Articles

A region in Arizona has launched a new regional brand.

According to the branding strategy, the Real AZ Corridor is an ideal region to invest in a business or venture because it has all of the elements necessary to assure sustainable operating success, including Resources, Energy (diversified assets and potential), Access (transportation) and Lifestyle (recreational opportunities and quality of life).

A regional branding is difficult to pull off, and not many regions do it well. Here are some additional thoughts.

Here's an interesting article that provides you a background on the deployment of broadband in rural communities.

Rural Broadband: Miles to Go Before We Sleep

The Wisconsin Technology Council has issued a new report outlining key focal points to advance the state's technology economic development agenda.

The report outlines for areas in which to focus: 1) improving access to capital for entrepreneurs; 2) workforce develop strategies; 3) improvements in Wisconsin's infrastructure and business climate; and 4) technology development and transfer strategies.

You can read more about the report here. You can download a copy of the report from the Technology Council's website.

North Dakota established a Centers of Excellence program in 2005. These centers represent hubs of research and development on North Dakota college and university campuses. The Center's work with private companies to commercialize new products and services. Since its inception, the state legislature has provided $60 million to fund the program. The initiative is set to expire in 2011.

A recent review suggests that the strategy move toward more technology-based economic development. In particular, the Centers need to focus on more aggressive engagement of smaller businesses. You can read more about the review here.

The Charleston Regional Development Alliance has produced an interesting or scorecard that compares the Charleston region with eight others: savanna, Lexington, Greenville, Knoxville, Richmond, Jacksonville, Raleigh and Austin.

Here is an article that gives you an overview: Alliance compares regional economies to Charleston

You can download a copy of the report from the CRDA website.

The debate over tax incentives is heating up in Michigan. It's not surprising. With state and local budgets strained, the issue of tax incentives and their effectiveness is not likely to go away anytime soon.

• How Michigan business incentives, tax credits work

• Controversial tax incentives: Which West Michigan companies were winners?

• Do state tax incentives create real jobs, or just ribbon-cutting ceremonies?

• Food businesses are major beneficiaries from MEGA tax credits

• Kalamazoo Economist: The end may be near for tax breaks

• Jobs at any cost? Tax incentives questioned as tool to draw employers

• Dirty secret of gubernatorial campaign: Tax incentives for business won't be going away

• More than industrial nuts and bolts, state tax deals make life sweeter at Kilwin's

Developing regional  food systems represents a promising frontier for regional economic development. Here's an interesting article on local food policy councils and what they do: Food Policy Councils support local economy

At their best, Food Policy Councils serve to focus opportunities for local farmers to find markets and be successful. Food Policy Councils are organizations that include wide representation of farmers, non-farm policy makers, and advocates for local economic activity who collaborate to find ways to grow, distribute, utilize, and enjoy more local food.

As today's NYT underscores, engineers can learn a lot from failure. So can cities, if leaders take the time to reflect. Aaron Renn provides an interesting take on the changing landscape for Cleveland and the Cavs.

Rather than trying to take on the Chicagos, Miamis, and New Yorks of this world at their strongest points, Cleveland would be far better served ceding that market and fighting where it can best compete. Believe it or not, not everyone wants to live in a huge global city. There are plenty of people who might choose to live in Cleveland, if the city focused on the basic blocking and tackling of city services, quality of life, and business climate instead of splashy grands projects. As Anthony Bourdain said this week: I think that troubled cities often tragically misinterpret what's coolest about themselves. They scramble for cure-alls, something that will "attract business", always one convention center, one pedestrian mall or restaurant district away from revival. They miss their biggest, best and probably most marketable asset: their unique and slightly off-center character....Cleveland is one of my favorite cities. I don't arrive there with a smile on my face every time because of the Cleveland Philharmonic. In short, Cleveland needs less South Beach, less Chicago Loop, and more American Splendor. Ultimately, my bet is Cleveland will end up missing Harvey Pekar a lot more than it will any multi-millionaire sports star.

"James Drain" hits Cleveland

A new report is out which examines clean energy and energy efficiency initiatives underway in five states: Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming.

You can get profiles of each state, as well as the complete report from this page.

Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley recently toured his state to promote medical innovation. As part of this tour, he released a report by the Council for American Medical Innovation. O’Malley is clearly trying to position his state on the leading edge of these developments. Read more.

O’Malley attributes Maryland’s success to the State’s continued investments in its workforce, higher education system and in the programs that have helped emerging companies to succeed.

Medical Innovation Report

Here is an interesting article on branding a city. It points to Milwaukee’s focus on the water cluster as a new branding opportunity:

For instance, Milwaukee recently began an aggressive identity-building campaign to become the “Freshwater Hub of the World.” For many years, fresh water research and water-technology companies that focus on water-energy, agriculture and other technology had been developing and prospering in the Milwaukee area. At one point, the city realized there were more than 120 water-oriented companies taking advantage of the city’s large concentration of pure, fresh water. Government and industry leaders believe that Milwaukee is in a unique position to replace its Rust Belt identity with one that builds upon the growing water-technology industry.

City Branding Can Impact Economic Development

This 90 second animation shows how the Milwaukee 7 Water Council took advantage of Strategic Doing and “link and leverage” strategies to define new competitive opportunities.

The Water Council held a Strategic Doing workshop in July 2008. Three months later, Brian Thompson of the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee Research Foundation, developed this map of the linkages that had formed.

Out of these activities, Milwaukee is developing new stories that connect its strengths to its opportunities. In the end, a city brand represents a coherent set of stories that connect where a city has been with where the city is going. Strategic Doing leads to these new narratives and networks.

Strategic Doing and the Milwaukee 7 Water Cluster from Ed Morrison on Vimeo.

For much of the past year, I have been busy giving strategic doing workshops all over the country. (Which explains why my posting to EDPro has been so erratic.)  To get some idea of where I've been, I compiled a Google map:

View Strategic Doing Presentations and Workshops in a larger map

Bizdom U is the brainchild of Dan Gilbert, a Motor City native who is founder and chairman of the online mortgage lender Quicken Loans. He also hopes to help revitalize his hometown. Gilbert also owns the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Read more: Fostering Entrepreneurs, and Trying to Revive a City