EDPro Weblog: Economic Development for Today's Professionals

EDPro has moved

2007-11-05T09:48:00.000-05:00

In five years, EDPro has established a strong group of loyal readers. Based on the spirited advice of some of you, I am expanding EDPro and taking it to the next level.

1. Starting today, EDPro is moving to a new Internet address: http://edpro-weblog.net

2. I am also launching EDPro Premium, a basket of expanded services for economic development professionals.

These services include powerful filtering and archive search, RSS feeds, book and report summaries, commentary, an exploration of Web 2.0 tools for EDPros, and a special EDPro advisory service -- Advisor in a Box -- so EDPro Premium members can get some fast answers to important questions.

(For example, as a member of the EDPro Premium network, you could ask for a search of the more than 13,800 articles in the master database of economic development articles appearing in the last five years. Pretty nifty.)

3. To offer this expanded coverage, I have moved to a new publishing and collaboration platform provided by EDPro's technology partner, Near-Time.

4. To generate funds to pay for all these improvements, I am adding a modest subscription price for EDPro Premium. As a Charter Member, you will be able to subscribe to EDPro Premium for less than $2 per week. (Or, if you prefer, 2 iTunes, one Starbucks mocha skim no whip whatever, or 2/3 of a gallon of gas.) Anyway you slice it, it's a good deal.

I'm keeping the pricing in line with most EDPro budgets. I will keep this introductory pricing to Charter Members of EDPro Premium in place through December 2007.

If enough of you support EDPro Premium, we'll be able to keep the price low, so more EDPros can participate in the EDPro Premium network.

5. At the same time, EDPros on a tight budget can still take advantage of some content with EDPro Free.

-- To see what some folks have written about EDPro go here.

-- To check out the new EDPro Premium content go here.

-- To join the EDPro Network now, go here.

My purpose in developing EDPro has always been to help our profession get smarter, faster with "what works".

With the enthusiastic support of EDPro readers, we are setting off on another journey...

EDPro Premium Update

2007-10-23T08:24:00.000-04:00

EDPro Premium is coming, and I have been spending most of my time working on the new platform. If you are a subscirber to EDPro News, you'll get your invitation later this week.

EDPro Premium meets the new demands placed on EDPros by:

* Giving you the opportunity to get smart fast
* Providing you the most powerful on--line learning environment for EDPros
* Exposing youto the latest open network-based models of economic development
* Guiding you through the newest Web 2.0 tools and how you can apply them
* Providing you with book and report summaries
* Enabling you to search and use archived stories for your presentations
* Getting personal support from me (Ed Morrison) through "Advisor in a Box"
* Keeping up with the latest developments in thinking, tools, and models for regional economic development
* Supporting a community of economic development professionals committed to advancing our profession
* Keeping yourself competitive by continuing to develop your skills

Economy Watch

2007-10-10T12:25:00.000-04:00

Here are articles on the economy from last week.

Jobs: A September Shocker
Copyright piracy takes a $58 billion hit on U.S. economy – report
Futurists Release Top Ten Forecasts for 2008 and Beyond
U.S. seen dominating science Nobels -- for now
The Global Flows of International Professional Baseball System
Republicans Grow Skeptical On Free Trade
Outsourcing and offshoring trends growing in significance (Report available for download here.)
Reporter says China is a giant on the world stage

Incentive Watch

2007-10-10T07:40:00.000-04:00

A new incentive war will touch off if VW decides to increaase capacity with another plant. Here's the latest from Alabama. Read more.

We are entering an era of tight government budgets. More people will be asking the questions posed by this Rhode Island editor. Are incentives worth it? Read more.

Folks in Kansas City are continuing to debate the value of TIF districts. Read more.

The Dell deal in North Carolina represents one of the largest incentive deals ever. As it turns two years old, the debate continues on its impact. Read more.

El Paso has revamped its incentives policy. Read more.

Google is building another server farm, this time in Iowa. And the incentive train is pulling out. Read more.

North Dakota's Centers of Excellence

2007-10-09T20:58:00.000-04:00

I keep hearing positive developments coming out of North Dakota. Here's another example. This article outlines how Minot State University will receive $2.1 million for its new center of excellence for a data production center. Read more.

In 2005 the North Dakota Legislature approved a centers of excellence initiative to expand investments in higher education. Since its founding, the initiative has invested in a wide range of centers designed to stimulate economic development. These centers have included in a wide range of different technologies such as petroleum safety, hydrogen, advanced electronics and life sciences. Download a summary.

Biotech in the Bay Area

2007-10-09T20:57:00.000-04:00

Developing a cluster of businesses in the life sciences is not for the faint hearted.

This recent article out of San Francisco underscores how long it takes. The biotech industry is been around for over 30 years in the Bay Area.

It took 28 years for the biotech industry to generate $50 billion in revenues. Now growth is accelerating and analysts expect the revenues will double by the end of the decade. In short, biotech is the miracle that took a generation to happen. Read more.

High school education in the 21st century

2007-10-09T20:55:00.000-04:00

Occasionally, I come across articles by educators that underscore the importance of changing our approach to high schools. I do school superintendent in North Olmstead, Ohio is inviting a new conversation about high school education in her community.

"We need to talk to get there about 21st Century learning and how to collectively help young people achieve the skills and attributes that will allow them to survive and thrive in the new global economy."

More important, she took the step of framing the needed transformation in terms of a collective responsibility.

"Teaching and modeling the skills of leadership, work ethic, collaboration, communication and problem solving are within the power of every individual and institution within a community and within this room."

Read more.

Iowa's Skilled Worker Shortage Study Committee

2007-10-09T20:50:00.000-04:00

Here is another story on the looming worker shortage in Iowa.

Other states are confronting the same demographic challenge, although Iowa seems to be focusing more directly. According to the Iowa Workforce Development report, the state will face 100,000 job vacancies within the next five years. A Skilled Worker Shortage Study Committee is exploring the issue in more depth. Read more.

The activities of this committee will be interesting to watch. Reportedly, the Skilled Worker Shortage Study Committee will consider school improvements and other options to increase Iowa’s skilled workforce.

Rural entrepreneurship in Minnesota

2007-10-09T20:49:00.000-04:00

Minnesota has announced a new initiative to promote entrepreneurship in rural counties. Strategic Entrepreneurial Economic Development (SEED) is designed to strengthen the entrepreneurship networks across the state. Read more.

Accelerate Arkansas

2007-10-09T20:47:00.000-04:00

Four years ago a group of business and political leaders in Arkansas came together to form Accelerate Arkansas. The purpose of the organization is to accelerate the move of Arkansas into the knowledge-based economy.

Two weeks ago, Accelerate Arkansas conducted press conferences around the state to publicize five core strategies in its effort to boost state per capita incomes.

You can read more about the Accelerate Arkansas news release here. You can download a copy of the Accelerate Arkansas report from this page.

A model local education summit

2007-10-09T20:45:00.000-04:00

A promising educational summit is taking place this week in Wayne County, Indiana. The event is promising for a couple of reasons.

First, it is taking place over two days. That's a large commitment of time, and it indicates a community is starting to get serious about transforming its educational system.

Second, the summit organizers are focused on some practical outcomes, such as asking employers not to hire students who do not hold a high school diploma. (This approach is similar to a strategy successfully deployed in St. Joseph, Missouri.)

The specificity of these proposals underscores that the organizers are focused on practical ideas that can transform their educational system. In other words, they're taking responsibility for outcomes. Read more.

Collaboration in NE Louisiana

2007-10-09T20:44:00.000-04:00

A multi-parish (county) collaboration is forming in Northeast Louisiana. Interestingly, as currently structured, the chief executive officer of the new organization must compromise side the region. Here is an outline of the tentative plan. Read more.

Toledo focuses on government innovation

2007-10-09T20:41:00.000-04:00

The transformation of the industrial Midwest will accelerate as more communities and regions learn the skills of collaboration. Regional approaches to economic development offer they best chance for accelerating innovation, improving productivity, and boosting incomes.

But collaboration does not come easily. It helps when elected leaders see the opportunity. That appears to be happening in the Toledo area, where the County government has recently released a report on government in the 21st century.

You can read more about the report here. You can download a copy of the report here.

Denver's workforce gaps

2007-10-09T20:40:00.000-04:00

Denver has completed a workforce assessment which reveals upcoming worker shortages. Like other reports that are starting to appear around the country, this report also concludes that "the incoming workforce is not prepared for the working world."

Read more. Download a copy of the workforce gap analysis here.

Washington State innovation zones

2007-10-09T20:38:00.000-04:00

Washington State has kicked off its new cluster strategy by creating five innovation partnerships zones and investing roughly $1 million in each.

The strategy is intended to replicate the model of Research Triangle Park in North Carolina. Read more.

Rising skill levels

2007-10-09T20:36:00.000-04:00

A recent report from the Workforce Development Board of the Treasure Coast in Florida contains this quote:

"The skill levels of jobs are rapidly rising... Most occupations in demand on the Treasure Coast require a working knowledge of computers and basic math, plus oral and written communication skills. Even the most elementary level jobs involve entering and retrieving data from a computer system, reading and following instructions, and communicating with coworkers he and/or customers...Employers have repeatedly indicated that many workers today do not have the basic skills to keep up with the changes and demands of the jobs."

Read more.

The future of freight rail

2007-10-09T20:34:00.000-04:00

If you want an overview of what the future of our national freight railway system is going to look like, you will be interested in this new report released by the American Association of Railroads.

The report outlines the infrastructure capital needs of the industry. You can read more about the report here . You can download a copy of the report from this page.

Economy Watch

2007-10-01T17:16:00.000-04:00

Here are articles on the economy from last week.

Will Globalization Destroy Black America?
What 'Chindia' will mean to the West
Greenspan sees recession chances less than 50/50
Detroit's Creative Bargain
A Not-So-Innovative Office of Innovation
Knowledge and technology 'pipelines' - businesses must get connected
The days of cheap grain are gone, according to agriculture experts
6 Reasons We Won't Get a Recession
How fit is the panda?

Incentive Watch

2007-10-01T17:07:00.000-04:00

Here are some articles on incentives from last week:

In North Carolina, a debate goes on at the local level about incenitves. Why provide them to GE and Verizon? Read more.

Here's an overview of Florida's hefty incentive investments in life sciences. Read more.

A 3M layoff in Columbia, MO -- added to a consulant's disparaging comments about whether the quality fo place matters at all -- touched off a debate on incentives. Read more.

Colorado's governor has proposed a new set of incentives. "The package includes a proposal to create $3.5 million in incentives for bioscience business development and a measure to devote $3.5 million of the state’s Clean Energy Fund to economic development purpose." Read more.

Tennessee's top EDPro comments on the governor's Rural Opportunity Initiative. Read more.

Vermont's creative economy

2007-10-01T17:03:00.000-04:00

Last summer, Vermont held a conference on its creative economy. Advancing Vermont's Creative Economy, drew over 250 participants from across the state. Eight working groups looked at different aspects of this emerging sector, covering topics such as agricultural innovation, incubating creative new businesses, using the web as a creative tool, and developing downtown activity.

The report is now available on-line and you can download it here.

Getting the message to the Michigan legislature

2007-10-01T16:58:00.000-04:00

Michigan's state government shut down for a couple of hours and then re-opened. But the challenges remain.

As surrounding states are increasing their investments in higher education, Michigan lags, according to this article. Read more.

The article raises an important question for EDPros. As the dynamics of economic development begin shifting more dramatically toward talent development, how do we educate state legislators brought up on a steady diet of business incentives?

Over the long term, these incentives -- which are of doubtful value -- undercut the ability of state governments to make the long term investments we need in a knowledge-based infrastructure: education, research, broadband communications.

Big ideas for entrepreneurship in Buffalo

2007-10-01T16:55:00.000-04:00

EDPros in Buffalo are floating big plans for promoting entrepreneurship. One idea: Use proceeds from the sale of unused hydropower to establish an investment pool of at least $5 million allocated annually, which would be used to make grants up to $250,000.

According to the article: "The grants would be awarded on a competitive basis to entrepreneurs who have graduated from college in the past 10 years, set up shop in Erie or Niagara counties and whose business would be involved in one of the six clusters economic planners have deemed to have the best potential for the region."

Read more.

Home grown workforce

2007-10-01T16:53:00.001-04:00

More and more EDPros are starting to see the vital importance of growing a workforce. As the head of Enterprise Florida recently told an audience: "Work migrates to regions of the world with a critical mass of talent."

Read more.

Just in time training at a community college

2007-10-01T16:48:00.000-04:00

Community colleges offer the opportunity for fast response to employer education needs. Here is an example.

A community college in Maryland is offering a series of branded professional development courses -- "On The Frontline" -- that are customized to the needs expressed by area business people. Read more.

More on early childhood education

2007-10-01T16:40:00.000-04:00

Here's another commentary on the role of pre-kindergarten investment in economic development. Indiana is considering expansions to early education programs.

The article points to work by Minnesota Federal Reserve economists Rob Grunewald and Arthur Rolnick.

They have written:

“Early childhood development programs are rarely portrayed as economic-development initiatives, and we think that is a mistake. Such programs, if they appear at all, are at the bottom of the economic development lists for state and local governments. They should be at the top. Most of the numerous projects and initiatives that state and local governments fund in the name of creating new private businesses and new jobs result in few public benefits. In contrast, studies find that well-focused investments in early childhood development yield high public as well as private returns.”

Read more. You can see the background work by Grunewald and Rolnick here.

You can keep up with your state's developments at Pre-K Now.

Moving on LEED certifications and training

2007-10-01T16:23:00.000-04:00

A new initiative in Washington, D.C. is promoting "green building". A new law in the district requires that public and private buildings over 50000 square feet must meet certifications established by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System. Read more.

If you are unfamiliar with green building (LEED) certification, you can learn more here.

The District is going further to train residents in the skills required to construct green buildings. Learn more about the District's Green Collar Advisory Council here.

Workplace training in New Jersey

2007-10-01T16:05:00.000-04:00

As the pressure from workforce shortages grows, more employers are turning to workplace training. Here is a good overview article of what has been happening in New Jersey. The article highlights the expanding scope of skills that employers need today.

An interesting fact: "As many as 40 percent of the nation's high school graduates said they were inadequately prepared for the demands of college and employment, according to a 2005 study by Achieve Inc., a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit group hoping to raise academic standards."

Read more.

You can download the Achieve report here. You can visit the Achieve web site and get some useful background on the challenges of aligning high school with the demands of work and post secondary education. VIsit the web site.

Universities and the 4 P's

2007-10-01T15:58:00.001-04:00

University presidents can play an important role in revitalizing regional and state economies. Michael Crow is playing that role at Arizona State University.

Martin Jischke pushed Purdue to the forefront in Indiana with his call that university assets were too valuable to be left on campus. In Louisiana, Dan Reneau at Louisiana Tech University is remaking the northern half of the state. Lee Todd, an accomplished university researcher and entrepreneur, is moving the University of Kentucky in new directions.

And then there's Shirley Jackson, president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Here's a good review of her views on how universities can move a region forward. Read more.

Innovations in food systems

2007-10-01T15:56:00.000-04:00

Here's a good article on the emerging innovations in agriculture.

Focused on developments in Northern California, the article explores the emergence of local food networks that deliver local products to nearby metro regions. Read more.

Resource: Traffic data -- 2007 Urban Mobility Report

2007-10-01T15:54:00.000-04:00

The Texas Transportation Institute has released its 2007 Urban Mobility Report. The report provides information on long-term congestion trends. You can look up information about your state and metro region from the web site.

Visit the web here.

Creating a new story line in South Carolina

2007-10-01T15:53:00.000-04:00

The South Carolina economy is shifting and, as low skilled manufacturing jobs continue to evaporate the and the state's universities redefine the role in regional economic development.

The transition is most clearly apparent in places like Anderson County. There, Clemson University is painting a new picture of the state's economic future. Read more.

Birmingham to Denver

2007-10-01T15:48:00.000-04:00

Regional leadership delegations are continuing to travel. It's one of the fastest and most efficient ways to build a consensus for action. Regional leaders see what others are doing, learn quickly what is possible, and form the connections they need to move forward.

Last week, more than a hundred, and community and business leaders from Birmingham, Alabama, headed to Denver. Read more.

The trip comes at a good time. Birmingham may need some new ideas about its future. This commentary points to the weaknesses in leadership that are holding Birmingham back. Read more.

Connecting Orlando and Germany

2007-10-01T15:47:00.000-04:00

Here's a brief story of the growing connections between Orlando and Germany. Embedded in the article is an interesting fact: the University of Central Florida is now the seventh largest in the United States. Read more.

Iowa sees a worker shortage

2007-10-01T15:45:00.000-04:00

According to business and workforce development professionals in Iowa, the state will have about 100,000 job vacancies within the next five years. Read more.

The article makes it important point. Not all of the solutions to the pending worker shortages -- of not only in Iowa, but elsewhere -- will require outlays of money. Some solutions require better alignment, collaboration and communication.

For example, students generally receive relatively poor information regarding technical careers in high school. In many situations, each high school counselor will have a caseload of between 200 and 300 students. Understandably, most counselors focus on those students interested in attending four years of college.

Relatively little attention is paid to students, who could pursue a postsecondary training in a field that requires less than four years of college.

Here's another article, in which lawmakers get a warning to move on the issue. Read more.

Seed capital in Western Michigan

2007-10-01T15:39:00.001-04:00

Investors in Western Michigan are launching a seed capital fund to finance startup businesses. According to promoters, the $1,000,000 fund that could make up to 14 investments of $50,000 to $100,000 over the next two to three years. The promoters have already closed on the fund. Read more.

You can visit the web site of Lakeshore Advantage here.

New York's Upstate Now plan

2007-10-01T15:37:00.000-04:00

Governor Spitzer in New York has vowed to place more emphasis on revitalizing the economy of the upstate New York counties.

In May, legislation passed the state Senate, which calls for an investment of $3.7 billion in economic development initiatives over the next three years. The plan is still in its early stages, and enactment won't happen before next year. Here's an update. Read more.

Southeast Solar Summit

2007-10-01T15:36:00.000-04:00

Renewable energy represents a path to growth for many regional economies. It makes sense to get up to speed on the opportunities.

Solar energy will be the focus of the first Southeast Solar Summit at Oak Ridge National Laboratory on October 24 and 25. Read more. Visit the solar summit web site here.

Economy Watch

2007-09-25T13:11:00.000-04:00

Here are articles on the economy from last week.

Transcript: Bill Clinton interview
Federal bill helps huge farmers, not California's innovative ones
Study for railroad group says billions needed for freight rail infrastructure
Fed chief calls for new mortgage rules
India tries outsourcing its outsourcing
Lower Trade Barriers Improve Productivity, Says Study From University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management
Globalization Was Good Then, Not Now

Incentive Watch

2007-09-25T13:10:00.000-04:00

Here's some articles on incentives from the past week or so.

College Station, TX is examining how it invests $3 million+ in incentive money. Read more.

The debate over incentives in North Carolina continues to move along. Here's another critique. Read more.

The mayor of Kansas City is trying to bring some reason to the city's TIF policies. Read more. Here's an update.

A couple of insurance companies are hunting incentives in Iowa. And they are based in Iowa. Read more.

Alabama is planning to revamp its incentives. Read more.

Biotech training in North Carolina

2007-09-25T13:09:00.000-04:00

North Carolina appears to be the leading state when it comes to taking on the challenges of training and education for biotechnology and the life sciences.

In the past week, a new $70 million initiative launched on the campus of North Carolina State Centennial Campus. Sponsors of the initiative project that it will have a capacity to train 2,000 students a year for the state's biotech sector. You can read more about the center here.

Foundation collaboration in SE Michigan

2007-09-25T13:00:00.000-04:00

Ten foundations, including the Ford foundation based in New York, are launching a $100,000,000 "new economy" development fund for seven counties in Southeast Michigan. You can read more about their effort here.

They might look to how foundations in Minnesota have come together to support regional economic development in that state. Learn more.

Consensus in Columbia

2007-09-25T12:58:00.000-04:00

Residents in Columbia, Missouri are taking part in an interesting exercise, called the Community Choices Open House. Recently, participants ranked strategies developed by 13 Citizen Topic Groups.

Complex regional economic development strategies need consensus to fuel their implementation. There is no one way to develop consensus. Communities and regions need to improvise, experiment with promising approaches. Adjust and adapt. That's why studying examples like Columbia can provide good insights into what might work for you. Read more.

Outside the big box

2007-09-25T12:57:00.000-04:00

Local businesses circulate money within a regional economy. They account for what economists call "the multiplier". One critical dimension of economic development involves increasing the velocity of the dollars circulated among these local businesses.

Here's an interesting commentary from an economist, based in Oregon. He points to studies completed by consulting firm in Austin, Texas, that compare the impact of consumer purchases between the big-box regional chains and locally owned retailers. Read more.

If you're interested in learning more about this strategy of economic development, I recommend a web site based in the United Kingdom, called Plugging the Leaks. Visit the web site here.

Good Quote

2007-09-25T12:56:00.000-04:00

The Kansas City region is sorting out the difficult issues of collaboration.

In a recent meeting, the mayor of Kansas City, Missouri, Mark Funkhouser, came up with a good quote:

"We need to change the way we think about economic development. We've thought about it entirely in terms of incentives, and that's not correct. We compete with the world as a region. Moving businesses around does not help us compete with the world." Read more.

Pennsylvania's Technology Collaborative

2007-09-25T12:54:00.000-04:00

The Technology Collaborative in Pennsylvania focuses on commercializing digital technologies developed by the state's universities into commercial products produced by companies based in Pennsylvania.

The Collaborative has announced he would request for proposals (RFP) to award an $1.5 million in technology commercialization funding over the next six months. Read more.

Innovate North Dakota

2007-09-25T12:52:00.000-04:00

North Dakota has launched an interesting initiative, called Innovate North Dakota. Participants pay a $100 feet to gain access to a network of mentors and support tools. Winners of the competition get access to a variety of business services, and some cash prices. Read more.

You can learn more from the web site here.

The initiative is open to all residents of North Dakota, or people who want to start a venture in the state. In last year's competition, one third of the submissions came from rural counties in the state.

Worker creativity: A gap?

2007-09-25T12:46:00.000-04:00

The Fairfax County Economic Development Authority will host the 2007 National Conference on the Creative Economy in October. To build interest in the conference, the Authority recently commissioned a survey on creativity in the workplace.

The authors of the survey indicate that US employers are facing a "creativity gap". The survey found that 88% of workers consider themselves creative, but only 63% said their jobs were creative. The report seems to set the stage for increasing redesign of work and organizations in a way to spur creativity and collaboration. (If you are interested in how new organizational forms are evolving, check out Thomas Malone's The Future of Work.)

You can read more about the survey from this press release. You can read more about the conference from the web site.

Transformations in Maine

2007-09-25T12:45:00.000-04:00

Chuck Lawton, an economist formerly with the State Planning Office in Maine, is one of my favorite commentators on the changing dynamics of regional economic development. He has a knack for translating dry economic statistics into images that people can understand.

Chuck was recently the inaugural guest speaker at the opening of the Great Falls Forum in Lewiston, Maine. In his remarks, he points to the challenge of increasing the "social overhead" (my term), while not expanding productivity and personal incomes as fast. You can read a summary of his comments here.

Maryland's newest incubator

2007-09-25T12:43:00.000-04:00

Maryland is perhaps the most aggressive state in implementing a incubator -- based strategy for innovation. Here is a good article on one of the more recent incubators, the Rockville Innovation Center. Read more.

The Rockville Innovation Center opened this year with 23,000 ft.² on the fourth and fifth floors all of the Rockville Arts and Innovation Center. The center is located in the new Rockville Town Center, next to the library. The new Center is also part of a Business Incubation Network in Montgomery County. You can learn more about the network here.

Focusing on higher education

2007-09-25T12:38:00.000-04:00

The International Economic Development Council concluded its annual conference in Phoenix last week.

Michael Crow, the president of Arizona State University, alerted the attendees to the importance of improving education. Without a change in focus, he warned that America's "standard of living will decrease, our way of life will be threatened, are opportunities for success for future generations will diminish." Read more.

Crow is an articulate spokesman for the evolving role of education and the University in economic development. You can download some of his speeches from this page.

Five years ago, I suspect we would nopt have seen the president of a research university addressing a national gathering economic development professionals. Now, however, we are seeing the increasingly important role that research universities are playing in economic development.

Sadly, some state legislators still do not see the connection. They continue to slow public investments into major research universities and higher education. See, or example, this commentary from Michigan.

Cluster policy academy for seven states

2007-09-25T12:36:00.000-04:00

The National Governors Association has selected seven states to participate in a year-long policy Academy to learn how to improve economic involvement strategies. The participating states include Kentucky, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Oregon and West Virginia. Read more.

You can download a copy of the report "Cluster -- Based Strategies for Growing State Economies" here.

Georgia Logistics Innovation Center

2007-09-25T12:33:00.000-04:00

Here is some interesting background on the Georgia Logistics Innovation Center. The Center helps solve logistics problems and facilitate the development of new technologies.

In addition, the Center is designed to connect the various different sectors of logistics in Georgia. Read more.

You can learn more about the Georgia Centers of Innovation initiative here.

Kansas Bioscience Centers of Innovation

2007-09-25T12:31:00.000-04:00

The Kansas Bioscience Authority is soliciting proposals to develop new Bioscience Centers of Innovation.

In the initial phase, the Authority is awarding $200,000 to promising ideas for industry-academic consortia in areas such as animal sciences, drug development and oncology. Read more.

Redefining Florida's space industry

2007-09-17T05:58:00.000-04:00

Florida's space industry is facing a major transition with the retirement of the NASA shuttle fleet in the next few years.

Recently, leaders came together to begin redefining the future. The threshold issue: focus on collaboration. Read more.

Here's an article on NASA'S take on the emerging space industry. Read more.

Lansing Economic Area Partnership (LEAP)

2007-09-17T05:55:00.000-04:00

In early 2007 by private business and regional government leaders in Lansing formed Lansing Economic Area Partnership (LEAP)

LEAP is designed to promote business and economic development for the tri-county region. It represents the first time that business and community leaders throughout the Lansing region have joined forces to collaborate on a unified economic agenda focused on the long-term health and vitality of the region.

Hiring Matt Dugener as LEAP's CEO last March represented the first critical step in pursuing LEAP’s economic agenda. Now that he has had a few months to settle in, here's a view from Dugener' desk. Read more.

Perspectives from the UK

2007-09-17T05:39:00.000-04:00

I'm in Oxford, staying at Merton College for a conference. You get a different perspective on the world from here.

Economic development professionals in the UK are seeing cities in a new light: as a source of dynamism, creativity and innovation.

Can our civic leadership (either existing or emergent) re-imagine the future of our cities in this way?

Can we envision regions as networks with multiple urban hubs?

Why our major cities are becoming ever slicker

Greenlight Greater Portland gears up

2007-09-12T14:49:00.000-04:00

Portland is trying to align its economic development strategies round sustainability. So, not surprisiingly, a privately-led recruitment effort is focused on a handful of clusters: renewable energy, green-building technology, recycling technology and environmental practices sectors.

Branding remains an important component of economic development, but branding needs to flow from the deeper strengths of the region. It is not a strategy that can be bolted on to existiing efforts. Rather, the brand experience needs to reflect concise values and deeper competitive strengths of a region.

A few months ago, Four County Economic Development Corp. changed their name to Greenlight Greater Portland. Now the group has hired its first full-time chief executive officer. Tim Priest is the former executive director of the Greater Washington Initiative (District of Columbia). Read more.

Learn more about Greenlight Greater Portland from their web site.

Don't do this at home

2007-09-12T09:23:00.000-04:00

When Apple comes knocking on your door to help out your school system, don't send them away and tell them they are "half-baked".

That's the amazing story of what happened in Cleveland recently. Read more.

It occurs to me that we are witnessing a generational gap in Cleveland.

If your economic development strategy is led by people who barely understand the intricacies of e-mail, chances are they are not aware of the dramatic changes sweeping the national economy. Sadly, Cleveland's civic leadership has developed a reputation for both insularity and arrogance. After reading the story of Apple, it's not surprising to see how this perception emerges.

The message to EDPros: Diversifying the age of your leadership is more important now than ever.

Economy Watch

2007-09-10T15:36:00.000-04:00

Here are articles on the economy from last week.

Recession alert
Fed, Blamed for Asset-Price Inaction, Is Told `Tide Is Turning
US faces reverse brain-drain
Productivity in U.S. Accelerated, Labor Costs Cooled
U.S. keeps world productivity lead by working more
U.S. Economy Loses 4,000 Jobs in August
Reducing Risks from Global Imbalances: Business-Led Group Urges U.S. Policy Improvements
Major patent change wins House approval
Learning global lessons from sushi
China ready to leap from industrial to information-age economy

Incentive Watch

2007-09-10T15:35:00.000-04:00

Here are some articles on incentives from the last couple of weeks.

Michigan is trying out a Hire Michigan First requirement on its incentives. Not smart. This type of meddling might make good headlines, but it simply deflects from the core issues of needed innovations in education and training. Read more. (Thanks to Larry Holt for helping me fix the link.)

Here's a list of projects before the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority. Reading through the list, I keep coming back to a central thought that it makes more sense to provide incentives to people instead of companies. Read more.

Ocala, FL is trying to set rules for its incentives policy in order to provent abuses. Read more.

Toledo and Buffalo are two cities that have been going after Bass Pro Shops for a long time. Read more.

Governor Blunt in Missouri signed the economic development legislation that the legislature passed in its special session. The bill renews the Quality Jobs Program. Read more. You can learn more about the Quality Jobs program here.

Here's an update on the task force in Kansas City that has been looking at TIF policy. Read more. Read a draft of the policy here.

Here is a good article that outlines some of the emerging debate over incentives. Read more.

Learning the lessons of Lowell

2007-09-10T15:27:00.000-04:00

Lowell, Massachusetts has often been held out as a success story in urban regeneration in the United States.

The basic strategy focused on building big projects: publicly-led economic development. These projects included, for example, a riverfront baseball stadium. Now, however, people are beginning to reassess the Lowell strategy. Read more.

Standing alone, publicly-led projects generate few jobs. That is, I think, the major lesson of Lowell. Based on my experience in the transformation of Oklahoma City, successful regeneration needs publicly-led strategies that are closely coordinated with privately-led strategies.

A new cluster emerging in Hampton Roads

2007-09-10T15:25:00.002-04:00

The Hampton Roads region has been building an exciting cluster of businesses involved with modeling and simulation.

Here's an article that provides an update on how this new cluster is evolving. Read more.

The impact of ethonal on a small town

2007-09-10T15:25:00.001-04:00

Here's an interesting article on the impact of an ethanol plant on a small community in Iowa. Read more.

Entrepreneurship at UNC-Greensboro

2007-09-10T15:21:00.000-04:00

A comprehensive, campus-wide entrepreneurship initiative is launching at University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Beginning this fall, all students will be exposed to the challenges of operating for-profit businesses or not-for-profit enterprises.

The Board of Governors of the University of North Carolina has directed that economic development must become a central objective of the university system.

One of the major advantages of the entrepreneurship initiative is to encourage students to study across disciplines. Read more.

Michigan's University Research Corridor

2007-09-10T15:19:00.000-04:00

Michigan's University Research Corridor has released an important report on its economic impact.

Michigan, like other states, needs to change public perceptions -- especially among state legislators -- on the rapidly evolving role of colleges and universities in economic development. A detailed economic analysis is one way to help shift the mirrors.

You can read more about the Michigan report here. You can download a copy of the report from this page.

Foundations form national workforce partnership

2007-09-10T15:18:00.000-04:00

A new national partnership of foundations has launched a five-year, $50 million initiative and workforce development.

The goal of the National Fund for Workforce Solutions is the place 50,000 workers in better jobs, leverage 200 million in local fines, and help 1000 companies recruit and train employees. Read more.

Outlining the impact of a research park

2007-09-10T15:14:00.000-04:00

Leaders of the University of Missouri-Rolla Innovation Park released an economic impact analysis that provides a trajectory for the park's growth. Read more.

Over the next 12 years the analysis indicates that the park could be responsible for $1 billion in new economic activity and 650 to 700 permanent technical and professional jobs.

This type of report helps frame the strategic outcomes on which communities and regions need to keep focused. In a world of increasing complexity and volatility, broad visions are less valuable than more concrete strategic outcomes.

Because they are more specific, strategic outcomes help people align their resources with less ambiguity; there is more opportunity to think through the next steps needed to implement.

Buffalo's emerging Meds and Eds story

2007-09-10T15:10:00.000-04:00

A good deal of the transformation that takes place in a regional economy happens between people's ears. In many ways, regional transformation is all changing the stories that we tell each other about ourselves.

You can see a new story emerging in Buffalo.

An emerging life sciences sector is helping that city redefine its future. Buffalo's medical corridor connects hospitals and research facilities. It is a good example of the "Meds and Eds" strategy of combining medical facilities and educational facilities as new economic development engines.

You can learn more about this strategy from a recent report by Brookings here. You can also view the strategy document prepared in Arizona here. Here's a good presentation from Carnegie Mellon here.

New opportunities from a greening Wal-Mart

2007-09-10T15:08:00.000-04:00

Two years ago, Wal-Mart set out some dramatic goals, to become an eco-friendly business.

That change in policy direction has led to a wave of new startup companies in nearby Fayetteville, Arkansas. Read more about what's been going on.

Web Watch: MathMovesU

2007-09-10T15:06:00.000-04:00

Increasingly, business leaders are focused on the shortage of science and math education.

Here's an interesting resource that represents a national initiative designed to keep middle school students engaged in math. MathMovesU is a web site designed to stimulate interest in everyday math.

You can read more about the site here. You can visit the site here.

Ohio's proposed energy standards

2007-09-10T15:04:00.000-04:00

Ohio's new governor has proposed renewable portfolio standards for Ohio's utility companies. He proposes establishing a standard of 25% sourcing from renewable and advanced technologies by 2025. Read more.

You can learn more about renewable portfolio standards from this web site.

Mapping renewable energy production assets

2007-09-10T15:01:00.000-04:00

In Western Michigan, the regional economic development alliance is looking at promoting an alternative energy cluster.

They're conducting an "deep dive" review of the manufacturing capabilities in the region. Specifically, they have hired a consultant to map the capabilities of regional manufacturers to produce alternative energy components in technologies such as wind, solar, and biofuel. This will be an important report to watch. Read more.

Delivering skills: BioNetwork Bus

2007-09-10T14:59:00.000-04:00

Increasingly, companies are looking for trained brainpower.

Here's an example of how North Carolina's community colleges are demonstrating a responsiveness to the life sciences companies.

The state's community colleges have come together to invest in a mobile classroom, a state-of-the-art chemical laboratory on wheels. Read more about the BioNetwork Bus here.

University spin-offs: An example in photovoltaics

2007-09-10T14:57:00.000-04:00

Here is an interesting example of a university spinoff company and solar power.

Thin film photovoltaics provides the core technology for this new company. The story provides good illustration of how universities are becoming engines of economic development. The company is preparing a manufacturing facility that will employ 500 people, according to projections. Read more.

Moving to clean energy

2007-09-10T14:55:00.000-04:00

Moving toward renewable energy often means moving toward less centralized, more regional energy systems.

These systems are more distributed, and they rely on energy sources that are inherently regional, such as wind, solar, and tidal power. Here is an interesting article out of Oregon, that explores how that state is charting new pathways in renewable energy. Read more.

Summer camps as an economic development opportunity

2007-09-10T14:52:00.000-04:00

An innovative summer camp in Pittsburgh focused on boosting the computer skills of inner-city African American children.

In a partnership between Carnegie Melon University and the civic group, 100 Black Men of Western Pennsylvania, a small group of inner-city teenagers worked on campus for 14 weeks this summer. Read more.

It is time now for EDPros to begin thinking about how they might use summer camps in 2008 to accelerate computer skills, entrepreneurship skills, and STEM (science engineering, technology and math) education.

These summer camps provide a low risk, low-cost opportunity for economic development professionals to begin to partner with universities, high schools, and workforce development organizations.

The brainpower pipeline in Northern Kentucky

2007-09-10T14:47:00.000-04:00

A new report from Northern Kentucky outlines a dramatic expansion that is needed at Northern Kentucky University in order to meet regional development goals.

The analysis derives from the regional Vision 2015 plan. To meet the goals in the Vision 2015 plan, Northern Kentucky University will meet to double its number of graduates. Read more.

This type of gap analysis is extremely valuable in providing focus to needed investments in postsecondary education. You can learn more about the 2015 Vision strategy from their web site. You can download a copy of the Vision 2015 report here.

Importantly, Vision 2015 is focusing on the dramatically improved education performance and attainment that we need to generate economic transformation. On November 14, Vision 2015 will be holding a regional summit on the topic.

Ft. Smith's Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center

2007-09-10T14:44:00.000-04:00

Arkansas is opening a new Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center in Fort Smith.

The Center represents a partnership of three entities: the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith, the Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Commerce and the City of Fort Smith.Read more.

You can visit the center's new web site here.

The Center initiative came out of a consulting report issued several years ago. You can download the report from this page.

Creative Tallahassee

2007-09-10T14:41:00.001-04:00

The Knight Foundation has launched its Creative Communities Initiative. Tallahassee is one of their test sites. Here's an update of what's been going on. Read more.

You can also learn more from their weblog here.

Tallahassee is following closely the road maps drawn by Richard Florida. It will be interesting to see how Tallahassee translates Florida's ideas into action.

Teaching Chinese to connect to China

2007-09-10T14:24:00.000-04:00

Chinese is the world's most popular foreign language. Increasingly, high schools are offering Chinese as an option.

Connections with the Chinese market are increasingly important, and regions that recognize the value of foreign language training -- especially in Chinese -- are making long-term investments in these global connections. Read more.

An update on EDPro

2007-09-05T06:47:00.000-04:00

Over the past few days, I've been preparing for a workshop that I-Open (the Institute for Open Economic Networks) wll be conducting at Edward Lowe Foundation. As result, my posting to EDPro has slowed. it will pick up next weekend.

Our workshop in Michigan focuses on and new model of economic development, Open Source Economic Development. This model provides guidance to economic development professionals in building an economy based on innovation and entrepreneurial networks. We plan to begin offering this workshop in the coming months.

At the same time, I am moving EDPro the to new publishing platform and launching EDPro Premium. Postings on EDPro will be free as always. EDPro Premium will offer additional content and practical tools the on how to apply Open Source Economic Development. For EDPro Premium readers, I will provide expanded commentary on specific promising initiatives in economic development. In addition, EDPro Premium will provide powerful search functions that will enable you to filter content and search easily past stories. Look for more information on the launch in the next week.

New Orleans as a start-up lab

2007-09-05T06:42:00.000-04:00

In an interesting twist, New Orleans is becoming a hot spot for experiments in ways to support entrepreneurs. Business Week magazine carries an interesting article on these experiments. Read more.

Videos to pass on....The Great Awakening continues...

2007-08-28T10:09:00.000-04:00

Here are videos worth watching...You may have seen the earlier version.

Pass the first one on from this page.

Pass the second one on from this page.

Economy Watch

2007-08-25T23:02:00.000-04:00

Here are articles on the economy from last week.

Top CEOs Believe Globalization is Vital and Regulation Must Be Changed, NYSE Survey reveals
Vital Signs: Reactions to Financial Turmoil
Divide between high-, low-wage earners grows
Leaders vow to build on 'NAFTA's success'
Study Links Two-thirds of America's Large Businesses' Value to Intellectual Property
The Road To WiMAX
World economy confronted by liquidity paradox
United States: Energy in Flux: The 21st Century´s Greatest Challenge.
Fewer degrees of separation make companies more innovative, creative
The Changing Work Equation
‘Worldsourcing’ Benefits Companies and Consumers, Lenovo CEO Says

Incentive Watch

2007-08-25T22:47:00.001-04:00

Here are some articles on incentives from last week.

Arkansas has reviewed the impact of its incentives. Read more.

Controversy is brewing over an incentive deal in the Quad Cities. Read more here and here.

Here's an update on the controversy between the governor and the legislature in Missouri. Read more.

New York is debating whether tax incentives should be extended to retailers. Read more.

Meds and Eds

2007-08-25T22:45:00.000-04:00

Tim Bartik of the Upjohn Institute passed along this note: "Given your recent postings related to higher education and economic development, you might be interested in a recent paper I wrote with George Erickcek that tries to quantify some of these relationships based on a review of the literature."

The paper is "Higher Education, the Health Care Industry, and Metropolitan Regional Economic Development", and is available here.

I recommend it to EDPros in metro areas as a way to gain insights into the opportunities of health care and education.

If you would like to see a practical translation of this strategy, download this report from Arizona State University. Download the report. You can also review a Brookings Instituion report here.

Michigan's challenge

2007-08-25T22:41:00.000-04:00

Michigan, like the other Great Lakes states, is undergoing a major economic transformation. Part of a challenge of accelerating this transformation involves changing the story about the economy.

Increasingly, we are learning that the stories we tell ourselves have an impact on how quickly we can align resources to seize new opportunities.

Rather than focus on what has been lost, researchers at the University of Michigan urge civic leaders to understand the many assets with which the state has to compete in the emerging network -- based economy. Read more.

You can download the latest policy brief that outlines these views here.

Web Watch: Louisiana forest products site

2007-08-25T22:40:00.000-04:00

Louisiana State University has launched a new web site on forest products. This site allows users to search for individual companies and locate them on a map. You can learn more about the site from this article.

You can visit the site here.

Minnesota's community-based energy systems

2007-08-25T22:37:00.000-04:00

Minnesota is doing a lot in the area of community-based energy systems. Here's an article that provides some overview of these initiatives. Read more.

However, you can learn more from the web site.

North Carolina's demand for brainpower

2007-08-25T22:35:00.000-04:00

The University of North Carolina system is undergoing a strategic review.

Thusfar, the review underscores that North Carolina is not producing enough workers with Bachelor's degrees.

To meet the projected needs, the state's higher education system will have to increase its production of college graduates by more than 15,000 a year. Read more.

You can learn more about the North Carolina Tomorrow Commission from its web site here.

Savannah's Creative Coast

2007-08-25T22:32:00.000-04:00

Here is a good update on what the Creative Coast Initiative is doing in Savannah, Georgia. The organization is a collaboration among the City, the County, and the Savannah Economic Development Authority. Read more.

Visit the web site here.

Forming a (slightly distant) partnership

2007-08-25T22:27:00.000-04:00

Indiana State University, based in Terre Haute, and Lawrence County's economic development leadership are developing a new partnership.

The reason this partnership caught my eye is the distance between Lawrence County and Terre Haute, where Indiana State University is based. It's about 90 miles.

This partnership illustrates how a rural county can connect to a relatively distance University in order to accelerate create new economic develop and opportunities. Read more.

View Larger Map

Ohio's commitment ot higher ed

2007-08-25T22:26:00.000-04:00

In Ohio, a new governor is pushing increased technology investments by providing an additional $72 million for scholarships and research grants for Ohio colleges. Previously, the Legislature had provided $50 million annually in math and science scholarships. Read more.

Georgia's entreprenuer friendly counties

2007-08-25T22:22:00.000-04:00

Georgia continues to roll out its Entrepreneur Friendly initiative. Here's an update from two more counties: Dawson County and Jenkins County.

You can learn more about Georgia's Entrepreneur Friendly initiative from this page.

The business landscape in New Orleans

2007-08-25T22:19:00.000-04:00

New research out of the Louisiana State University outlines the impact of the hurricanes in 2005. New Orleans lost more than 20% of its employers, and those that remain are smaller. Read more.

You can download the report here.

Sacramento's prosperity index

2007-08-25T22:16:00.000-04:00

Regions are increasingly trying to develop indexes to measure their economic transformation. In an earlier post, we saw how San Diego was launching a new index to measure company formation and growth in key technology sectors.

Sacramento has a different type of index, based on a broader definition of prosperity. You can read more about the Sacramento index here. You can view their prosperity index here.

Clusters forming in life sciences

2007-08-25T22:15:00.000-04:00

You can see how a cluster is forming among life sciences companies in Maryland with the development of specialized legal practice. These support professionals create an important network that accelerate the development of these businesses. Read more.

You can see a similar dynamic of a cluster of forming in the life sciences in Colorado. Read more.

Defining a new region in Illinois

2007-08-25T22:09:00.000-04:00

People cannot accuse the founding director of PeoriaNext of thinking small. In a recent presentation in front of the group in Monmouth, Illinois, he urged his audience to think of a region that stretched nearly 200 miles from the Quad Cities to Champaign -- Urbana.

His presentation illustrates how a leading thinker is re-imagining a major region in the Great Lakes. Read more.

View Larger Map

Inventors club in Ft. Wayne

2007-08-25T22:04:00.000-04:00

Here is an interesting example of how an innovation center is emerging as a hub to build entrepreneurship networks.

It's all happening in Fort Wayne, Indiana at the Northeast Indiana Innovation Center. They are moving toward the formation of an inventors club. Read more.

This is a strategy that Wisconsin is following with its inventors clubs. You can learn more about the Wisconsin inventors club from this page. Here's a resource page from a rural county.

Resource: San Diego' s index of regional innovation

2007-08-25T22:02:00.000-04:00

San Diego Connect, a leading edge entrepreneur support organization, has released a new "index of regional innovation". The index measures how many startups have launched in the previous quarter. The index also looks at fluctuations in key technology clusters.

You can learn more about the index here. You can view a presentation on the index here.