Does an Ivy League education make you a better CEO? According to new research from the University of New Hampshire, the answer is a resounding "no". Whether or not a CEO holds a degree from a top school has no bearing on their firm's long-term performance.

"It's understandable that people look at (ARRA) details and scrutinize the details but it's important to see the bigger perspective," said Ross Gittell, a professor at the Whittemore School of Business and Economics. "It's easy to forget that 18 months ago our national economy was at risk of a prolonged decline or depression. It has stabilized and improved."

When a state has a weak economy or high unemployment, “they’re going to be a little desperate to attract companies, and offer more than they really should,’’ says Ross Gittell, an economics professor at the University of New Hampshire. “This is not a good economic development strategy. It’s about bribing firms to come places, and it’s costing taxpayers money.’’