Is there an official definition of economic development?

No. Explanations are created in response to specific involvements or interests. The Network defines it as a process that takes place in a locations. Others publish definitions reflecting their views on the basics of economic development in light of what they expect from it. A collection of various explanations is available on the second page of a series About Economic Development in the Economic Development Network website. Select the About-this-page button there or search for more information on the Web from the top or bottom of this page by copying and pasting the following italicized phrases (keep quotation marks intact): (1) define economic development; (2) official "definition of economic development"

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What is the North American Economic Development Model?

Generally, its the same as the western economic development model which is described by Lester Brown as a ... fossil-fuel-based, automobile-centered, throwaway economy. One North American model is extractable, although not specifically offered as such, from the website of Industry Canada, which is a department of the National Government.

The Mexican model is binational and tied to improving the status of low-skilled workers. The model includes efforts to break down all barriers to US trade and investment in Mexico, including the integration of the latter's workforce into that of US on the same as if all were Mexican Americans.

The US economic development model is reflected by the lobbying efforts of the International Economic Development Council and its certification program for member practitioners.

Woven through all of the above comments is the suggestion of a relationship between economic development and politics. Ted Levine, a guru of economic development marketing once observed that the great practitioners understand that the process includes politics.

Searches of the Web for the phrase "North American economic development model" have thus far produced nothing other than what you see here. On the other hand searches for "economic development model" have produce pages of results. Copy and paste the italicized phrases in this paragraph at the top of this page, keeping the quotation marks intact, then search the Web for more information; also see the definition of "political and economic development model" in the Enterprise and Economic Development Glossary.

Links for additional information about economic development modeling:

http://abec.unm.edu/resources/about_abec/Mondragon_ED_Model.pdf

http://my3rivers.org/economic_model.html

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Who first came up with the phrase economic development?

Joseph Schumpeter. See information about The Contribution of Joseph Schumpeter to Economics: Economic Development and Institutional Change by Richard Arena and Cécile Dangel-Hagnauer at www.questia.com (source). Schumpeter coined the term economic development when he wrote The Theory of Economic Development in 1911. More information under the definition of industrial revolution in the .network glossary.

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Who provides professional recognition for economic development practitioners?

Nothing beats experience or recognition by economic development prospects. On the academic side of the question, take a look at so called basic industrial development courses and the Industrial Development Institute at the University of Oklahoma/Norman where the process of providing professional recognition for practitioners began in North America (1962). The American Industrial Development Council introduced an Advanced Symposium in 1965 which was integrated into the IDI Year III program in 1989 after AIDC became AEDC (American Economic Development Council) and the Institute became EDI (Economic Development Institute). In the mid-1970s a certification was tacked on to the Institute program. Certification continues today under IEDC (International Economic Development Council). Recognition of professional achievement by those who are classified as prospects was provided the the International Development Research Council during the last 20 years of that organization's existence. IDRC recognition was awarded for outstanding, as opposed to academic, achievement in the form of a Master Professional designation (example) for resource and service providers engaged in enterprise and economic development.

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Who knows the economic development/site selection relationship best?

The combination of area and local representatives and site selectors working or regularly networking with each other. Accessing the following items will lead to more information: (1) Getting Started/The Site Selection Directory; (2) Economic Development/the library; (3) the .network mission statement; and (3) the answer to the question about the organization of IDRC.

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Who was the original site selection consultant?

Felix Fantus started up a site selection consulting business around 1920 after relocating his companysee Bidding for Economic Development: The Role of Site Location Consultants by Maria Khan. Fantus' consulting firm refined such procedures as gathering information, conducting feasibility studies, and dealing with places under consideration. Fantus consultants were most likely the first advocates for standardizing the presentation of location data.

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Who organized the first association giving economic developers the opportunity to network with corporate real estate executives?

Mac Conway (McKinley Conway), who introduced a magazine dedicated to location/site selection in 1954, organized a meeting of a group of real estate professionals working for major companies at the beginning of the 1960s. Discussion about a need for research to support planning for facilities expansion and industrial relocations as well as organizing and presenting site selection data in a standardized form. The meeting Conway organized resulted in the creation of the Industrial Development Research Council. IDRC allowed economic developers to join as associates in order for members to have a pool of known contacts available.

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Whose idea was it to publishing site selection criteria on the Web and sold access to the information to economic developers?

Craig Throckmorton introduced Plant Site Locators online in the 1990s. He operated as an information broker and charged a fee to those who wanted to view selection criteria. At about the same time, The Network was introduced with its Site Selection Directory. Unlike PSL, The Network provided free-access to resources and offered a unique search promise. The Directory published project announcements, including selection criteria, for free and access was free. The Network and its SSD continues in operation. PSL no longer exists.

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Who created the first site selection data brokerage on the Web?

... arguably, a fellow named Marc Bailey when he put together the American Community Network. We (who we are) lost contact with Bailey after he had a brief association with Field Media of Alpharetta, GA in the late 1990s (take a look at the disclaimer in the next paragraph). At about the same time the owner of Field Media stated that Mac Conway was his competitor as a data broker. Conway founded an association in the 1960s which allowed him to furnished economic development data to a membership, thus making it problematic as to whether he should be credited as a true data broker. It became easier to argue in favor of Conway being the first when his enterprise became involved with the development alliance that organized Site Selection Data Standards for the International Economic Development Council and partnered with the association as its location information data broker.

Disclaimer: The website of Zoom Information, Inc of Waltham, MA lists Marc Bailey as associated with Economic Development Services, Inc. in Roswell, GA. This information is not true, perhaps it's someone's spoof. No Bailey has ever been associated with Economic Development Services, Inc, an enterprise duly incorporated in the State of Georgia, never at a Roswell, GA address. If you have any questions this disclaimer, CONTACT US.

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Who was the site selector for Disneyland and Walt Disney World?

Harrison (Buzz) Price of the Harrison Price Company was recognized in 1995 by the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) for his handling of hundreds of feasibility and site selection projects around the world including Disneyland (Anaheim, CA) and Disney World (Orlando, FL).

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Who managed prospecting and prospect services when Robert E. Leak, Sr. of North Carolina directed the operations of the South Carolina State Development Board

Bob Leak succeeded Milton Folds as SCDB director in the mid-1970s. Folds had hired Robert E. (Bob) Glover from Tennessee and put him in charge of prospect development and in-state site location assistance. Glover remained in the position for 10 years throughout most of Leak's tenure. During his last couple of years of working for Leak, Glover organized and directed South Carolina's first computerized economic development management system. From that he gained the experience and vision that allowed his to create The Network in 1996.

Use the Global Registry of Contacts online to access more information about Bob Leak. Search either for his name or location which is Raleigh, NC. The SCDB is today the South Carolina Department of Commerce. More information about Fold in the paragraph below.

W. Milton Folds become the head of the Georgia Department of Industry and Trade in 1977now the Department of Economic Development (2004). Folds was an outstanding professional in the field of industrial development for many years. He developed successful working relationships with corporate leaders at the highest levels. He retired from economic development to become an senior executive with Kimberly-Clark, where he was in charge of site selection.

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The Network fields a lot of questions. This page shows examples of the variety. The majority of questions that come to us (who we are); however, have to do with its search promise.

CLICK HERE to access a series of pages about searching. Page 8 is about the promise.

CLICK HERE to see where searching fits into using The Network and what follows.

CLICK HERE to ask a question

CLICK HERE to suggest a place seeking economic development be listed in The Network.

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Web

SEARCH www.Site Location Assistance.com SEARCH Find Me Here.com SEARCH Economic Development.net SEARCH help

Search the Web for ... basic course economic development

Search the Web for ... education courses economic development

Search the Web for ... economic development institute

Search Site Location Assistance.com for ... locations want economic development

Search Find Me Here.com for ... economic development basics

Search Find Me Here.com for ... economic development location data suppliers

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