Knowing the Success or Failure of
Economic Development Before You Begin

Ultimately, an economic development strategic planning process must define and assign a set of activities intended to improve the local economic condition and quality of life.
Communities will spend months in a planning process that, ideally, will yield a set of strategies that will be implemented by a community-based team.

What is generally not understood, however, is that the likelihood of their success has already been pre-established.

How can communities know whether they are likely to succeed even before they begin the economic development strategic planning process?

This mystery is unlocked in author and economic development practitioner Brian Cole’s new upcoming book Building Communities: 25 Strategies to Advance America.

Cole submits that all communities are at one of four “capacity stages” in terms of their ability to envision and enact their future.

These four capacity stages—Apathy, Argumentative, Action, and Alliance—predetermine the posture of a community both in the planning phase as well as the implementation phase of the economic development strategic planning process.

Apathy Communities are typically very engaged in the planning phase, but disengaged and disinterested in the implementation phase. The proverbial report-sitting-on-the-shelf is typically the result for these communities. Failure is virtually assured.

Argumentative Communities tend to be very regimented and controlled in the planning phase, and very selective and forced in the implementation phase. Argumentative Communities tend to be dominated by a “good ol’ boy” dynamic. Failure is imminent.

Action Communities are not only engaged and productive in the planning phase, but they are very collaborative and effective in the implementation phase. Action Communities are well poised for a very successful economic development planning and implementation process.

Alliance Communities tend to be exceptionally studious and comprehensive in their planning, and then deliberate and purposeful in the implementation phase. Alliance Communities not only succeed with economic development, but they have the long-term, sustainable nature of their community mind.

“Whether they know it or not, the likelihood of economic development success for most communities is defined before they even begin the planning process,” said Cole.
In his upcoming book Building Communities, Cole presents the Four Stages of Community Development Capacity model.

The model outlines the underlying conditions and motivations that define a community’s Capacity Stage.

“People involved with economic development have a community capacity stage that either works for them or against them in terms of implementing strategies,” said Cole. “Understanding the Capacity Stage, and then working to enhance capacity, is essential for long-term success.”