Stories from the Global Cities Exchange

Strategic Competitiveness in the Public Sector
Name
Institutional Affiliation
Strategic Competitiveness in the Public Sector
Global Cities Exchange
San Diego
San Diego is popular as an innovative city and economy, meaning that the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce (EDC) serves as the most appropriate mechanism to drive this change (Barker et al., 2016). San Diego is facing a new ‘uplift’ taking into account that most people do consider it as a tourist destination. So far, the EDC has been most involved institution creating ‘aftercare’ program meant to attract foreign-owned firms in the city as they seek innovative and technological solutions to various global problems. To this end, business corporations such as Biocom and CONNECT as well as institutions, including Salk Institute and University of California-San Diego would come in handy.
Syracuse, New York
In Syracuse, the Central New York International Business Alliance will play a phenomenal role in helping business enterprises expand into the most suitable international market (Barker et al., 2016). The goal is to elevate their economic output, output per worker and household income. A partnership with the local Manufacturing Extension Partnership would come in handy. A similar lack of awareness is the problem facing entrepreneurs form Greater Kansas City.
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus 2020 consolidates information from various sources and uses to offer an almost accurate perception of specific global opportunities. In most circumstances, they will use information from existing firms to conduct an avid market research that translates to related intelligence. This approach guarantees a cost-effective approach in analyzing the market to deliver real impact.
Louisville Lexington, Kentucky
The Bluegrass Economic Advancement Movement provides small and mid-sized companies that are those with less than $40 million in revenue to fetch the benefits of the global market (Barker et al., 2016). The other criteria used in this line of events is that the firm would make commendable progress in 20 to 30 months while at the same time, these companies had capable staff and resources.
Charleston, South Carolina
The World Trade Center, Charleston, which is a subsidiary organization under the umbrella of the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce focuses on providing regional businesses on crash courses pertaining to the export business (Barker et al., 2016). This move comes after several businesses with the capability of expanding into the international arena claim that they have no information on entering the export market. The completion of the course guarantees connections and information on the international market.
Atlanta, Georgia; Tampa Bay; Florida
On the other hand, there are economic players that have acknowledged the essence of working together to gain regional competitive advantage rather than work against other and destroy this ensuing advantage. This situation is one that Atlanta global businesses have faced, particularly when dealing with the emerging economies in Asia. In retrospect, the Metro Atlanta Chamber took action towards mitigating the escalation of this primitive behavior that was disadvantaging the outlying counties (Barker et al., 2016). According to its vice president, Jorge Fernandez, the goal is to create shared trust among the players around the region.
Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota
It is in very few circumstances that one finds states partnering with regional networks to ensure that they can thrive in the international market. This partnership is apparent in the working relations of the City of Minneapolis, Minnesota Trade Office, and Greater MSP (Barker et al., 2016). Prior to this, the state was engaged in export promotion, but was incapacitated in executing a regional, firm-driven effort. In this regard, a new business model surfaces where the state office works in tandem with the region’s economic development organization to leverage for complementary purposes. Further, working in this manner exposes them to other economic opportunities such as partnering with federal organizations. Eventually, each firm adds value to the other.
Columbus, Ohio; Ohio State University B-School
The global efforts from Columbus extrapolates a case scenario where the state can collaborate with its higher institutions to provide appropriate evaluations of the international market. The state’s Development Services Agency has linked with Ohio State University’s Max M. Fisher College of Business interconnecting SMEs with smart, ambitious students who are well versed with the culture of the target market (Barker et al., 2016). This initiative is referred to as Ohio Export Internship Program. Students can be language translators or else provide the firms with an avid abstract of environmental conditions of these areas. It is mutually beneficial because students gain much-needed experience while on the other hand, companies gain access to a highly qualified workforce that enables to seize global opportunities. Using this formula, 83 companies have become engaged and in the process, they have contributed about $19 million.
Milwaukee
The case for Milwaukee is a unique as the state has centered on its area of specialization. It appears that after the state underwent several economic transformations it settled on water technology solutions. This realization came after leaders and more so the chief executive officers (CEOs) of water technology companies in the region and those from Milwaukee 7 joined hands to reflect on the challenges facing the region including slowed job growth and fallen incomes. Students from the university of Wisconsin, Milwaukee campus, were recruited as a task team to ascertain the synergies that exist between industries. Consequently, they realized the immense opportunity they had with water technologies as most of their industries were dealing with these components. The Water Council, whic...