Business Retention and Expansion An Economic Development Strategy to Work With Your Existing Businesses

NDSU Extension Service April 21, l998 What Is a BR&E Program? Technical training Management seminars Identify local sources of inputs Improve labor/management relations Reduce cost and improve quality of local services Improve school/work relationships Retaining youth in the community BR&E includes all efforts to encourage the retention and growth of a community’s existing businesses Kathleen Tweeten, 514 E Thayer Ave, Bismarck, ND 58501

BR&E Visitation Program The BR&E visitation program is a special type of BR&E program Surveys existing businesses to determine their perceived strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats – particularly as these apply to the local/provincial economic environment Uses a standardized survey instrument to obtain specific information from existing businesses Surveys are conducted by trained economic development professionals on a “continuous” basis Analysis of survey responses provides insight to the removal of barriers and the enhancement of opportunities to business (and job) growth

NDSU Extension Service April 21, l998 Why Implement a BR&E Visitation Program? Communities can’t do it all (ask yourself, “What is all? The process identifies needs of individual companies (Company Specific issues) and systemic issues facing all companies (Company Common issues) Prioritizes existing firm-related projects subject to the following types of criteria: The types of firms in the community The pressures they face Other local factors Kathleen Tweeten, 514 E Thayer Ave, Bismarck, ND 58501

NDSU Extension Service April 21, l998 What is a BR&E Visitation Program? “…is an action-oriented process for learning about the concerns of local businesses and setting priorities for BR&E projects to address these needs.” George Morse University of Minnesota Kathleen Tweeten, 514 E Thayer Ave, Bismarck, ND 58501

Basic Types of BR&E Visitation Programs Traditional or Volunteer Visitor Uses volunteer visitors from the community to survey the businesses; process is entirely community driven Paid Professional Community drives the process, but a paid professional surveyor is used for business visits Segregated Economic development professionals develop and implement the process, but a community plan is the key process goal Continuous Economic development professionals develop and implement the process, but the goal is focused on relationship building with the business

Continuous Process Key Features The process is comprised of three main process sets Internal processes – management team, account executives Management team – facilitates the overall process Account executives – responsible for firm visits and response/referral team interactions Partnership processes – response and action teams Response team – addresses yellow and red flag issues arising from the diagnostic visit Action team – the “client services network” that provides programs and tools to BR&E clients External processes – businesses and stakeholders Businesses – the primary beneficiaries of the BR&E program Stakeholders – those in the community with an interest in the local economic environment

Continuous Process Features The Business Operations Team Referral Action Team Management Team Stakeholder Media & Data Staff / Support Response Team Red-Flag Blue: Internal Teams/Staff Green: Partners Grey: External

NDSU Extension Service April 21, l998 Continuous Process Key Features Grassroots program with local buyin The local EDO plans and organizes the program Economic development professionals (account executives) visit the firms The program builds linkages and networks The stakeholders have a greater understanding of the local economy Followup is built into the program process BR&E Programs plan for something to happen The program responds to the weaknesses and threats identified in the survey Business-specific solutions Local economic environment issues are addressed Kathleen Tweeten, 514 E Thayer Ave, Bismarck, ND 58501

This type of activity can move the local development office up the innovation pyramid Knowledge Information Data Source: Steve Deller, University of Wisconsin. NACDEP presentation, 2010.

Objectives of the BR&E Visitation Program Demonstrate to local businesses that the community appreciates their contribution to the economy Help existing businesses solve problems Assist businesses in using programs aimed at helping them become more competitive Identify and address issues that face all businesses Develop strategic plans for long-range BR&E activities Build community capacity (a major portion of this is through social capital) to sustain growth and development

NDSU Extension Service April 21, l998 From BR&E Visits to Jobs Pro-business Attitude/Appreciation New Jobs & Income BR&E Programs on: New Technology New Skills New Products New Markets Taxes Public Services Infrastructure BR&E Visits Increased Profits Quality of Life Kathleen Tweeten, 514 E Thayer Ave, Bismarck, ND 58501

NDSU Extension Service BR&E Program Components April 21, l998 Management Team Develops and implements overall program Management Team Operations Team Surveys businesses and builds relationships Operations Team Response Team Develops strategies for immediate crises Response Team Essentially there are four models being used to do BRE Visitation programs. (describe models here in some detail but also explain that the models that we focus on in this certification program are the developer and volunteer led visitation programs because they involve a broad base of people. We’ll explain why we feel that is important as we go through the program. Action Team Addresses Specific and Common Business issues Action Team Kathleen Tweeten, 514 E Thayer Ave, Bismarck, ND 58501

NDSU Extension Service BR&E Program Components April 21, l998 Management Team Develops and implements overall program Primary liaison with stakeholders Comprised of the program manager or director and support staff Management Team Operations Team Response Team Essentially there are four models being used to do BRE Visitation programs. (describe models here in some detail but also explain that the models that we focus on in this certification program are the developer and volunteer led visitation programs because they involve a broad base of people. We’ll explain why we feel that is important as we go through the program. Action Team Kathleen Tweeten, 514 E Thayer Ave, Bismarck, ND 58501

NDSU Extension Service BR&E Program Components April 21, l998 Operations Team Surveys businesses and builds relationships Implements the program designed by the management team Establishes initial contact with businesses Conducts follow-up visits with businesses Primary liaison with Response and Action Teams Primarily composed of the Account Executive(s) Management Team Operations Team Response Team Essentially there are four models being used to do BRE Visitation programs. (describe models here in some detail but also explain that the models that we focus on in this certification program are the developer and volunteer led visitation programs because they involve a broad base of people. We’ll explain why we feel that is important as we go through the program. Action Team Kathleen Tweeten, 514 E Thayer Ave, Bismarck, ND 58501

NDSU Extension Service BR&E Program Components April 21, l998 Response Team Develops strategies to address immediate crises Specific membership is formed based on the yellow/red flag Membership must be prepared to address specific issues in a timely manner Management Team Operations Team Response Team Essentially there are four models being used to do BRE Visitation programs. (describe models here in some detail but also explain that the models that we focus on in this certification program are the developer and volunteer led visitation programs because they involve a broad base of people. We’ll explain why we feel that is important as we go through the program. Action Team Kathleen Tweeten, 514 E Thayer Ave, Bismarck, ND 58501

NDSU Extension Service BR&E Program Components April 21, l998 Action Team Addresses Specific and Common Business issues Membership is typically more stable than that of the Response Team Works with the Operations Team to identify specific issues that arise and program partners that can address specific issues Management Team Operations Team Response Team Essentially there are four models being used to do BRE Visitation programs. (describe models here in some detail but also explain that the models that we focus on in this certification program are the developer and volunteer led visitation programs because they involve a broad base of people. We’ll explain why we feel that is important as we go through the program. Action Team Kathleen Tweeten, 514 E Thayer Ave, Bismarck, ND 58501

NDSU Extension Service BR&E Program Process April 21, l998 Immediate Follow-up Firm Visits Data Analysis Implementation Firm Visits – Operations Team Immediate Follow-up – Operations and Response Teams Data Analysis – Operations, Response and Action Teams Essentially there are four models being used to do BRE Visitation programs. (describe models here in some detail but also explain that the models that we focus on in this certification program are the developer and volunteer led visitation programs because they involve a broad base of people. We’ll explain why we feel that is important as we go through the program. Implementation – Action Team with overview by Operations Team Kathleen Tweeten, 514 E Thayer Ave, Bismarck, ND 58501

NDSU Extension Service April 21, l998 Who’s Involved in a Visitation Program? LOCAL PLAYERS Stakeholders Elected leadership Employees Econ dev orgs Businesses Management Team Operations Team RESOURCES BREC/BREP REN (Coordinator) Universities Utilities Other Overall champion – you, local developer, volunteer – whoever is willing to take the overall responsibility to chair the program. The leadership team is four to five individuals within the task force that are responsible for major components of the program such as organizing and tracking the firm visits, facilitating the strategic planning process and organizing the community input, dealing with the media and organizing the red flag follow-up. The task force is made up of 12 to 24 people who have the knowledge and or power to address red flag issues, draft and implement a strategic plan for the business community. Firm visitors and the firms. Other resources that you can pull from…… Others may be packaged software programs like Eric Canada’s E-Synchronist Kathleen Tweeten, 514 E Thayer Ave, Bismarck, ND 58501

NDSU Extension Service April 21, l998 Factors Influencing the Degree of Success Adoption of strategic planning methods/process Listing of individuals who will take responsibility Length of time between report completion and project implementation/completion Participation Having an adequate complement of resources Funding, time, etc. Presence of full-time professionals in community Kathleen Tweeten, 514 E Thayer Ave, Bismarck, ND 58501

Questions

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