Bob Mittelstaedt, retiring dean of the W.P. Carey School of Business, assesses Arizona’s economy.

Mittelstaedt says that Arizona is on the road to recovery with a fairly balanced budget, but that’s not enough. He says it takes a chain of mistakes to bring down the economy, and it will take several steps in the right direction to bring the economy back up. Mittelstaedt says growth is always important, but it’s essential to keep in mind the quality of the growth. He believes if Arizona wants to attract more employers, the state needs to concentrate on the quality of education, cost-effective taxes, and an environment for entrepreneurship. Mittelstaedt says Arizona needs to nurture out-of-the-box thinkers, and that everyone needs to think broadly so their actions aren’t just good for them but also good for society.