Saturday, May 31, 2003
Austin, TX is another region trying to revamp its economic development strategy. Its closest competitor, oddly enough, is Albany, NY. International Sematech, the computer chip consortium based in Austin, recently opened a research center in Albany. Folks in Austin are worried that more investment might migrate north.
So, they hired a consultant and asked him to define a new strategy. From the consultant's perspective, prospects in Austin don't look so good, apparently. He recently issued an interim report (with a final report due in September). Read about it.
Meanwhile in Albany, they are moving forward with an aggressive agenda to remake the economy. Led by the Center for Economic Growth, the Albany Region has launched a number of impressive initiatives.
In sum, Albany is learning by doing.
Instead of waiting on "outside experts", Albany is forming partnerships with local talent. My money is on Albany.
posted by Ed Morrison |
links
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.
If you are using a news reader, here is the link to syndicate this site:
Here's the link if you are a bloglines subscriber:
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.
My money is on Albany
