It seems that non metropolitan areas in the United States have two basic options for promoting economic development.First they can seek out large companies in hopes of gaining the motherload in one shot. That is to have a large business move into town and resolve all economic and employment issues in one fell swoop.
There are just two basic problems with this line of attack, and they are simply that the problem arose because that kind of business packed their bags and moved out. Why would a similar business want to move to town? And of course where will you be left when they pack their bags in 5, 10 or 15 years?
The second choice is to seek out small businesses. Not just small businesses, but tiny businesses. Business so small that when they learn of the advantages they'll be inspired to pack their bags immediately and move to town.
A marketing effort along those lines might produce a small trickle of activity, and could snowball into something significant.
Compare a single business that would employee 500 people and 500 small (ie: one person) businesses. With the single business the local economy would always rest on what that one business did.
I also believe one could get 500 small businesses to relocate in the area before you could get one employer of 500 to.
The 500 small businesses might have little impact individually, some would fail while others would grow into some something significant. I believe, however, as a whole the 500 small businesses would have a much larger postitive impact on the area than a single large business.
A large business will focus on what is best for business. Not what is best for the community, environment or anything beyond the board room.
The small businesses are really just people and they will inherently do what is best for the place they live, the economy, the evironment and everything beyond their "board room".
Pick up a copy of Computer Shopper magazine and see how many small, high tech businesses are just down the street in Cleveland. How many have you told the advantages of Venango County?
