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James H. Johnson, Jr.

Director, Urban Investment Strategies Center, Frank Hawkins Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise; William R. Kenan Jr. Distinguished Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship


Address:	CB #3440 Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3440
Office:	Kenan 314C
(919) 962-2214

Areas of Expertise

demography
diversity
downsizing
emerging markets
entrepreneurship
entrepreneurship: social entrepreneurship
fund raising
labor issues
off shoring
outsourcing
political economy
urban issues

Media Mentions

2010

The Financial Times featured Jim Johnson, strategy/entrepreneurship professor and Urban Investment Strategy Center director, in "A learning curve."

(Jan. 25) It showcased the new Union Independent School in Durham and Johnson�s hope that others will replicate its business model to bring world-class education to economically distressed areas in the United States.

More Media

Biography

James H. Johnson Jr. is the William R. Kenan Jr. Distinguished Professor of strategy and entrepreneurship and director of the Urban Investment Strategies Center.

His research interests include community and economic development, the effects of demographic changes on the U.S. workplace, interethnic minority conflict in advanced industrial societies, urban poverty and public policy in urban America, and workforce diversity issues.

Dr. Johnson and Dr. John D. Kasarda coauthored �The Economic Impact of the African American Population on the State of North Carolina" and a study on the economic impact of North Carolina�s Hispanic population. With support from the Russell Sage Foundation, Dr. Johnson published research on the economic impact of Sept. 11 on U.S. metropolitan communities. Currently he is researching the economic and employment impact of white collar job shifts offshore on U.S. competitiveness.

Dr. Johnson examines the causes and consequences of growing inequality in American society, particularly as it affects socially and economically disadvantaged youth; entrepreneurial approaches to poverty alleviation, job creation, and community development; interethnic minority conflict in advanced industrial societies; and business demography and workforce diversity issues. Fast Company profiled him in "Hopes and Dreams."

He has published more than 100 scholarly research articles and three research monographs and has co-edited four theme issues of scholarly journals on these and related topics. His latest book is "Prismatic Metropolis: Inequality in Los Angeles".

He received his PhD from Michigan State University, his MS from the University of Wisconsin at Madison and his BS from North Carolina Central University.

Recent Media Mentions

2010

The Financial Times featured Jim Johnson, strategy/entrepreneurship professor and Urban Investment Strategy Center director, in "A learning curve." (Jan. 25) It showcased the new Union Independent School in Durham and Johnson�s hope that others will replicate its business model to bring world-class education to economically distressed areas in the United States.
FYI Carolina featured Jim Johnson, Urban Investment Strategies Center director and strategy/entrepreneurship professor, helping to start Union Independent School in "Jim Johnson, Inspirational Advocate." (Dec. 17) The Robesonian quoted him in "The Poverty Paradox" and "Getting ready for work: Robeson must transition to new economy." (Dec. 6 and 13)

2009

UNC�s Gazette featured Jim Johnson, strategy/entrepreneurship professor and Urban Investment Strategies Center director, in a video and in "Johnson leads effort to take kids �from streets to the suites.�" (Aug. 19)
North Carolina Public Radio�WUNC featured Jim Johnson, Urban Investment Strategies Center director and strategy/entrepreneurship professor, and the new Union Independent School in "Interest High In New School." (July 6)
The Herald-Sun featured Jim Johnson, Urban Investment Strategies Center director and strategy/entrepreneurship professor, in "School hopes facility is multi-purpose," "Union Independent: A school for scholars" and "Innovative new school to open." (June 1-3)
The Rocky Mount Telegram quoted Jim Johnson, Urban Investment Strategies Center director and strategy/entrepreneur professor, in "Homeless residents work to keep shelter open." (May 2)
Triangle Business Journal featured the work of Jim Johnson, strategy/entrepreneurship professor and Urban Investment Strategies Center director, to create the Union Independent School in Durham in "Union Baptist, UNC building national model school for at-risk youth." (April 10)
The News & Observer published "How fewer falls could fix some budget holes," another op-ed article by Jim Johnson, which cited Secure Audits for Elderly (SAFE), a program developed by UNC Kenan-Flagler MBA students. (March 23) The Charlotte Observer quoted him in "Looking for a hot job? Try welding" (March 9) and the Star News quoted him in "Raleigh No. 1, Wilmington No. 26 in population growth." (March 19)
The Charlotte Observer quoted Jim Johnson, strategy/entrepreneurship professor and director of the Urban Investment Strategies Center, in "Census Bureau: Don't try to apply." (Feb. 4)
The Chapel Hill Herald and The Herald-Sun reported that Jim Johnson, professor of strategy/entrepreneurship and director of the Urban Investment Strategies Center, received the Faculty Service Award from UNC�s General Alumni Association.
Fox Business News interviewed Jim Johnson, Urban Investment Strategies Center director and strategy/entrepreneurship professor, about economic news during a live broadcast from Chapel Hill. The Charlotte Observer and The News & Observer quoted him in "In public sector, jobs keep growing." (Dec. 24) The Southern Political Report of Atlanta quoted him in "In the new New Deal, South competes for infrastructure dollars." (Dec. 9)

2008

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution quoted Jim Johnson, Urban Investment Strategies Center and strategy/entrepreneurship professor, in "�Generation Y� forcing home builders to rethink projects." (Oct. 7)
The News & Observer published the op-ed "Our need for hard working immigrants" by Jim Johnson, Urban Investment Strategies Center director and entrepreneurship professor. (July 4)
The Charlotte Observer quoted Jim Johnson, entrepreneurship professor and Urban Investment Strategy Center director, in "Minorities taking money elsewhere." (June 5) The Charlotte Observer quoted him in "N.C. braces for worker exodus." (June 16) WRAL-TV interviewed him in the documentary "Focal Point: Love Child." (June 18) WUNC-FM interviewed him in "Future of Immigrant Students." (June 5)
WNPR/Connecticut Public Radio interviewed Jim Johnson, entrepreneurship professor and Urban Investment Strategies Center director, in "Young People�Come Back!" (Feb. 22) Entrepreneur quoted him in "The Influencers." (March)
The News & Observer published an op-ed by Jim Johnson, entrepreneurship professor and Urban Investment Strategy Center director, in "A Coming Faculty Retirement Crisis." (Dec. 13)

2007

Associated Press quoted Jim Johnson, entrepreneurship professor and Urban Investment Strategies Center director, in "Half of Ark. immigrants undocumented," which BusinessWeek Online posted. (April 5). The Morning News quoted him in "Reaction to Immigrant Report Mixed." (April 4)
Associated Press quoted Jim Johnson, entrepreneurship professor and Urban Investment Strategies Center director, in "Bank of America finds itself in illegal immigration debate with new credit card," which ran on its international wire and in the International Herald Tribune. (March 5) The Atlantic Journal-Constitution quoted him in "Illegal immigration: Latino-focused businesses take heat." (March 17) The Christian Science Monitor quoted him in "Bank�s credit cards for noncitizens raise ire."(March 13) WUNC-FM�s "The State of Things" featured Johnson and his success in applying business principles to social change in "Meet Jim Johnson." (March 26)

2006

National Public Radio interviewed Jim Johnson, entrepreneurship professor and Urban Investment Strategies Center director, on "All Things Considered." The segment, "On Immigration, Americans Show Range of Views" is posted on NPR�s site, where there is a link to the Kenan Institute�s Hispanic Economic Impact Report. (April 14)
The Herald Sun featured Jim Johnson, entrepreneurship professor and director of the Urban Investment Strategies Center, in "Officials, church to launch private school" (Feb. 19) and reported that "officials associated with the successful Durham Scholars program for inner-city youths plan to launch a tuition-free private school serving up to 250 students in grades K through 8 in North-East Central Durham. The News & Observer wrote about the initiative in "Elite school could teach Durham�s needy." (Feb. 21) The Herald-Sun also praised his and Kenan Institute�s work in the editorial "More space for Scholars." (Feb. 21) Johnson was interviewed on WRAL-TV's noon show to talk about the Durham Scholars program and the school. (Feb. 27)
AmsterdamNews quoted Jim Johnson, Urban Investment Strategies Center director and entrepreneurship professor, in "Black migrating back home." (Dec. 15)

2005

The Herald-Sun quoted Jim Johnson, entrepreneurship professor and director of the Kenan Institute�s Urban Investment Strategies Center, in "Reichhold anchors in." (Oct. 3)
The Plain Dealer quoted Jim Johnson, entrepreneurship professor and director of the Kenan Institute�s Urban Investment Strategies Center, in "What�s next for displaced New Orleanians." (Sept. 11) The News & Observer published his article "Blacks in a new world of jobs" (Sept. 19), and quoted him in "Taking care of their own." (Sept. 9)
The News & Observer quoted entrepreneurship professor Jim Johnson, director of the Kenan Institute�s Urban Investment Strategies Center, in "Renaming clears confusion." (Aug. 12) The Greensboro News and Record quoted him in "Facing the future." (Aug. 12)
USA Today quoted entrepreneurship professor Jim Johnson, director of the Kenan Institute�s Urban Investment Strategies Center, in "Southern migration fuels gains for blacks." The Detroit Free Press quoted him in "Modern Living Trends: Tomorrow's homes must be flexible, freewheeling and full of life," (June 5), an article originally published by the Chicago Tribune.

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