Editor's Note: A Waikiki Love Song
When people tell me they never go to Waikiki, I wonder why they would want to miss so many wonderful things. Sure I love to play in the ocean and climb our green mountains far from the madding crowds, but,…
Community & Economy
Boom in the Hawaii Gun Business
Imagine a retail business in which one key measure of sales growth was up 42.2 percent last year, with similar growth this year. You’d be on Easy Street, right? Except this same business is plagued by a perennial problem: Customers…
Which Ethnic Group Makes the Most Money?
If you have lived in Hawaii for a while, the ranking of the richest and poorest ethnic groups shouldn’t surprise you. The hierarchy has remained the same for the past four decades, says UH ethnic studies professor Jonathan Okamura, who…
Building Bridges to China
Chinese companies and individuals are investing tens of billions of dollars in America. Here’s how Hawaii businesses and nonprofits are creating relationships with their Chinese counterparts and working to get a share of those investments, with varying degrees of success.…
Thirty Meter Telescope could boost Hawaii Island's economy
A $1.4 billion construction project would be a big deal anywhere in the world, but for struggling Hilo and Hawaii Island’s moribund construction industry, it’s a gift from above – figuratively and literally. “It’s a huge project for us,” says…
Riding the Up-and-Down Construction Cycle
The coming construction boom will be very different from the last one: different kinds of projects, new ways of financing and maybe fewer rising costs. It’s often hard to say exactly when the business cycle turns. Some date the end…
Editor's Note: China as No. 1: True or False?
It’s inevitable that China’s economy will overtake America’s in the next 20 years, right? After all, Chinese gross domestic product grew at an average annual rate of 9.3 percent over the past five years, according to the World Bank, while…
First Hawaiian Bank and Bank of Hawaii share more differences than similarities
Profitability is the bottom line, but it’s not the end of the story. Consider banks: In 2010 and 2011, Hawaii’s two largest financial institutions, First Hawaiian Bank and Bank of Hawaii, were also the state’s most profitable companies. Last year, they ranked first…
Figs are Hawaiʻi's Most Lucrative Crop
A report by UH’s College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources compared 12 newly introduced crops in Hawaiʻi and found figs way ahead of the pack.
Balancing Hawaii's energy supply and demand
The sun and wind create clean, local energy for Hawaii, but they’re intermittent. They come and go on a schedule that doesn’t follow the Islands’ demand for…
Staging a Race is No Walk in the Park
The costs add up because even small sports events need planning, permits, cones, cops, signs, safety and much more On any given Sunday, hundreds or thousands of weekend warriors are on the roads…
Why big development is so difficult in Hawaii
For decades, "too difficult" has been the refrain in the development community. Developers believe Hawaii’s land-use laws are too complicated, environmental regulations too onerous, and deference to Native Hawaiian gathering and access…
Editor's Note: Rebuilding the Crystal Ball on Economic Forecasts
Think you have a tough job? Try being an economist. Every November, economists around the world issue their forecasts of the coming year. There is always a huge range of opinions: One American economist may suggest U.S. GDP will rise…
Preparing for Hawaii's Next Hurricane
When Iniki hit, many property owners were uninsured, under-insured or covered by a company that couldn’t handle all its claims When a massive storm like Hurricane Sandy strikes, the effects on the insurance industry are felt around the world, including…
Checking a decade of Hawaii's economic forecasts
Hawaii’s economy is hard to predict. Hawaii Business compared a decade of annual economic forecasts against the actual numbers and found most forecasts correctly predict whether key indicators will rise or fall. But the forecasts rarely get the actual numbers…
Editor's Note: Strengthen Society, 2 People at a Time
I’ll start with bad news, and then get to good news before explaining why all of it belongs in a business magazine. As Valentine’s Day approaches, the most depressing news for me does not involve violence or political deadlock, but…
What's the ROI on Early Childhood Education
The return on investment is good but turns up in unexpected places This legislative session, as lawmakers debate a bill that would make preschool universal among Hawaii children, you may hear some outrageous claims from the advocates of early childhood…
Hawaiian Values
Robert Howe has been playing the markets since he was in high school. In 1973, he inherited $5,000 from his aunt and his father suggested he buy stock with the windfall. Howe chose a young consumer-products company called Radio Shack.…
Tourism Carries "Sub-Par" Hawaii Economy
It’s simple, really: Everyone in Hawaii needs to give a hearty round of applause to tourism for lifting us out of the recession. Thank you for an estimated $13.9 billion in visitor spending during 2012 (that’s a record) from 7.8…
Hawaii Business BOSS Survey - December 2012
13 Insights from the BOSS survey of 401 local business leaders Seven of the 13 are good news, one not so good and two are just plain odd. You decide about the other three. 1. Overall Economy Maintains Momentum The…
Ecotourism on Hawaii Island
Rob Pacheco walks up to what looks like an immense empty bathtub amid a desolate volcanic landscape dotted by ohia lehua and pukeawe trees. “This is my favorite place,” he says, pointing to the ancient Kaupulehu Crater, which descends hundreds…
5 Ways Companies Support Charities
Hawaiʻi's corporate foundations bring some stability to local giving. But foundations aren’t the only way for big corporations to give. And many companies supplement their cash giving with donations of time, resources and services.
Hawaii struggles to pass e-fairness law
Hawaii shoppers and businesses have long taken advantage of “tax-free” purchases from online retailers such as Amazon and eBay, but many legislators are trying to put an end to that free ride. As cash-strapped governments hunt for more revenue, and…
The Economics of Recycling in Hawaii
Much more than just HI-5, the economics of recycling is about fluctuating market prices for metal, glass and paper, and about jobs, electricity, carbon footprints and the cost of landfills Hawaii got a basic lesson in the economics of recycling…