| This
introduction explains The Global Direct Investment Forum and Foundation
initiatives briefly from the perspective of economic development professionals.
Please contact us to discuss this
initiative in more detail, and how it might be relevant to plans in your own
community. The Forum is designed to be a network of
top business leaders who are committed to the support of innovative
approaches to economic development and sustainable prosperity in local
communities and business clusters. The focus is on achieving progress
at the local level and on demonstrating the positive impact and social value of business
investment in communities.
This may involve early support of local initiatives in
places of interest, involving both solutions which have already been proven effective elsewhere
as well as new initiatives which may deliver valuable results.
Such support is not limited to funding. It may
involve the sharing of valuable market knowledge, experience, insights, and contacts.
This mirrors the mentoring role of early stage investors in a business, somewhat like
"angel" venture capitalists who help to guide entrepreneurs to
success. |
The community interests
of business leaders may not be limited to where their headquarters or
existing operating units are located. They may be interested in
communities where they have other relationships such as major suppliers or
customers, or perhaps future expansion plans. In
some cases, they may also want to be engaged in working with communities
which are demonstrably achieving valuable progress and a strong business
environment in creative ways. These can serve as valuable examples to guide the
initiatives of other communities of more direct interest to their business.
For example, the lessons learned in other places may help
to improve the business climate in their own communities, or may help them
to recognize market opportunities in places which they might have
overlooked. In any case, the point is that community
interests at large companies not be limited to one location, because they do
business in many places, and growing communities with successful business
clusters may be of interest even if there is no direct connection to the
company yet. |
| We will share
additional details here soon. If interested, please
contact Bruce Donnelly in Chicago at 847-304-4655 or by
e-mail. |
Another factor
is the "corporate social responsibility" and philanthropic interests of
business leaders, which are not limited to such things as disaster response
and recovery as in the obvious example of the generosity extended after
natural or other disasters. Many business leaders and related
charitable foundations have made large contributions to communities which
have faced such challenges, even if they did not have major business
interests at stake there. |
