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Written by John Speck
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Thursday, 01 April 2010 |
With our 12.7% unemployment rate placing a close 3rd behind Nevada, it's obvious that the Rhode Island jobs market has a serious structural problem. It may seem glib to say, but the issues couldn't be more clear.
Businesses in Rhode Island are, in fact, creating good-paying jobs, and at a fairly good rate. That's not the problem. While increasing the rate of job creation would help indirectly, it would not get to the core problem which is this:
The overwhelming majority of Rhode Island's unemployed are not qualified even to apply for these technical, knowledge or skills based jobs. In short, we're only creating jobs, but for people who don't live here yet.
Who are these unemployed in Rhode Island? What jobs can they do? What does this have to do with Atlantic City?
More after the jump ==>
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Written by John Speck
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Thursday, 25 March 2010 |
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In these days of soaring unemployment, it might seem strange to be asking if any kind of ecomonic activity is good or bad, but the question has come up.
In this Business Week article, Scott Shane makes the case that despite high numbers of new company formations, few of these companies ever grow to any kind of scale. Creatives can create a lot of things, he seems to be saying, but jobs ain't one of 'em.
Technically, he's dead right. A strong majority of 'company creations' never go beyond a single person. There's a fair-sized minority that forms companies, but very few go beyond a few employees. It's only that tiniest sliver that start from scratch and grow to employ 100 people.
So, techically, he's right. But, technically, that's not the point.
Most people who work independently don't _want_ to grow into a big
company with a lot of overhead. Hiring employees sound kind of like a job, and, by definition,
freelancers aren't interested in having a job? @Alora posted this defense of the profession, and most of her points speak to the lifestyle that freelancers enjoy. It's pretty damn good, and I know. It used to be mine.
But I don't think that Alora speaks to Shane's basic assertion: creatives have basically zero impact on jobs creation.
So allow me...after the jump.
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Written by Michelle Gonzalez
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Tuesday, 16 March 2010 |
Our regional whole place inquiry Providence & Beyond is being redesigned. We thought it was time to re-evaluate the format, focus, and think
about what best would meet your needs in creating 21st century
organizations and communities.
We'll get back to you on what
is next. If you would like to provide your feedback or get involve in
the design of what is next please do comment below. As always we will be looking to have connecting conversations on what is possible in shaping our region for the common good.
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Written by John Speck
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Tuesday, 16 February 2010 |
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Over the summer of 2009, the Rhode Island Economic Development
Corporation (RIEDC) held a Green Economy Roundtable - a large,
inclusive one-day workshop of about 150 people interested in developing
so-called green jobs in Rhode Island.
The roundtable produced a set of recommendations. Specifically, RIEDC
or whoever would lead this effort should focus on four initiatives that
would accelerate growth:
- Advanced manufacturing capabilities
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Develop energy efficiency capacity
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Increase innovation, R & D and commercializations
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Develop a wind power supply chain
Further, each of these "acceleration initiatives" should consider five building blocks on which they would be built:
- Capital
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Workforce Training and Education
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Behavior Change
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Business Growth and Adoption
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Policy
With this framework, RIEDC asked New Commons to help them carry this
project through its next phase: the creation of a "green economy
roadmap" that would include specific projects and some level of
implementation.
Read more about this project after the jump --->
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Written by John Speck
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Monday, 15 February 2010 |
During 2009, Providence & Beyond focused exclusively on the local and regional economy. We will continue with this same focus for 2010 and, absent a stunning turn-around, 2011 as well. In effect, Providence & Beyond is becoming an “institute” on strengthening the local and regional economy.
The March 18, 2010 cafe, technically our first in the 2010 series, will focus on the “Practice of Change” in the context of moving people to:
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Think differently
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Develop new links and networks
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Take action aligned with strengthening local economy
Submit / Suggest Content for the Cafe
The content for the “Practice of Change” cafe will come from real-world “change cases” in which P&B members participated, and we need your suggestion or, better yet, submissions.
The project or effort should have something to do with the local or regional economy. It could have succeeded or failed or done a little of both.
More on submitting a change case (plus, Robert's take) after the jump --->
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