Growing Jobs: Transforming the Way We Approach Economic Development

This compelling book provides concrete examples and practical guidelines for addressing the most serious economic challenge facing the United States and every community in the nation: growing good jobs and enabling people to function effectively in these occupations.

Each year, U.S. cities and states spend billions of dollars on incentives intended to create jobs. Are the strategies being implemented outdated? Is there a better way to create jobs? Rather than focusing on individual aspects of economic development such as entrepreneurship and start-up companies or workforce development, this book provides a comprehensive systems perspective for economic development that identifies how the new model of economic development for America is both a top-down and a bottom-up process that requires effective engagement with the community.

The book begins with a broad explanation of why economic development strategy and practices need to change, and then discusses and critiques current practices using the state of Maryland as a case example. Two in-depth case studies at the city level follow, detailing leading practices that support the proposed values-based economic development model. The final section presents a framework that policymakers can use to assess and improve their current strategies and practices along with guidelines for implementing these improvements to make them more efficient, effective, and sustainable.

• Lays out a methodology that enables each community to find its unique path towards the common vision of an economy that works for all citizens

• Provides suggestions for moving the community from the current system to a "transformed" economic development system

• Presents success stories from Austin, Texas, and Dubuque, Iowa, and highlights the principles that have made these two cities' approaches effective