WELCOME New C2ER Members:
Atlanta Regional Commission - Represented by Mike Alexander, Mike Carnathan and Jim Skinner
Clayton County, Georgia - Represented by Robin Roberts
Overland Park Chamber of Commerce - Represented by Jenni Glass
Partners in Progress, Inc. - Represented by William Fashing
Southeastern Louisiana University - Represented by Herbert Holloway
University of Massachusetts, Amherst - Represented by Caroline Hanley and Eve Weinbaum
West Virginia Development Office - Represented by Janet Spry
|
COUNTING DOWN - CONFERENCE ONLY 1 WEEK AWAY!
Click Here to Register
48th Annual Conference - "Creating Your Regional Talent Advantage"
May 13- 16, 2008 / Atlanta, GA
2008 C2ER Survey Reveals Changing Membership
In February 2008, C2ER conducted its first membership survey since it officially changed its name in 2007. About 38 percent (or 191 C2ER members) responded to the online survey, a five percent increase in the response rate from the 2006 survey. In many ways, the survey results were consistent with 2006 findings, the survey revealed a few new trends in our membership characteristics.
Proposal to Establish "National Innovation Foundation" Would Enhance U.S. Global Competitiveness
Innovation – the invention and adoption of new products and practices – is the key to increasing productivity in every industry—whether high- or low-technology. Higher productivity from innovation leads directly to job and wage growth, raising the standard of living. Given the critical role of innovation in the economy, an April report from the Brookings Institute Metropolitan Policy Program and the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation recommended that the federal government establish a new National Innovation Foundation (NIF) to support innovative activities in the private sector.
Demographics and Concentration of Entrepreneurial Activity Shifts Significantly in 2007
According to the recently released Kauffman Index of Entrepreneurial Activity, U.S. entrepreneurial activity remains strong despite the current recent economic downturn. The Marion Ewing Kauffman Foundation recently released an annual study of U.S. business startup activity showing that 495,000 new businesses started each month in 2007. That translates into 3.0 of every 1,000 adults created a new business each month, an increase from 2.9 in 2006.
Entrepreneurship Helps Improve Human Capital among Women and Minorities
Entrepreneurial behavior, which is associated with high levels of human capital, is an increasingly desirable characteristic in today's creative economy. Women are the fastest-growing group of entrepreneurs, reflecting their increasing educational attainment, particularly in career-oriented fields. An April report prepared by Business Development Advisors for the Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy found that the number of self-employed women more than doubled between 1979 and 2003, and the growth rate of women-owned businesses was three times higher than for all firms between 1997 and 2004. Women now account for 35 percent of entrepreneurs.
Most Large Counties Added Jobs in the first half of 2007
Among the 328 counties with more than 75,000 people, employment increased by 1.2 percent during 2006, according to a recent data release from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.
