A Broader Vision of Quality of Life as Economic Development Policy (Continuing to Work on the Cluster Book)

I'm continuing to work on my cluster research and writing a piece on quality of life and economic health as part of clusters. Perhaps this piece will be ready this week. Somtimes I come across some beneficial information in the literature search that might help government officials and administrators think about other things they can do to enhance their communities. Hard and soft type economics are both helpful.

At present I'm working on my book which is the third in a sequence on economics. The book and the research are the same. After aboutt 300+ pages of research over 15 years I am attempting to write within the next year a 100 page book on the topic that is easier for general practitioners to understand. Nothing particularly ground breaking but you never know. In its own way its ahead of many other researchers.

University of Wisconsin-Madison provided some interesting points on quality of life and attracting new residents. In my perspective, places like Escanaba have attracted new investments, have improved their quality of life with events, and it is becoming an excellent place to invest and live. All on the coast of course with beautiful fall colors, excellent beaches, and winter sports (i.e. skiing). Visit Escanaba

There is more to do in terms of coordinating different government entities to attract a few new industries to create a sustainable and adaptable cluster that can weather economic changes well through hedging. For example, attracting export oriented small business downtown that enhance the local shopping experience as well as draw resources increase local skills, events, and industries (i.e. custom golf clubs, design firms, snow shoes, etc.).