This is the third year we've attempted to help West Virginia adopt a modern, entrepreneurial approach to economic development by emphasizing the growth of our "new" economy based on innovation.
(NOTE: Apologies for the poor formatting on this post, our blog site is having some issues)
Make no small plans. They have no magic to stir men’s blood and probably themselves will not be realized. Make big plans; aim high in hope and work, remembering that a noble, logical plan once recorded will never die, but long after we are gone will be a living thing, asserting itself with ever-growing insistency. Remember that our children are going to do things that will stagger us. Let your watchword be order and your beacon, beauty.
Think big.
- Daniel Burnham, 19th Century Architect who planned the Chicago World’s Fair
The following was previously published as an op-ed commentary in the Charleston Gazette:
If there are two pressing issues facing West Virginia's future and that demand every ounce of our creative problem-solving abilities, it is the momentum behind green energy (and therefore away from dependence on coal) and the practice of mountaintop-removal mining.
McKinsey & Company, the high-end management consulting firm, has published an article entitled "Asia and the Elements of Innovation." In it, author Eric Drexler outlines his view on the foundational elements required for a society to become a world-class center of technological innovation:
When Create WV was formed approximately two years ago, a clear strategy was adopted to empower local communities to understand and adopt "creative community" principles that would lead to new economy growth. This couldn't be another state-mandated, top down strategy. Communities would have to get excited about the potential and decide for themselves whether they wanted to adopt key pillars such as diversity, technology, 21st century learning, qualty of place and entrepreneurship.
Charleston, WV -- A statewide survey of what West Virginians think and do relating to their communities, technology, education, social diversity, and entrepreneurship provides a snapshot that contradicts many widely held assumptions about who the state’s citizens are and what they think.
Colleges and universities have always been major economic drives in their communities. However, in today's new knowledge and innovation-based economy, their role as lynchpins of creative community building via diversity, education, technology and quality of place has increased.
West Virginians have been dealing with unfair stereotypes and image issues for decades. Some of us don't care what others think, some of us are a bit defensive. But regardless of stereotypes, what do West Virginians really think about topics such as diversity, technology and education? Are our state's low new economy rankings a result of backwards beliefs and unwillingness to embrace change?
If you read the typical West Virginia newspaper's business section or listen to the local TV news, you might be hard-pressed to find a reason to believe that the "new" economy - industries built on innovation, creativity and intellectual property - is thriving in our great state. Many traditional media outlets seem fixated on traditional industries and issues. While many of those stories are still very important to most West Virginians, these media outlets are missing a great new story about the emergence of 21st Century West Virginia business.
People who have just heard of Create WV or are not familiar with terms such as "creative class" or "new economy" often ask for a review of these concepts. If that is your case, or have a friend or colleague who would like a review of the Create WV initiative, this presentation may be helpful. This particular version was delivered to a Create WV workshop audience in Greenbrier County in Fall 2008: