Plant Closings Spur ED Action

The story is an all too familiar one. A community experiences a series of business facility closings and everybody gets into high gear to strengthen local economic development efforts.

For a perfect example of this scenario, read the recent article describing the Rockdale County, Georgia situation. Click here to read the story.

What can we learn from the Rockdale stories across America that are all too common these days?

1. Global economic pressures are hitting local communities hard, even with an improving economy.

2. Manufacturing is especially fragile, even Sun Belt plants that had a labor-cost advantage through the 1990's.

3. There is no substitute for forward-thinking local leadership that is constantly scanning the economic and business environments looking for looming problems and opportunities that could impact the community's economic base.

4. There is no substitute for "being prepared" for economic development. Community readiness is a prerequisite for community survival and growth.