Economic Development Corporation Research Articles

Exploring Economic Development Strategies for Canadian Indigenous Communities Post-Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has strongly impacted the Indigenous Canadian economy. Indigenous enterprises exist in every industry, from small proprietorships to major organizations employing thousands of people. The research concerning the effects of such peculiarities on Indigenous corporations is sparse. This research aimed to examine how the pandemic affected development companies by comparing pre-epidemic forecasts to the trajectory of Indigenous-owned firms after two years of the pandemic and analyzing its singularities. The study was conducted by the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business (CCAB) and supported by mixed methods techniques such as surveys, interviews, and non-participatory observations obtained from ten distinct Canadian Indigenous Economic Development Corporations, revealing a reality in which Indigenous businesses confront significant challenges in terms of access to public finance, human resources, community well-being, company diversification, and innovation. The result compared pre-pandemic forecasts and analyses that found Indigenous enterprises failing to recover and move ahead on company diversification and innovations, public finance, human resources, and sustainable development.

Assessing the Benefits of Electrification for the Mackinac Island Ferry from an Environmental and Economic Perspective

Ferry electrification has gained attention in the last decade as a potential path to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This study, conducted by APS LABS at Michigan Technological University for the Mackinac Economic Alliance (MEA) and funded by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), looked at the feasibility and potential benefits of electrification of a particular vessel that is part of a ferry service from Mackinaw City, Michigan, USA, to Mackinac Island, Michigan, USA. The study included a comprehensive analysis of the feasibility of retrofitting the current configuration of the ferry into an all-electric ferry based on the availability of components in today’s market. A life-cycle assessment was conducted to compare the emissions between the baseline ferry rebuilt with new internal combustion engines and an all-electric ferry to understand the potential environmental benefits of ferry electrification and find the most sustainable solution for propulsion. The final prong of the three-pronged approach to this project consisted of estimating the difference in expenditures and profits for a rebuilt internal combustion (IC) engine versus electric configurations for a company operating the ferry. The analysis indicated that in the current scenario, electrification of the Mackinac Island ferry is not beneficial, and replacing the ferry’s current diesel engines with modern diesel engines is the preferred solution.

The Role of Large Corporations of Non-Ferrous Metallurgy in Providing Revenues of Regional Budgets Illustrated by Krasnoyarsk Territory (the public company ‘Norilsk Nickel’) and Irkutsk Region (the public company ‘OK RUSAL’)

Invariably high role of large tonnage and low-added-value business in economy of the Russian Federation stipulates topicality of such research. Big business reaching 78-80% of Russian GDP will continue playing the primary role, which will be backed by exchange rate in exporters’ interests and their raw material orientation. Iron and steel industry in Russia by budget, production and export significance yields only to oil and gas sphere. Ferrous and nonferrous metallurgy produces the most important construction materials for other industries and at the same time keeps up the demand for highly-qualified workers with rather high level of wages. The goal of the research is to identify the contribution of large companies of non-ferrous metallurgy to revenues of the Russian Federation budget system. For this end the authors analyzed accounts of companies with budget system on profit tax, on value-added tax, tax on individuals and tax on company property. Information base of the research was formed by works of home and overseas authors that show the role of large corporations in social and economic development of regions and countries, Rosstat data, information of the Federal Taxation Service on the Irkutsk region and the Krasnoyarsk territory, official annul and finance accounting of the public company ‘OK RUSAL’ and the public company ‘Norilsk Nickel’.

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Aboriginal Economic Development Corporations (AEDC), 2019–2021: An Interview-based Perspective with CEOs

Collaborating with the Canadian Council on Aboriginal Business (CCAB), the authors investigate how Aboriginal Economic Development Corporations (AEDCs) responded to and, in most cases, weathered the commercial disruptions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Working from survey interviews, supplemented by business data from previous CCAB national surveys and other governmental information, the authors explore the challenges that CEOs faced and how they managed their companies through the COVID crisis. For many of the AEDCs respondents, the problems they were facing were not necessarily brought on by the pandemic but were outgrowths of pre-existing socioeconomic disparities that had been exacerbated by COVID-19. Throughout the pandemic, these CEOs battled to maintain operations, manage and support staff in trying circumstances, and keep their assets operating or safely managed. They frequently assisted their home communities with services not normally within their purview, including producing PPE products and delivering groceries and medicine to remote communities. This report focuses on crisis management and can be a useful reference point for policymakers and decision-makers looking to create coherent responses to whatever the next crisis faced by EDCs might be.

Indigenous legal forms and governance structures in renewable energy: Assessing the role and perspectives of First Nations economic development corporations

In the literature on community energy, there has been little exploration of how legal forms affect the governance structures employed and resulting impacts to communities. In a settler colonial context like Canada, renewable energy transitions and projects will take place on or near Indigenous traditional territories. In the emerging body of knowledge around Indigenous community involvement in renewable energy the role of the Indigenous economic development corporation (EDCs), a uniquely Indigenous legal form has had little attention. Although a range of governance structures that could support renewable energy projects exist; what has not been explored are which legal forms tend to employ specific governance structures. Employing a national dataset, surveys and interviews, this study assesses the experience and involvement of Indigenous EDCs as a legal form in renewable energy projects, the governance structures EDCs employ, and how these governance structures respond to the needs for self-determination and decision-making power of Indigenous communities. The findings show that at least 26 EDCs are involved in renewable energy projects, that EDCs tend to use economic instruments, while political organizations, (e.g., Band Council), tend to use political instruments, such as impact and benefit agreements (IBAs). Interviewed and surveyed EDCs agreed that ownership of a project is more beneficial than IBAs that tend to be short lived. Although full ownership denotes control over a project, which aligns with UNDRIP, the desired level of ownership varies depending on a variety of factors, such as comfort with risk and how provincial context affects preferred ownership structures.

“DOKUMENTARI MISTERI KEHILANGAN TEBU CHUPING, PERLIS”

If Kelantan is famous for the great production of moon kites, Terengganu for its beautiful beaches, Perlis is famous for the vast expanse of sugarcane plantations in Chuping. But the uniqueness of the sugarcane farm is no longer visible in Chuping. Therefore, this documentary was produced with the title "The Mystery of the Loss of Chuping’s Sugarcane Farm". The study was conducted with the first few objectives; identify Chuping’s sugarcane plantation closures; second; to identify the work done by former Chuping’s sugarcane plantation workers. To obtain the findings of the study, data collection methods was done by conducting in-depth interviews with informants from the Office of the State Economic Planning Division (BPEN), Perlis State Economic Development Corporation (PKENPs), MSM Perlis Sdn Bhd and a former employee at the former sugarcane plantation. Apart from the interview technique, the flashback technique is also used to display information and a chronological scene about the sugarcane plantation in Chuping. In relation to that, this 10 -minute documentary was published to answer some questions related to the loss of sugarcane plantations and the closure of a sugar factory in Chuping, Perlis. The study found that the loss of sugarcane farms in Chuping was due to supply factors that could not compete with high demand, soil nutrient degradation leading to low-quality sugarcane production and poor governance on the part of top management. The production of this documentary can be used as a source of information to the public, students, and industry players.

All Is Not LOST in Texas? An Outcome-Oriented Analysis of Local Option Sales Tax Choices on Measures of Economic Growth

Are municipal-level local option sales taxes (LOST) in Texas associated with long-term economic development outcomes? The Texas 4a and 4b LOST options fund economic development projects managed by a dedicated municipal-level economic development corporation (EDC). Instead of short-term outputs, we consider associations with three primary long-range outcomes: property value growth, population growth, and new home construction. Three regression analyses examine economic growth between 2011 and 2015 for Texas municipalities while controlling for county-level nesting effect, local capacity, and other contextual factors. The implementation of the 4a industrial development LOST shows a small significant positive association with population growth, albeit at the .10 level. The 4a LOST is also selected as part of the optimal model for property value growth despite not being significant. Implementation of the broader 4b community development LOST is not found significant nor included in any of the three outcome-based models. In each case, the county-level nesting effect is highly associated with economic development outcomes, while municipal-level capacity measures, such as property tax collected per capita, household median income, and the percentage of 4-year college graduates also show strong associations. Municipalities more dependent on the manufacturing sector show a significant negative association with all three economic development outcomes.

Ethical Dilemmas in Hawaii’s First Public-Private Venture Capital Fund

Are there any business decisions that do not have an ethical dimension? Who decides that a decision is unethical? What impact does ethics have in today’s business environment? The case focuses on the development of Hawaii’s first public-private venture capital fund by three very different entities: the State of Hawaii economic development corporation; a US mainland-based private equity investment firm; and a partnership of two serial entrepreneurs. The case uses a progressive disclosure format so students only read and analyze the actions and ethical issues that occur at a specific point in time: creation of the venture capital fund; selection of startups to be included in the fund’s investment portfolio; and public reaction to decisions and actions by the fund. The case frames the issues confronted at each point as ethical dilemmas. Analysis includes answering questions and formulating recommendations or solutions to each dilemma.

Co-construcción de saberes, innovación social y desarrollo territorial: una experiencia quebequense

El movimiento de la economía social en Quebec cuenta con una trayectoria de concertación que lo dispone al desarrollo de dinámicas de co-construcción y transferencia de saberes. Frente a la aplicación de políticas de austeridad y al desmantelamiento de las corporaciones de desarrollo económico distintas prácticas locales plantean el diálogo entre investigación y acción sobre el terreno como una clave para la movilización ciudadana y la articulación de procesos de innovación social. En el cruce entre los saberes de dichas prácticas y un nuevo paradigma epistemológico se encuentra la organización Territoires innovants en Économie Sociale et Solidaire (TIESS). El presente artículo analiza dicha iniciativa explorando sus referentes inmediatos y tomando en cuenta los condicionantes que inciden en la transferencia de saberes sobre innovación social. Como conclusión se observa que la organización del vínculo entre actores socialmente innovadores es en la actualidad uno de los principales retos del desarrollo territorial.

State Tax Policy, Municipal Choice, and Local Economic Development Outcomes: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach to Performance Assessment

AbstractDo state policies that allow municipal governments to levy economic development taxes stimulate economic development? Texas allows municipal‐level economic development corporation dedicated local option sales taxes (LOST), effectively diverting revenue from general fund purposes exclusively toward local economic development efforts. Drawing from a performance management framework focused on policy outcomes, the authors use a structural equation model to estimate the effects of local tax choices on economic development performance. The results reveal that municipalities implementing the 4a LOST tax choice (traditional industry‐related efforts) experienced a significant and positive effect on economic development as measured through a latent construct assessing five years of growth in population, property value, and new home construction. The observed impact of tax choice, though weaker than preexisting municipal economic capacity, suggests that states and municipalities can influence economic development activity by permitting municipal choice in the allocation of tax revenues dedicated to economic development.

Re-arranging public-private partnerships: The case of South Street Seaport New York

ABSTRACT The South Street Seaport, a historic district located at the southern tip of Manhattan, has been the subject of a massive redevelopment scheme. While local actors have opposed the new vision of the developer, the latter, in partnership with the New York Economic Development Corporation, has imposed its own narrative for the district’s development so far. This paper looks at the development of a historic district being managed by private parties. Unfolding past events, it critically investigates the district’s space production and examines how the different actors have framed the values and narratives over the place. It shows how partnerships have become unbalanced over the years and how it finally led to reactions and the rearrangement of the partnership. The paper aims at contributing to the current debate on the public–private partnership by discussing their implications and bringing in the example of an alternative setting for more open collaboration and negotiation between developers and local actors.

Breaking Boundaries

According to the World Economic Forum 2020, some of the most critical skills needed to thrive in the future economy will be the ability to collaborate in multidisciplinary teams, build diverse networks, and be human-centered problem solvers. However, many university students have limited exposure to interdisciplinary problem solving, and tend to build connections within their bubbles (socioeconomic level, college, the field of study).In this study, we’ll review Innovate NYC (iNYC), an extracurricular program addressing these skills gaps. In three cohorts between 2016-18, 50 students from 12 New York City colleges, collaborated in multidisciplinary teams to solve real-world problems using innovation methods like HCD (Human Centred Design) and lean business strategies. The challenges were provided by partners like NYCEDC (NYC Economic Development Corporation) and other locally focused non-profits. However, did the program achieve what it set out to do and how might we apply the learning? In this study we aim to: 1. assess the strength and diversity of social connections between former iNYC participants, 2. identify any effect the program may have had on their career pathways, and 3. assess their continued use of innovation methods. To do this, we will examine the structure and delivery of the program, as well as review qualitative exit surveys and longitudinal survey results.

Realigning Economic Development to Support Company Startup and Scale Up: A Burlington, Ontario Case Study

<p>In 2015 the City of Burlington developed a new 2015-2040 Strategic Plan: <em>Grow Bold, </em>which tasked Burlington Economic Development Corporation (BEDC) with supporting the start up and scale up of companies and making Burlington a start up destination. This article will outline the process that BEDC went through to better understand the local innovation ecosystem and the role that BEDC could play in supporting it. This process resulted in BEDC going from no role in supporting companies to start and grow to launching, TechPlace, Burlington’s new innovation Centre in 2017, which supported over 4,000 visitors in their entrepreneurial journey in year one of operations. </p><p><strong>Keywords: </strong>Innovation, Entrepreneurship, Startups, Job Creation, Startup Support, Innovation Centre</p>

“You Cannot Trade What Is Not Yours”: Indigenous Governance and the NAFTA Negotiations

ABSTRACT Contemporary International Relations scholars and practitioners generally recognize that substate governments affect the state’s international affairs; however, there is less acceptance of Indigenous governments as global actors that meaningfully impact the state. After all, the expectation would be that central governments, with considerably more resources and power, would be unlikely to face a challenge from an Indigenous government. However, Indigenous governments are negotiating new relationships with foreign and domestic governments, forming economic development corporations, hiring private firms to raise capital, funding trade missions, and even opening offices in key international locales such as Beijing to engage in trade promotion and push investment opportunities in projects such as resource extraction. Applying paradiplomacy theory, which argues that International Relations cannot be properly explained absent the global affairs of substate governments, this article analyzes the effect of Indigenous peoples and governance in the Canada–US trade relationship. It specifically considers how Indigenous engagement in the global economy affects the bilateral trade regime, foreign direct investment, and cross-border trade. The driver for these analysis centers on demands for the inclusion of a so-called “Indigenous chapter” in the North American Free Trade Agreement renegotiations in 2017 and 2018.

Structure Guided Functional Studies of a Lipoprotein Involved in Salmonella Copper Homeostasis

Cells from aerobic organisms require copper ions to generate biochemical energy and for certain enzyme‐catalyzed redox reactions. However, recent studies suggest that when bacteria are engulfed by phagosomes within macrophages, Cu2+ is used in high concentrations, among other molecules, to kill the bacterium. To infect a host, bacteria such as Salmonella enterica must survive this toxic environment containing high Cu2+ levels. A recently discovered protein of unknown function, DcrB, plays a role in copper homeostasis within Salmonella enterica, a major cause of food‐borne illness. DcrB is a small lipoprotein anchored to the periplasmic face of the cytoplasmic membrane. Currently, Salmonella phenotypic assays have shown DcrB is necessary for growth in high levels of Cu2+. The hypothesis of this project is that DcrB binds copper and possibly other divalent cations. To test this hypothesis, we used thermal stability assays paired with structure‐based functional studies. We examined the effect of divalent cations on the stability of purified DcrB protein using a fluorescence‐based thermal shift assay and circular dichroism. Furthermore, we are using our recent crystallographic structure of DcrB to identify possible metal ion binding sites and to test whether each hypothesized metal ion binding site is required for the ability of DcrB to confer resistance to Cu2+. For each site, we used site‐directed mutagenesis to generate an allele of dcrB that encodes a DcrB variant lacking the functional side‐chains at the site. Then, we determined whether a multicopy plasmid that contains the mutant allele of dcrB can complement the copper sensitivity of a dcrB knockout mutant of Salmonella enterica. Our results have established the specificity of DcrB for binding divalent cations and have led to the identification of potential metal binding sites, which we anticipate will shed light on the role of DcrB in metal homeostasis in pathogenic bacteria.Support or Funding InformationThis research was supported by a UW‐La Crosse Faculty Research Grant (JFM), a UW‐La Crosse Undergraduate Research Grant (RWS), and the Dean's Distinguished Fellowship (RWS). This research used resources of the Advanced Photon Source, a U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science User Facility operated for the DOE Office of Science by Argonne National Laboratory under Contract No. DEAC0206CH11357. Use of the LS‐CAT Sector 21 was supported by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and the Michigan Technology Tri‐Corridor (Grant 085P1000817).This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.

Crystal Structure of the C‐terminal Guanine Exchange Factor Module of Trio Reveals its Oncogenic Potential

The C‐terminal guanine exchange factor module of Trio (TrioC) activates the small G protein RhoA, linking Gαq/11‐coupled 7TM receptors to cellular events including cytoskeletal rearrangements and gene transcription. This signal transduction pathway underlies the development of uveal melanoma, a fatal malignancy. Previous studies have shown that TrioC is regulated via autoinhibition relieved by the binding of Gαq/11. However, the structural determinants of the autoinhibited state have remained elusive. We determined the crystal structure of TrioC in its basal state, revealing the molecular basis of autoinhibition mediated by the pleckstrin homology (PH) domain via direct interactions with the Rho binding site on the Dbl homology domain (DH). We show that truncation of the PH domain or introduction of point mutations activates the TrioC module in nucleotide exchange assays by liberating the Rho binding site. This model is consistent with results obtained by hydrogen‐deuterium exchange mass spectrometry. Finally, we show that mutations in the PH domain found in cancer patients also hyper‐activate full length TrioC in cell based models. These mutations may thus represent the first known cancer drivers in Trio that operate in an analogous, yet Gαq/11‐independent manner.Support or Funding InformationThis work was supported by NIH Grants CA221289, HL122416, and HL071818 (to J.J.G.T.), 5T32GM007767‐38, 5T32GM007767‐39, and F31CA224804 (to S.J.B.), and 5T32GM007752‐39 (to N.A.). This research used resources of the Advanced Photon Source, a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science User Facility operated for the DOE Office of Science by Argonne National Laboratory under Contract No. DE‐AC02‐06CH11357. Use of the LS‐CAT Sector 21 was supported by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and the Michigan Technology Tri‐Corridor (Grant 085P1000817).This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.

Protecting the Public’s Interest: Options for Structuring Public Authorities for Sport Venues

This study illustrates the benefits of public–private partnerships in creating public corporations to build sport venues. In addition to potential returns, public officials’ understanding of the potential structures of these authorities is equally important. Additionally, as the scope of public–private partnerships broadens, it is essential for administrators of secondary and higher level education to recognize the benefits of and understand the structure of these partnerships. This study presents the structures of four authorities and the details of the sport-related partnerships they entered. The authorities include the Gateway Economic Development Corporation of Greater Cleveland, Indianapolis Capital Improvement Board, Frisco Economic Development Corporation, and Detroit Downtown Development Authority. In each instance, individual outcomes were analyzed. This paper illustrates the range of responsibilities that could be assigned to authorities and the potential for benefits to be generated for teams, cities, universities, and school districts. The results from each partnership reflect the structure of the public authority. To protect the public's interest, the legislation creating a new public corporation must clearly outline its objectives, structure, and responsibilities. But when cities, universities, and school districts utilize authorities for sport-related development projects, the opportunities for achieving public policy goals are more expansive than many realize.Subscribe to TPE

Article 2 from Series of 5: Empowering African-Canadian Career Excellence

NOTE: THIS ARTICLE WAS PUBLISHED WITH THE INFORMING SCIENCE INSTITUTE. Aim/Purpose...................................................................................................................................................................................................... The African-Canadian Career Excellence (ACCE) initiative was developed to address the loss of highly-educated, English-speaking Black youth from the Greater Montreal Area (Quebec, Canada) facing issues of unemployment and underemployment. Background........................................................................................................................................................................................................ The ACCE initiative partners – African and Caribbean Synergic inter-organizational Network of Canada (ACSioN Network), Black Community Resource Center (BCRC) and Community Economic Development and Employability Corporation (CEDEC) – worked to mitigate the exodus of educated Black youth through building their professional capacities to attain meaningful, sustainable local employment; encouraging their contribution to Quebec’s vitality, and assisting employers to diversify their workforce. Methodology....................................................................................................................................................................................................... The Black undergraduate students of African descent who were surveyed were English-speaking youth from the Greater Montreal Area; these included Canadian citizens, landed immigrants and temporary and permanent residents. Survey respondents will be referred to as Black African undergraduate students for the remainder of this article. In the 2011-2012 academic year, Black African undergraduate students from five Montreal post-secondary institutions were surveyed. On-campus promotion and in-person solicitation resulted in a non-random convenience sample of 92 individuals. Data from the 34 categorical and open-ended questions in an English-language online survey were analysed using SurveyMonkey, Microsoft Excel and SPSS. Contribution........................................................................................................................................................................................................ Montreal's English-speaking Black African undergraduate students represent an under-documented demographic in migration studies, specifically in terms of career plans, workplace skills, career path, employment resource awareness and discrimination. This portrait highlights the experience and career expectations of Montreal Black African undergraduate youth and is relevant within the contexts of Black history, community development, skills and career development, education and employment. Findings.............................................................................................................................................................................................................. These results suggest that English-speaking Black African undergraduates expected to follow an appropriate career path in their desired field by attaining meaningful and sustainable local employment commensurate with their skills. Many of these youth were not able to access the same career opportunities as their peers, and therefore left before fully participating in Quebec’s economy. Recommendation for Practitioner................................................................................................................................................................... This article suggests that businesses seeking to diversify their workforce can collaborate with public institutions and civil society organizations to better prepare and integrate Montreal’s skilled Black African youth. It is suggested that career-advancement training focus on addressing job security and skills gap concerns, in addition to awareness of discrimination in the workplace and strategies for identifying and redressing the situation. Recommendation for Researcher.................................................................................................................................................................... Future research could be conducted within the same Montreal population to compare the findings a decade later. Subsequent outreach to targeted employers might reveal progress and additional recommendations in diversifying their workplace. Impact on Society.............................................................................................................................................................................................. Collaboration among public institutions, private businesses and civil society organizations can lead to increased integration of Black African youth into the labor market.

Maintaining accountability between levels of governance in Indigenous economic development: Examples from British Columbia, Canada

AbstractMany Indigenous communities in Canada have established economic development corporations (EDCs) to support economic development that meets community goals. Indigenous EDCs, like social enterprises, typically prioritize multiple socio‐economic goals and may be used to limit political influence on business operations; however, complete separation can be detrimental to success. This article explores formal mechanisms used by Indigenous EDCs to maintain accountability between levels of governance and ensure Indigenous community‐owned businesses remain focused on community objectives. A literature review, interviews and document analysis were used to identify formal mechanisms to maintain accountability in the context of Indigenous community‐owned forestry businesses in British Columbia, Canada.

Handing over the Keys: Nonprofit Economic Development Corporations and Their Implications for Accountability and Inclusion

ABSTRACTPublic organizations have explored service-delivery with nonprofit organizations to help alleviate the strain on their long-term fiscal sustainability. This interdependence has ramifications for fairness and responsiveness in service-delivery that are poorly understood. One area where government-nonprofit collaborative activity has not been explored is within the context of sustainable development. This study utilizes surveys of U.S. cities at multiple time periods to examine the comparative use of nonprofit economic development corporations and their performance on smart-growth and social equity policy activities. This study first explores the roles played by the two most common types of local nonprofit organizations—nonprofit Local Development Corporations (LDCs) and Community-Based Development Organizations (CBDOs)—in use of performance information and accountability mechanisms in local economic development activities. In turning to policy outcomes, the use of LDCs is negatively associated with land use policies intended to advance social inclusion.