Monthly Archives: March 2014

Across the industrial heartland, many communities face huge challenges with blighted and vacant properties.   These challenges affect not only major industrial centers like Cleveland and Detroit, but many smaller cities (such as Springfield, MA, Reading, PA, Syracuse, NY, and … Continue reading →

Recently, it seems like every week brings us a new study purporting to show what public policies matter for high growth entrepreneurs.  (Recent examples include studies from the Kauffman Foundation and Endeavor Insight).  These studies are often helpful, but may … Continue reading →

For the past year, I’ve been involved with an Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) project, headed by colleagues at the University of Illinois and CREC, examining the importance and influence of a community’s economic diversity.   Researchers have recently become very … Continue reading →

I’m a pretty big cheerleader for the positive impact of small business on local economies, but I do try to ensure that my advocacy is fact-based as opposed to faith-based.   It’s important to weigh all the facts, even if … Continue reading →

Do you remember the lone eagle?  If you’ve been involved in economic development for some time, you may remember the concept of the lone eagle popularized in the 1990s by the now defunct Center for the New West.  The lone … Continue reading →