Finding new ways to think strategically

Begining in the late 1970's and early 1980's communities began implementing "strategic plans" for econmic development. Not surprisingly, these strategic plans followed models developed by large scale businesses to plan their investmwent strategies.

Now, these traditional planning models -- which never worked very well with economic development to begin with -- are even more dysfunctional. Part of the problem: They take too long to implement.

Here's an example.

IN Springfield, MA, civic leaders are beginning what looks to be a two year process for developing a strategy. The first phase -- costing $125,000 and taking six tio nine months, it appears -- "includes an initial survey of Springfield's 'economic setting,' that will include 'identifying opportunities and challenges to growth,' " according to one of the leaders.

Read more.

A second phase, which will begin in 2009, will "involve engaging stake-holders in the community in drafting and completing the long-range economic growth strategy plan".

This process is entirely too slow, costly and inflexible in todays world.

In the (roughly) two years that it will take Springfied to complete this exercise, the Chinese economy will have moved the equivalent of 6 to 9 years. (They are growing at 3-4 times the speed we are.)

We need to develop new ways to think and act strategically. The old approaches just do not work very well.

With the development of Open Source Economic Development at Purdue, we are experimenting with models of Strategic Doing to replace these models of strategic planning.