Friday, November 29, 2002
Rural Minnesota is shifting strategy and building an innovation economy, and they are right on track.
EDPro Dave Hengel is trying to break some old habits of thought in North Central Minnesota. Hengel is economic development director for The Headwaters Regional Development Commission.
"This is a time to challenge communities as partners rather than competitors," Hengel says. "They must see it as a region."
Hengel's got it right when he says that fiirms are no longer looking for cheap labor and 10-ton roads, but rather a skilled workforce and high-speed telecommunications. But most important, they are looking for places where people want to live.
Among Hengel's strategies:
Promote projects that bring advanced, state-of-the-art technology to the region's businesses and communities.
Develop a close partnership with education and training providers to increase the skill and knowledge levels of the region's employees.
Support projects that provide advanced skill training for the region's existing workforce.
Encourage value-added economic development utilizing the region's resources.
Build state-of-the-art telecommunications services throughout the region.
Some Background on EDPro Weblog
The purpose of this weblog is to help economic development professionals -- EDPros -- keep up with the changes sweeping our profession. Strap on your goggles. It's a whole new game. There are no experts any more. The only place to learn about economic development is from other EDPros who are doing it.
One other point: the prevaling approach (paradigm, if you like) in economic development is shifting from competition to collaboration. There are a lot of reaasons underlying this shift, but here's the important insight: You, your community, and your region will do better by collaborating and sharing information.
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Speaking and workshops on Open Source Economic Development
As the idea of Open Source Economic Development starts spreading, more people are asking about it. Visit the I-Open web site to learn more. My colleagues and I are happy to explain the basic concepts in a talk or a workshop. E-mail Susan Alshuler if you'd like to learn more about workshops and speaking.
Background on Ed Morrison
Download some background information on me here.
Building an innovation economy in rural Minnesota
