What does it take to change how an entire profession thinks about economic growth? Work with existing companies and with an entrepreneurship-led strategy
In 1987, Littleton, Colorado responded to a 7,000‑job layoff by formally committing to “work with local entrepreneurs to create good jobs,” launching what became the first Economic Gardening program in the United States.
In the article “The Entrepreneurial Revolution in Economic Development,” published originally in the International Economic Development Council’s Economic Development Journal (Summer 2023, Vol. 22, No. 3), NCEG founder Chris Gibbons documents how that decision evolved into a structured approach that focuses on Stage 2 growth companies, applies market research and GIS tools, and helps locally based firms reach external markets.
inclusion in the IEDC’s journal situates Economic Gardening in the mainstream of current practice, alongside other strategies EDCs use. For practitioners, the article offers a concrete example of how an entrepreneurial, information‑driven program can complement traditional business recruitment within a broader economic development portfolio.
You can download the full article directly from NCEG here: Download PDF now
Members can also access it via the IEDC Economic Development Journal website: Visit IEDC’s Economic Development Journal website.
Article published IEDC Economic Development Journal (Volume 22, Number 3, Summer 2023). Reposted with permission.