Focus on the brains Wednesday, February 18, 2004 Most deep thinkers in economic development have ambivalent attitudes toward Richard Florida. On the one hand, he has broaden the debate about economic development. On the other hand, his data are shaky and his conclusions too facile. The world is simply more complex than he allows. Here's an example of where his analysis gets off target. In a recent study reported in the press, Florida and a colleague report that Europe is gaining on the U.S. True enough. There are important lessons the European Union can teach us about regional innovation. But then he goes on to conclude, apparently, that Sweden and Finland pose greater threats to America's economic leadership than China or India. Read more. I don't think so. Finland's economy is about the size of Kentucky. posted by Ed Morrison |		This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License. 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. So, spread the word...Share the knowledge. Tell a friend about EDPro Weblog. 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.

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