfordwriter, where he tweets about climate change.
January 12, 2026

Posted in Insights

Graduates walk during the Commencement ceremony
Babson’s Specialized Master’s Class of 2025 Demonstrates Consistent High Outcomes Despite a challenging job market, Babson’s specialized master’s Class of 2025 showcases the value of an entrepreneurial mindset and hands-on experiences in its career outcomes.
By
Bridget Johnston
Writer
Bridget Johnston
Bridget Johnston is a writer with an eye for all things F.W. Olin. She's most excited to tell student success stories, sharing their experiences with the broader Babson community. When she's not writing for Babson Thought & Action, she is connecting prospective students with Babson's Graduate programs through a variety of mediums, including email, print, and Babson's website. She graduated with her MFA in Fiction from Temple University and can be found in Philadelphia, befriending new dogs and embroidering.
January 8, 2026

Posted in Outcomes