Folks in Indiana need to read this article. They seem confused about manufacturing...They are setting up a false choice between manufacturing and "new economy" jobs. Read more.
My Bonehead Quote of the Month award goes to an EDPro quoted in the article, "We all know manufacturing is leaving the United States."
A group of business and community leaders a year to determine the makeup of the new economic panel. Here is the presentation that business leaders used to sell their concept of concensus. It's got some good, simple graphics that might be useful to you. Go.
In 1819, The first US patent for a velocipede, a predecessor of the bicycle, was issued to William K. Clarkson Jr. of New York.
posted by Ed |Milken rates the metros
In 1834, Cyrus Hall McCormick received a patent for his reaping machine. He demonstrated his machine in 1831 at a public trial in a field near Walnut Grove, Va. In 1902, the McCormick Harvesting Machine Company merged with five other leading farm implement manufacturers to form the International Harvester Company.
posted by Ed |Maryland incubator focuses on homeland security
One caution: impact fees are easy to talk about, but difficult to administer. Many planning offices in rural counties are not equipped to deal with these complexities.
Short of impact fees, you can do a lot with a thoughtful design of your development code or zoning ordinance.
(You might want to check out the development code I've been implementing in Ascension Parish, Louisiana. Ascension is a rural parish that is experiencing fast growth. We have been using development agreements as an interim step to impact fees. Go to Ascension Plan)
In 1935, a Patent Office issued a patent for the game of Monopoly to Charles Darrow of Pennsylvania. Darrow assigned the patent to Parker Brothers, Inc.
The patent titled the game a "Board Game Appartus" and described it as "intended primarily to provide a game of barter, thus involving trading and bargaining" in which "much of the interest in the game lies in trading and in striking shrewd bargains."
posted by Ed |North Carolina adjusts its jobs incentives
Here's a review of the likely bidding by other states. Read more.
Today in our history of innovation...
In 1941, Cheerios whole grain oat cereal was invented to provide a more convenient and better tasting alternative to cooked oatmeal. Each piece of the O-shaped cereal is 1/2-inch diameter, and weighs .0025 ounce. Each little "O" puffs itself out, like popcorn, as it explodes from the barrel of a puffing gun at high temperature
posted by Ed |Massachusetts branding campaign and web site
News is not all good. Two smaller plants are closing in Michigan. As one executive notes, "It's probably the most volatile time in the automotive supply industry in the last 25 years."
In 1893, R.W. Rueckheim combined popcorn, peanuts and molasses to invent Cracker Jack which he introduced at the Chicago World Fair.
posted by Ed |Chances are, Boeing is staying put
In 1906, John Ballance patented sound movies, and, in 1913, John Randolph Bray released the first animated cartoon.
posted by Ed |Detroit builds a new brand
Visit the web site.
posted by Ed |
Web Watch: NY SiteFinder
NY SiteFinder offers a simple, yet powerful GIS solution to finding sites and buildings. You start out with a map of NY and zoom in, much like MapQuest.
Use the Advanced Search, if you are trying to find a building or site that meets certain specs.
(Compare this to the complex site search tool developed by TVIDA. This tool requires you to download software to use it. Go to TVIDA.)
My one complaint with NY SiteFinder: The opening page begins with some really limp language. ("This site has been developed by Empire State Development to facilitate the site selection process in New York State." Oh, really? What a surprise.)
It goes on to talk about how the site was developed. ("...In partnership with local and regional economic development agencies, utility companies, blah, blah, blah". Who cares?)
How about writing the introduction from the user's perspective with a Quick Start Guide? ("We've built a really powerful search engine for you, and here's how you use it..." Marketing 101...Think from your customer's perspective.)
View NY SiteFinder. MapInfo, a NY-based company, helped develop the site.
posted by Ed |
Report for EDPros in rural areas
EDPros in smaller, rural communities might be interested in reviewing a new strategy report produced by the Greater Yellowstone region. The report suggests that economic development is more than business recruitment.
It proposes that small towns in Wyoming, Montana and Idaho can achieve economic success by providing good schools, fast Internet service, flight connections to major cities and access to outdoor places that are protected.
The analysis contends that manufacturing is �the heart of an innovative process that powers the U.S. economy to global leadership� and that �America�s unprecedented wealth and world economic leadership are made possible by a critical mass of manufacturing within the geographic confines of the American common market.�
Today in our history of innovation
In 1742, Benjamin Franklin invented the Franklin stove. The wood fuel burns on an iron surface over a cold air duct which heats air which then passes through baffles in the back wall. The heated air is released through vents on each side of the stove. Rather than patent it, Franklin chose to write about it in a book so that others could freely copy his design.
posted by Ed |Web Watch: New site for Greater Rochester
Read more.
posted by Ed |
New Mexico's new technology corridor
With a memorandum of understanding, Governor Richardson has connected Santa Fe's 12 research institutions into a technology corridor. The partnership is designed to accelerate technology transfer and business development, as well as increase research funding.
Download.
posted by Ed |
Building a strong investment case for higher education
As EDPros, we should become strong advocates for expanding investments in higher education. There are both direct employment impacts and spin-off benefits from higher productivity and new businesses.
Here's a good article on a recent presentation by the President of the University of Minnesota. Read on.
You can check out your state's support of higher education on this web site.
posted by Ed |
Indiana's innovation economy: Will it change?
Indiana's challenge to build a strategy for fuel cells highlights the central task of accelerating innovation: building connections. As one company founder notes, "Indiana isn't connected enough".
The situation in Indiana is set to change. Energize Indiana, the state's plan to invest $1.25 billion over 10 years in stronger research and business development, kicks off this week. Read more.
posted by Ed |
Building quality places: Toledo's Arrowhead Park
We all know about Research Triangle Park, but Toledo's Arrowhead Park also has a story to tell.
The development of Arrowhead Park provides important insights to follow. It is a story of converting high planning and design standards into a competitive asset. Learn more
Today in our history of innovation...
Today marks the birthday of the fast food restaurant. In 1902, the Automat Restaurant opened in Philadelphia. The restaurant offered vending machine service. Later, Horn & Hardhart expanded the concept into a chain of Automats, America�s first major fast-food chain. Customers put nickels into slots in the Automats and turned a knob. In the compartment next to the slot, food revolved into place for the customer to receive through a small glass door.�
posted by Ed |Boeing's game of leverage
It seems to be working. Governor Locke is proposing a $2 billion, 10 year tax cut. Boeing's tactics have put Locke into a political vice. Learn more.
Here's a good article summarizing the competition. Read more.
Today in our history of innovation...
In 1980, the first U.S. solar power plant started operation. It was located at the Natural Bridge National Monument, Utah. With over 250,000 solar cells arrayed in 12 long rows, its 100-kilowatt output could provide the power needs for the buildings and facilities of that National Park.
posted by Ed |New regional group forms in Metro Little Rock
Why not use the Internet? The survey would take days, not months and cost around 5% of what Charlotte is spending.
Disclosure: This is one area that I am developing with interactive interview technology. That's the same technology that many of you used to sign up for EDPro News. (Click on the "Subscribe to free updates" link to the right .) I also recently used this approach to conduct a compensation survey of economic development professionals with IEDC.
In 1977, first personal computer, the Apple II, went on sale. Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs invented the Apple II. The Apple II was one of three prominent personal computers that came out in 1977. Despite its higher price, it quickly pulled ahead of the TRS-80 and the Commodore Pet.
posted by Ed |Limit incentives? Start by ignoring Boeing
They could start by ignoring the Boeing deal. Boeing is shopping around for a new location for its 7E7 airliner. (Visit the project site.) Ten states are currently competing for the 1,200 jobs. (Boeing announced it was looking for a site for the assembly plant on May 16, and has given interested communities until June 20 to fill out a 27-page questionnaire laying out their qualifications.)
My sense is that Boeing will end up expanding in Seattle (if it builds a new facility at all), but not before it sets up a bidding war to wring concessions out of the State of Washington.
The Boeing deal doesn't smell right. You've got a company that lost $478 million last quarter in an industry that is way over capacity. They are conducting a highly public search, and they have disclosed an unusual amount of information. It looks to me like a replay of an old game. Some years ago, McDonald Douglas -- now a part of Boeing -- pulled a similar ploy by threatening to build an airliner in Taiwan, all in an effort to get more concessions from the feds.
The idea of limiting incentives regionally is starting to take hold. Alabama is close to a deal with Mississippi and is in early stages of talks with Florida about giving joint incentive packages to draw companies to their shared state borders. Learn more.
posted by Ed |
Networks of service providers for entrepreneurs
We're starting to see new efforts at using the web to provide entrepreneurs with quick access to business development services. For example, the State of Kentucky has its Entrepreneur Resource Navigator.
Kansas City is the latest example with a project called KCSourceLink, The National Entrepreneur Center of Kansas City. Learn more.
posted by Ed |
Baltimore's new technology incubator
Baltimore is launching a new technology incubator.
Emerging Technology Center @ Johns Hopkins Eastern, will be on the third floor of an old high school building, which is owned by the Johns Hopkins University. It is a collaborative effort involving the university and several city, state and federal agencies. EDA is investing $200,000.
If you are interested in technology incubators, download the most recent benchmarking report from the Department of Commerce, Technology Administration.
(Remarkably, the TA has not optimized its files for download, so the original benchmarking report is huge: 4MB. I have reduced the size to 1MB, and you can download it from this page. Thanks to Don Iannone for pointing out this report in his weblog.)
Today in our history of innovation...
In 1896, the first road test of the first Ford car was delayed an hour because the car was wider than the door of the shed in which Henry Ford built it. With an ax, he ripped out the door frame. After that problem was solved, he made a successful first test run with his car on a nighttime drive through the streets of Detroit.
This self-propelled vehicle, the Quadricycle , had four wire wheels that looked like heavy bicycle wheels, was steered with a tiller like a boat, and had only two forward speeds with no reverse.
posted by Ed |Texas legislature passes enterprise fund
In response, Sematech has indicated it will stay in Texas, even though it has moved one of its research programs to Albany. Still, when you compare Albany and Austin, I'm impressed that Albany has fashioned an economic development strategy that is right for the times. Meanwhile, Austin has been either flopping around with Richard Florida inspired gibberish about "keeping Austin weird" or paying hand-wringing consultants worried that there won't be "the next big thing".
posted by Ed |Iowa builds biotech connection to Korea
Here's an example of the type of international economic development we'll see more in the future.
Read more.
posted by Ed |
Research on business incentives
Here's a thoughtful interview on the impact of incentives on business location decisions. Read the article.
posted by Ed |
Purdue proposes advanced manufacturing institute for Indiana
This Institute proposal is no small deal. Purdue is proposing to raise $59 million in startup costs from private sources including foundations and corporations.
The institute business plan projects break even in the seventh year of operation. It projects to generate about $30 million in annual revenues from then on. Seventy-five percent of annual revenue is expected to be generated from contract work that might be done for the federal government. Read more.
Today in our history of innovation...
In 1965, Major Edward White II bcame the first American astronaut to make a spacewalk. He spent 20 minutes outside the Gemini 4 capsule during Earth orbit at an altitude of 120 miles. A tether and 25 foot airline were wrapped in gold tape to form a single, thick cord. He used a hand-held 7.5 pound oxygen jet propulsion gun to maneuver.
posted by Ed |
Smaller cities and entrepreneurship
Monday, June 02, 2003
Smaller cities may have an opportunity to build tighter entrepreneurial networks.
That's one picture that emerges from new report by the Wisconsin Policy Research Institute.
The report examines why employment in the Green Bay area grew by 34% in the 1990s, more than twice the metro Milwaukee rate of 15%. Read some additional background or download the report.
Quote from Green Bay's mayor, "Green Bay is a smaller community, a closer-knit community. Entrepreneurs need that. Even though they're on their own, they need that support."
posted by Ed |
Extending the Tampa Bay brand
Tampa Bay is trying to extend its brand more deeply into the region. This commentary gives you the background.
posted by Ed |
North Carolina's incumbent worker training
Here's some background on North Carolina's new incumbent worker training program. Employers can receive up to $50,000 to train current employees. Learn more.
Today in our history of innovation...
In 1883, the first electric elevated railroad in the U.S. completed its trial trip. The railroad went around the outer edge of the main exhibition building of the Chicago Railway Exposition.
posted by Ed |
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.
