Economic Development

How can economic development practitioners best measure and track their strategies' outcomes? Tim Chase, of the Greater Wichita Economic Development Coalition, and Swati Ghosh, of the International Economic Development Council, discuss their research findings in an Economic Development podcast episode.

How effective are economic development strategies that seek to grow local entrepreneurship and small businesses? Todd Johnson at Gallup and Dell Gines at the Kansas City Fed explore the successes and challenges associated with this approach in an Economic Development podcast episode.

State workforce development agencies are crucial in deploying federal funding related to job training and placement. Rich Hobbie of the National Association of State Workforce Agencies and Burt Barnow of George Washington University explore how these agencies are evolving as funding streams change.

Can business models be designed to support low-income populations by providing jobs, necessary training, and other support services? In an Economic Development podcast, Carla Javits and Jason Trimiew at the Roberts Enterprise Development Fund discuss their proposal for viable businesses that also include a workforce development component.

What are the economic development implications of immigration, and how can communities leverage immigrants as key workforce assets? Denny Coleman of the St. Louis Economic Development Partnership and Michael Iacovazzi-Pau of Greater Louisville Inc. discuss findings from a recent IEDC report in an Economic Development podcast.

What are the challenges facing small business after the Great Recession? Ty Barksdale of Sutton Bank and Jake Rouch of Erie Regional Chamber and Growth Partnership describe demands of the current workplace, including that workers be adaptable, collaborative, agile, and entrepreneurial.

Microenterprise development initiatives can help to create and grow businesses and, in many cases, much needed jobs. Elaine Edgcomb and Tamra Thetford at the Aspen Institute discuss their proposal for encouraging microenterprise investment as a job creation strategy.

Attracting and retaining workers is vital to the success of employers and communities. Carl Van Horn of Rutgers University's Heldrich Center for Workforce Development discusses the center's research on U.S. workers' perspectives on employment conditions and the future of the workplace.

Large-scale economic development strategies can help facilitate job opportunities for low-income and minority populations. Victor Rubin and Sarah Treuhaft at PolicyLink discuss their proposal that infuses economic inclusion into these strategies as part of the "Big Ideas for Job Creation" project.

Some economic development efforts have expanded beyond traditional strategies to address a more comprehensive set of issues, including neighborhood revitalization. Shirley Franklin, CEO of Purpose Built Communities and former Atlanta mayor, discusses an approach that encompasses many stakeholders and yields beneficial community results.