A National Study of Economic Development Organizations at the State Level: The Key Organizations,their Industrial Constituencies,and their Networks

Abstract

Who represents the business sector in economic development? This study analyzes the population of private-sector economic development organizations operating at the state level in order to understand the manner in which these organizations represent the business community. The study profiles the most prominent industries and the most active companies, and it describes the extent to which members of economic development organizations network among themselves. The author argues that for policy makers, businesspeople, and citizens, understanding these existing institutions and processes is prerequisite to making informed decisions about the desirability of centralized industrial policy.