Brewed Fresh Daily

Some thoughts as promised , offered as tentative suggestions - My premise: The kind of network Cleveland needs is very unlike the one in Athens (I spent a few minutes looking that over). Those appear to be self-sustaining or at most creating a minor multiplier effect. It is actually baffling that someone would suggest Cleveland should follow the model in �Athens, Ohio� rather than a model from a large city. Why? Any initiative in Cleveland � by it a network or otherwise - will have high initial costs (startup costs � some of these will be sunk costs) and high operating costs + it will have to have a large multiplier � on entire groups/populations (the hardworking people in the city and the suburbs). Hence, there is a need for network players with large resources. Remember also that a Cleveland, network based initiative will likely have to be on a large scale � and will be competing with other networks from large cities. Both unlike agrarian/coop style networks of Athens. - So, how can resources enter the network? Two action steps - First, stop doing something (there are opportunity costs to doing useless things). Drop the current time/investment in weak networks. They are on a path that will never create or bring in resources. So, stop the talk-fests and stop funding organizations that keep demanding public support and media support for sponsoring talk-fests. Stop hiring retooled and �serial� economic development bureaucrats who just talk and talk � using complex sounding terms and sentences that mean nothing but sound like they are profound. Second, start doing a few things differently. Use political/business leads to leverage existing strong networks with resources. The mayor and cabinet appears completely unable to do this � and have been caught up with the talk fests and bringing in small-time, self-aggrandizing entrepreneurs (who drain rather than build the local economy). Instead, leaders should informally rather than publicly work with (read NETWORK WITH) leaders at the larger firms to a. retain them and keep them happy and b. identify potential recruits to bring in � from the business/social networks of these leaders in other cities � so tap into networks with resources. That should be the day-in, day-out focus of anyone interested in the economy of Cleveland. Create packages, sops, anything to do this � spend the money there. (and stop the sour grapes talk of �old boy� networks � there are young, smart, women leaders in these firms.) Even one strong connection of this type (one powerful charge across a synapse) is better than extensive, rich, multinodal networks of weak resources. Imagine the impact of another large firm leaving town � or even one well-known firm deciding to locate in town. I have the luxury of living in a city where, after a bad few years, everyday there is an announcement of a large firm moving hundreds of jobs to the area. Ironically, this area also rates as one of the top few areas for entrepreneurs. Cleveland should focus on bringing in the large firms � the entrepreneurs will follow . There�s my annual contribution to the dialog. I continue to hope and pray for a strong rebound for the city..Thanks for the indulgence, George.