Business Commons^™

Strengthening The Southern Nevada Workforce Pipeline, Katie M. Gilbertson

Student Research

Workforce development has been a keystone in the discussion of economic diversification of Las Vegas for decades. The leisure and hospitality industry is the lifeline for the Southern Nevada economy due to the reliance on tourism as the city’s main economic driver. The leisure and hospitality industry requires physical labor and more face-to-face customer interaction than other employment sectors. Thus, these jobs often do not require high educational attainment, but rather sharp soft skills like effective listening, nonverbal communication, and negotiation strategies. While these are valuable traits, the lack of educational attainment within the leisure and hospitality workforce suppresses employees’ …

A Community's Collective Courage: A Local Food Cooperative's Impact On Food Insecurity, Community And Economic Development, And Local Food Systems, Tabitha C. Barbour

Butler Journal of Undergraduate Research

According to the USDA’s “Food Security Status of U.S. Households” in 2014, 48.1 million people live in food insecure households. In Indiana, more than 1 million people suffer from food insecurity with rates as high as 19.2% of Marion County’s population according to the Map the Meal Gap 2014 report. The Community Controlled Food Initiative (CCFI) is a local food cooperative operated by the Kheprw Institute and neighborhood residents in the Mid-North Indianapolis Community. The cooperative formed to address food insecurity in August 2015 in response to the closing on the local Double 8 Foods grocery stores. CCFI hosts a …

Vocational Training Programs And Youth Labor Market Outcomes: Evidence From Nepal, S Chakravarty, M Lundberg, Plamen Nikolov, J Zenker

Economics Faculty Scholarship

Lack of skills is arguably one of the most important determinants of high levels of unemployment and poverty. In response, policymakers often initiate vocational training programs in efforts to enhance skill formation among the youth. Using a regression-discontinuity design, we examine a large youth training intervention in Nepal. We find, twelve months after the start of the training program, that the intervention generated an increase in non-farm employment of 10 percentage points (ITT estimates) and up to 31 percentage points for program compliers (LATE estimates). We also detect sizable gains in monthly earnings largely driven by women who start self-employment …

Innovation Strategies Of Small And Medium-Sized Central North Carolina Discount Retailers, Godwin Oseloka Okonkwo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In central North Carolina, small and medium-sized discount retailers have had a high failure rate, which is troubling considering that small businesses create jobs and drive successful innovation that is critical for economic development. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore experiences regarding successful innovation strategies of 20 discount retail industry owners and general managers located in central North Carolina. This study was grounded in Rogers`s diffusion of innovations conceptual framework and Christensen`s disruptive innovation theory. Data collection occurred through semistructured face-to-face interviews with owners and general managers of discount retail industry. Data analysis strategies included a modified …

Examining The Use Of Focus Groups In Economic Development Initiatives, Oscar T. Mcknight, Ronald Paugh, Brian Nestor, Shawn Yambor

Oscar T McKnight Ph.D.

City officials often use focus groups in economic development. However, findings indicate that group dynamics can threaten validity when seeking consensus. Data suggest a strong rebound effect for participants to return to their earlier pre-focus group assessment beliefs. Introduced is the ‘BUCKS’ Planning Model for facilitating city economic development initiatives.

A Primer For Economic Development Directors And Other Social Entrepreneurs: Using 'Cash' As A Management Practice, Oscar T. Mcknight, Ronald Paugh, Aaron Mcknight, Melinda Belden

Oscar T McKnight Ph.D.

City and community oficials are responsible for developing and sustaining economic growth. This research focuses on Best Practices Cities - those with current and predicted economic growth above the national average - and the specific management practices that are responsible for such growth. The CASH model is presented to assist city planners and other social entrepreneurs in their economic development initiatives.

Strategic Marketing For Economic Development: A Comparative Study, Megan Polak, Oscar T. Mcknight, Ronald Paugh

Oscar T McKnight Ph.D.

This study surveyed economic development directors from 118 cities from within the continental United States. The research concern was their strategic economic development plan. Electronic surveys asked participants to identify strategic components of their economic development plan; first, by intent of focus and second by rank-order. Designated areas of economic development included: Retail, Commercial, Residential or Industrial. In addition, the survey inquired as to their planned marketing communication channel and expected reach (i.e. footprint). Findings suggested that most cities were seeking to promote "all areas equally" - industrial development surfaced as the area of economic development listed with the highest …

Marketing To Entrepreneurs, Site Selectors And Relocation Professionals: An Action Plan For Community Economic Development, Oscar T. Mcknight, Ronald Paugh, Aaron Mcknight, Megan Polak

Oscar T McKnight Ph.D.

Community officials offer an array of incentives to stimulate local business growth, unaware of the salient criteria that determine location decisions. An analysis of proprietary research reports and site selector feasibility studies indicates specific criteria that are universally evaluated, nine of which undermine economic development initiatives. An ‘ACTION’ plan is provided to assist city planners’ efforts in appealing to site selection professionals.

Marketing Entrepreneurship From Within: A "City-Type" Strategy For Economic Development, Oscar T. Mcknight, Ronald Paugh, Jeremiah Trein

Oscar T McKnight Ph.D.

Too often city officials seek external expertise in advancing economic development initiatives when significant economic opportunities may exist internally. This research examines the relationship between “city-type” and entrepreneurial aspirations of its residents. A “START-UP” strategy that combines internal and external initiatives for the marketing of economic development is provided.

Toward A Sustainable Maine : The Politics, Economics, And Ethics Of Sustainability, Richard Barringer (Ed.)

Maine Collection

Toward A Sustainable Maine : The Politics, Economics, and Ethics of Sustainability

Richard Barringer, editor, Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern Maine

Edmund S. Muskie Institute of Public Affairs, University of Southern Maine, Portland, Maine, 1993.

The proceedings of a conference presented at Bowdoin College on March 19 and 20, 1993, by the Edmund S. Muskie Institute of Public Affairs at the University of Southern Maine, and by the Natural Resources Council of Maine. Ellen Baum, conference organizer.

Contents; Foreword by Richard Barringer / Welcome by Everett Carson / Global, Canadian, and Maine Perspectives / Sustaining Our Natural and …