APB Associates, Inc.
28300 Franklin Road, Southfield, MI  48034
(248) 354-6520     FAX (248) 354-6520

click here to email Allan Becker
click here to email Patty Becker

What is APB Associates?

APB Associates is a Detroit-area based consulting firm providing a range of planning, program development and research services to government, business, and private non-profit organizations since 1988.

The Southeast Michigan Census Council, a non-profit organization directed by Patricia Becker, operates out of APB Associates' offices.

The knowledge and experience of APB Associates' highly qualified professionals have been of significant assistance to many projects and organizations.

Patricia C. Becker, President and Allan G. Becker, Ph.D., Vice-President, are Principals in APB Associates.

We provide the expertise to answer your critical questions in planning and in project development and management.

Developing and Using Data for Planning and Decision-making

Defining data as "information in numeric form," we will help you understand important physical, social and economic conditions and help you use that understanding for better planning and decision-making.

We utilize three main methods for obtaining data: (1) through administrative records created for another purpose, (2) through original data collection, and (3) through use of data collected by others.

We will assist your planning and development efforts by providing:

Updates and analysis of population, housing, labor force and labor markets.

Geographic coding (geocoding) refers to the location of information in space. Census tracts and zip codes are the two most common geographic areas of interest. Geocoding facilitates data linking, the process of bringing together data from different sources on a common geographic base.

Survey research. We will assist you with project definition, sample design and execution, questionnaire design, coding and analysis. We also manage mail surveys and can subcontract for telephone interviewing services.

We also provide:

Expert witness testimony regarding demographic and/or economic conditions; determination of "comparable cities," occupation patterns in EEO disputes.

Assistance with any issue requiring census data or involving the Bureau of the Census, including State of Michigan special census projects and the Census Bureau's LUCA project.

Program/Project Development, Management, and Evaluation

If you are involved in planning or managing in an educational or other human services organization, we can help you meet the ever growing challenges in planning, developing, delivering, managing and evaluating complex programs and services.

Even as a trained professional, you cannot reasonably be expected to have all the knowledge, skills, and time needed to meet fully these challenges.

Therefore, we will use our substantial experience and expertise, along with the tools of the "information age," to complement your efforts by providing technical and other specialized professional assistance in the following areas:

Program design and development in the human services area, with a specialty in employment and training programs.

Program evaluation using a range of applied social research methods effective in formative (process), context and outcome (impact) evaluation efforts.

Public policy analysis.

Strengthening volunteer boards of directors in program monitoring, strategic planning, team building skills, and other areas.

Performance and management audits/reviews.

Data base structure, forms design, data entry, and analytic reporting.

We provide staff training on topics related to the above services.