Download Using a Business Retention and Expansion Program to Support

Using a Business Retention and Expansion Program to Support an
Entrepreneurial Environment
Curriculum developed in part with funding from
USDA/RCDI Building Entrepreneurial Community Capacity Project
Slide Narrative Comments
This is a narrative to supplement the slides used during the presentation. The numbered items
below correspond with the power point slides used, with the title slide being number 1.
1. Title slide: Using a Business Retention and Expansion Program to Support an
Entrepreneurial Environment
2. Presentation outline slide: a discussion agenda and/or presentation point of reference
which puts the materials in a situation, inputs, outputs, outcomes (Logic Model) format
a. The situation: changing economic times require new community economic
development models – entrepreneurial environments can be cultivated by
communities when they better understand their community/region and its
economy
b. The BR&E program can bring about a community capacity to cultivate a more
entrepreneurial environment – program objectives
c. What resources are required (Inputs) to make the program work? What is
produced (Outputs) to elicit the desired outcomes? And, what are the outcomes
we can expect?
d. Where you can learn more is shared at the end
3. The Challenge slide: plant closings, home foreclosures, falling stock markets, etc
signify hard economic times for many…this is not news to most, but a reminder here
helps reinforce the notion that comprehensive community economic development
approaches are arguably needed most during economic downturns
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4. The Situation slide: so we realize the economy is in a downturn, but what are our
communities facing from a bigger picture perspective? Well, a declining sense of socialconnectedness, a community’s lack of understanding of itself, and an ill-informed plan of
action for economic development are the woes that confront many struggling
communities in these days of rapid societal and economic change. To address these
issues and more clearly identify strategies for community economic development,
communities may want to consider engaging in a formal community-based, ongoing
Business Retention and Expansion Program….. in short, changing economic times
require new community economic development models; and to make matters worse,
many communities are unfamiliar with their economic characteristics and therefore
unable to employ strategies that could strengthen the economy.
5. QUESTION slide: working from the assumption that resources are limited requiring
communities to be strategic in how they act; we need to ask ourselves prior to embarking
upon a program such as BR&E:
a. what would we ultimately want to achieve?
b. how must we use our resources to achieve it?
c. what resources do we need to tap?
6. Anticipated short term outcomes slide: continuous BR&E programming can lead to
the short term outcomes such as change in knowledge, awareness, skills, and attitudes
listed here
7. Anticipated medium term outcomes slide: continuous BR&E programming can lead to
the medium term outcomes such as policy and behavior changes listed here
8. Anticipated long term outcomes slide: continuous BR&E programming can lead to the
long term outcomes such as the economic and civic changes listed here
9. QUESTION slide: What type of program can achieve such outcomes? There are most
likely a variety of programs that can work toward the various outcomes described… the
BR&E program can address them from a comprehensive approach (slides 10-17 explain
the BR&E program in greater detail)
10. BR&E outputs slide:
a. The basic premise of a formal BR&E program is this: Businesses require that
specific needs be met by the community they inhabit. Community leaders strive
to provide for the needs of their businesses. Understanding specific needs of
businesses can often be problematic for community leaders. Understanding
specific community resources available to local business can often be problematic
for businesses. To help community leaders and local businesses better understand
one another, employ a formal BR&E survey program to facilitate ongoing
dialogue. The BR&E program provides a framework for a continuous
conversation between a community and its businesses; a requirement for a
successful business development effort. An improved working relationship
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between local leaders and the business community will facilitate the retention and
expansion of businesses and create a more positive business environment overall.
b. In short, engaging communities in a BR&E program can:
i. foster a relationship between a community leaders and its businesses
ii. help community leaders and local businesses better understand one
another
iii. provide a framework for a continuous conversation between a community
and its businesses, and
iv. create a more positive business environment
11. What is BR&E? slide: A formal BR&E program:
a. is a structured effort
b. involves a broad cross-section of community interests
c. engages community residents in ongoing dialogue with the business community
d. focuses on helping existing businesses remain profitable, competitive, and
efficient. (George Morse, 1990)
12. Program History slide: originated at OSU’s Department of Ag, Env, and Dev
Economics in response to loss of manufacturers in Ohio (1986)
13. Program Objectives slide: program design and delivery method are aimed at building
capacity of residents to engage in local applied research to better understand their
economy; the underlying philosophy – an empowered community can take responsibility
for their economic conditions and act in ways to strengthen the economy
14. Players and their roles slide: as with any community-based initiative, key community
actors are needed to make the program work
15. Nine-step process slide: a step by step approach makes the program’s implementation
more manageable, and each step conducted should be evaluated to better understand how
that phase of the program can be improved the next time it is performed
16. Task Force Coordinator slide: for the program to succeed, one or two individuals must
take the lead….the roles performed by the key position player(s) are what holds the
program together and moves it in a meaningful direction
17. Task Force/Committee slide: while a BR&E program can be conducted by one or two
individuals, a team approach can improve the chances of the program’s success and
lighten the load for everyone involved; however, identifying the ‘right mix’ of
community interests is very important
18. QUESTION slide: What are three key elements of a BR&E program? (see slide 19 for
response)
19. Outputs/Key elements slide: Remember how George Morse described the program
(slide 11): A formal BR&E program is a structured effort involving a broad cross-section
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of community interests, engaged in ongoing dialogue with the business community to
help existing businesses remain profitable, competitive, and efficient (Morse, 1990).
a. The program helps existing businesses increase their productivity through referral
programs, creation of business networks, reduction of ‘red tape’ and/or removal
of actual physical barriers to business expansion such as utility or roadway
easements. Also, to some extent, local officials can also reduce costs of doing
business in their community (e.g. taxes, fees, utility rate reduction, etc) to aid in
business efficiency. The ultimate objective of such efforts is an improved
community quality of life (Morse, 1990).
b. So what can we glean from George Morse?
i. In short, the three basic elements include:
1. a formal, structured effort;
2. broad involvement of community interests, and;
3. an ongoing dialogue among key community interests make up the
key elements of the program
20. QUESTION slide: Why devote resources to a BR&E program? With all that local
communities have to worry about and with limited and in many cases declining
resources, what makes BR&E a wise investment?
21. Existing businesses slide: research (Kraybill, 1999) shows the vast majority of new jobs
are created by existing businesses
22. QUESTION slide: Okay, so we buy into the notion of BR&E as a way to develop
community capacity to engage in ways of improving their economy (and hopefully
cultivating a more entrepreneurial friendly environment/culture)…..We want to get
started, but what do we need most for a BR&E program to work?
23. When to use slide: There are a variety of factors to consider for sure. But, ultimately
for local policy and decision making is the responsibility of local community leaders
(elected, appointed, or otherwise). The key element for BR&E to work comes down to
local leadership who can commit to these three things:
a. engage their businesses,
b. act on the issues identified by business, and
c. stick with the program over the long haul
24. QUESTION slide: After getting buy-in from local leaders and deciding to move
forward with BR&E, one of the first things to ask yourself is, ‘What is it that the
community really needs to know?’
25. Essence of the conversation slide: The questions that are asked are dependent on what
the community desires to affect with policy, actions, or other changes; as well as the type
of story the community desires to tell/write
26. SurveyGold software slide: the use of software can make the program easier to
administer, especially in terms of survey development; and data collection, analysis and
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reporting (this slide and the subsequent 3 slides highlight the features of a commonly
used software called SurveyGold)
27. SurveyGold software slide: software can make the program easier to administer,
especially in terms of survey development; and data collection, analysis and reporting
28. SurveyGold software slide: software can make the program easier to administer,
especially in terms of survey development; and data collection, analysis and reporting
29. SurveyGold software slide: software can make the program easier to administer,
especially in terms of survey development; and data collection, analysis and reporting
30. Evaluating your program workshops slide: If you rely on formal instructional
activities to develop the capacity of the community to engage in continuous BR&E
programming, you may want to evaluate those efforts as well; evaluations like the one
pictured here can help you evaluate change in knowledge, attitudes, etc
31. QUESTION slide: How would you go about getting started? Ideas, thoughts, concerns
at this point?
32. Step by step approach slide: The formal program has been conducted by over 140
communities in some form since 1986; a step by step approach has been promoted and
refined over the years and continues to serve as an outline for a successful community
effort; following the step by step approach outlined here and on slide 33 can take much of
the guesswork out of the community development effort
33. Same as slide 33
34. QUESTION slide: The step by step approach looks fairly straightforward and indeed it
is…but communities are all very different….What type of a community would a BR&E
program like the one described here be most successful?
35. Where it has worked slide: the program and this step by step approach has been and
can continue to be applied in whole or in part by a variety of communities (urban, rural,
large pop or small pop, regional, county, city or village)
36. Summary outcomes slide: if these types of outcomes are what you are seeking, the
formal BR&E program may be useful
37. Summary outcomes slide: again, if these types of outcomes are what you are seeking,
the formal BR&E program may be useful
38. Summary outcomes slide: finally, if these types of outcomes are what you are seeking,
the formal BR&E program may be useful
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39. Results of BR&E 2008 slide: So, you may be wondering if this type of community
program can actually work….these are actual outcomes collected from communities who
actively engaged in formal BR&E programming collected on a statewide basis
40. Results of community BR&E program slide: Again, here are impact data from
communities who have recently engaged in formal BR&E programming
41. To dig deeper slide: You can learn more about the OSU program by logging into the
materials posted online
42. For more info/for reference slide: You can learn more about the SurveyGold software
and download a 30-day free trial online… or contact Greg Davis with questions you may
have
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