Tuesday, March 09, 2004
Automobiles has always been a good, leading edge industry to figure out global trends. So, here are two stories that caught my eye.
The first: Michigan's governor is determined to compete with Southern states in attracting foreign auto companies. (Her pitch, though, sounds like a used car ad: ""To the extent that anybody's looking somewhere else, come talk to us first because we will meet or beat your best deal.")
At the same time, this week demonstrated what global competition is all about in automobiles. For the first time, foreign countries outnumber state development offices in exhibiting at the Society of Automotive Engineers World Congress in Detroit.
From the article: "Sonny Simmons, representing the state of Mississippi, said it's no longer states versus states or even North versus South.
"'Everybody is looking,' said Simmons, who was one of at least five recruiters from Mississippi. 'We have China, France and the UK calling us looking to locate, and there is a company out of Mexico who may want to move to Mississippi.'"
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.
Shifting dynamics in global auto business
