Wednesday, July 21, 2004
The mayors of Tucson and Phoenix are trying to end their region's addiction to incentives for low wage retail jobs. This task is tough, especially when local governments are driven by sales tax collections. Read more.
The discussion betweeen the two mayors points to a deeper challenge facing EDPros. We are competing in a global economy, and this pressure encourages us to think and act regionally. However, our governance structures are not set up that way. We are dominated by local jurisdictions and political leaders who -- by their nature -- think and act locally.
We like it this way. Most of us think that government services function best when they are close to the people they serve. But that also leads to closed systems and "stove pipe" thinking: Dangerous patterns in a shifting global economy.
Competitive regions will figure out new arrangements -- new ways of coming together -- to target their investments more strategically. On a small scale, that's what Tucson and Phoenix are trying to do.
posted by Ed Morrison |
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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.
Tucson and Phoenix try to end the addiction
