Utility Economic Development: Perspectives on Trends and Practices

Table of Contents

• Table of Contents
• Energy Insights Opinion
• Executive Summary
• A Few Good Ideas
• Why Economic Development?
  • This report
  • Method
  • Table: Utility Economic Development Research Sources
• Trends Shaping the Utility Economic Development Role
  • Emergence of local and regional ED organizations necessitates collaboration
  • Budgets and staffing often constrained
  • Experimentation in ED department organizational structure
  • The Internet accelerates site selection practices
  • Relationship building key to marketing efforts
  • Globalization spurs international recruitment and trade
  • Business retention as essential as recruiting new businesses
  • Utilities increasingly targeting specific industries
  • Municipal annexation engenders high-stakes conflicts
• Key Utility Economic Development Services
  • Site selection data and services
  • Table: Site Selection Factors, Importance for Corporate Executives
  • Table: Consultants' Use of the Internet to Help Their Clients in Their Location Searches
  • Technical assistance
  • Customized research
  • Financing and grants
  • Sponsoring incubators and fostering entrepreneurs
  • Utility economic development rates and incentives
  • Training and support for regional and community organizations
• Marketing Tactics and Approaches
• Notes
• Authors
• Appendix
• Table: Selected Resources in Economic Development
  • Synopsis