Overcoming the barriers to SME participation in public procurement

Government agencies can take steps to overcome the barriers to small- and medium-enterprise (SME) participation in public procurement to enhance local employment and economic outcomes. Public procurement is an important source of market opportunity for businesses. It has been used to drive industrial development through government demand for industrial innovation and technological change since the 1970s,…

Addressing informality through local business advocacy

While many business organisations represent formal businesses, it is important for local business advocacy to consider the issues faced in the informal economy. Earlier this year, I was commissioned by the International Labour Office (ILO) in the Asia Pacific Region to write a research report on the impact of government decentralization on the transition to formality.…

Introducing MyPlaceMatters

MyPlaceMatters: A One-Stop Resource for Place-Based Economic Development I am thrilled to announce the launch of a new website. MyPlaceMatters is a resource for anyone working in local and regional areas to develop the economy, create jobs and improve the quality of life. Where we live, work, invest, and grow affects who we are. It…

Economic Development in Practice: Are you a planner, a gardener or a searcher?

Successful economic development practice comes from adopting the right approach at the right time. It is important to understand the differing roles that practitioners can play when supporting growth and development. Are you are an economic planner, gardener or searcher? Economic development is a complex, multifaceted process. There is no solver bullet. While it is important…

The Local Business Environment and Decentralised Cooperation

PLATFORMA, the pan-European coalition of local and regional governments engaged in international cooperation for sustainable development, has just published my report on the Local business Environment and Decentralised Cooperation. This report shows how improving the local business requires capacity development for local governments and decentralisation reforms. Through decentralised cooperation, local and regional governments can lead reforms that…

The failure of community economic development

I began my professional working life in the field of ‘community economic development’ (CED) and ‘local economic development’ (LED). These models of development provide an important contribution to understanding the problems facing local communities, but they are often seen as a poor cousin to ‘real’ economic development. Whilst this is unfair, it is not completely…