NE Oklahoma Fastest Industry Growth in Employment

Industry________Growth in Employment
622 Hospitals, 81.1 %
213 Support Activities for Mining, 58.9 %
221 Utilities, 33.3 %
314 Textile Product Mills, 32.7 %
237 Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction, 33.1 %
336 Transportation Equipment Manufacturing, 28.5 %
311 Food Manufacturing, 28.2 %
524 Insurance Carriers and Related Activities, 26.9 %
561 Administrative and Support Services, 26.3 %
441 Motor Vehicle and Parts Dealers, 22.9 %
All Industries Growth in Employment, 6.3 %

Source: Census and Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2005

Oklahoma Native American Business Development Center

The Oklahoma Statewide Native American Business Development Center (ONABDC) is funded by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA).

ONABDC provides business assistance free of charge to Native American and other minority owned companies for the entire state of Oklahoma. Individuals eligible for services are Native Americans, African Americans, Puerto Ricans, Hispanics, Aleuts, Asian Pacific Americans, Asian Indians, Eskimos and Hasidic Jews.

ONABDC helps entrepreneurs start and expand their businesses. ONABDC assists with business plan development, loan packaging, financial analysis, marketing, procurement leads, government contracting, business consultation, minority certification, cash flow analysis, and GBIS Analysis.

More here.

Arizona Tribes

Indian Tribes in U.S.

Note: Click on map to enlarge

We Need to Respect Those We Manage!

People matter. The way people are treated in organization needs to change. That is the conclusion of a recent global HR study by Deloitte Consulting. Here is a snipet to make you think about the issue. Read the report.

"One thesis: Personnel management can not become a tool to manage people without actually having consideration for them. In other words, in every managerial conception, in every managerial skill and technique it is necessary to respect and consider the uniqueness of each individual. Even a very-well developed tool will not help if human resources departments do not start to understand individuals in their complexity, identify their potential and their limits or find ways to develop them further.

This observation is especially valid now, at a time full of frequent business fusions and acquisitions at the international level. Many organizational, financial and business changes often lead to personnel measures which do not provide enough space for the individual's needs. Learn more about this survey: The State of HR in Central Europe (678 KB)"

The Global Wal-Mart

In economic development, we have always thought of retail trade as a LOCAL industry. THat is changing. Ask Wal-Mart.

The global retail game is changing. While players surged into new markets in 2004, this year they are more focused on rebalancing their positions. In the past year, for example, at least 15 retailers moved into new geographic markets, while more than 10 retailers exited countries during the same period. Carrefour is withdrawing from several markets, while Tesco holds the record for being the fastest growing retailer outside its home market. Ahold is almost out of the global game, while Wal-Mart has been busily opening new stores outside its home country every few days. Here for more.

Wages: Down, But Maybe Up Soon

Average hourly earnings rose 0.4% in July, but they were outpaced by the CPI for all urban wage earners and clerical workers, which advanced 0.6%. Real average hourly earnings were down 0.5% from July 2004. Inflated benefits costs have depressed wages over the last few years. While total compensation growth has remained steady, rising benefit costs have driven gains in total compensation, constraining wage growth.

Is a turnaround coming? Click here to find out.

Business Owner Demographic Economic Research

Research Study (PDF file), Availability of Financing to Small Firms Using the Survey of Small Business Finances, submitted by Karlyn Mitchell and Douglas K. Pearce, (Research Summary)

Research Study [PDF file], Using Census BITS To Explore Entrepreneurship, Geography, and Economic Growth, submitted by By Zoltan J. Acs and Catherine Armington Research Summary.

Cost of Employee Benefits Research

A new report released today by the Office of Advocacy of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) details the cost of employee benefits by firm size. The report specifically looks at the cost of health insurance, pension plans, paid vacation, and sick leave.

The report finds that the offering of benefits and their associated costs can vary dramatically with firm size. For instance, the latest data show that the per-participant administrative costs of defined-contribution pension plans (such as 401(k) plans) are as much as 14 times more for the smallest firms than for their largest counterparts.

The authors also examined the share of all private industry employees eligible to enroll in health insurance plans. They found that about 40 percent of employees in the smallest firms were eligible for health insurance coverage while slightly more than 77 percent of the largest firms’ employees were eligible for health care coverage.

Joel Popkin and Company wrote the study, Cost of Employee Benefits in Small and Large Businesses, with funding from the Office of Advocacy.

The Office of Advocacy, the “small business watchdog” of the government, examines the role and status of small business in the economy and independently represents the views of small businesses to federal agencies, Congress, and the President. It is the source for small business statistics presented in user-friendly formats and it funds research into small business issues.

For more information and a complete copy of the report, visit the Office of Advocacy website at www.sba.gov/advo.

Council for Biotechnology Information

Increasingly, farmers are providing the fuel for a world that's as hungry for safe, renewable forms of energy as it is for nutritious food.

With petroleum production expected to peak sometime before 2020, plant-derived biofuels are in demand as a more sustainable, cleaner source of power that someday may be "grown" wherever crops are cultivated.

Go to the Council for Biotechnology Informationwebsite and learn moe about plant biotechnology. This is a really good one.

Entrepreneurship Research

Good presentations by experts at the MIT Entrepreneurial Center:

Business Plans
Charm School
Leadership - Failure is Not an Option
NextGen VCs - After the Storm
Corporate Venturing
Elevator Pitches
High Tech Sales
Tips for Optimal Networking
The Spirit of Invention, Innovation and High Tech Entrepreneurship: What's Hot, What's Not

Target Industry: Plastics Product Manufacturing

Plastics Products consists companies that manufacture a range of plastic products including homeware, building materials, motor vehicle parts and appliance parts.

The primary raw material used by the industry is plastic resin, which is put through various processes to ensure that the final product possesses the necessary physical properties.

Automotive manufacturers and Hardware wholesalers are the largest markets served by this industry.

This industry does not manufacture the following plastic products: - film, sheet, and bags (NAICS 32611) - pipes, pipe fittings and profile shapes (NAICS 32612) - laminated plate, sheets and shapes (NAICS 32613) - bottles (NAICS 32616) - furniture parts (NAICS 33721)

NAICS Definition: This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in manufacturing resilient floor covering and other plastics products (except film, sheet, bags, profile shapes, pipes, pipe fittings, laminates, foam products, and bottles).

Primary products of this industry include:

Plastic homeware - fixtures and fittings manufacturing
Plastic building materials manufacturing
Plastic packaging material (except bottles) manufacturing
Plastic bottle cap and lid manufacturing
Plastic floor covering manufacturing
Plastic motor vehicle part manufacturing
Plastic inputs for appliances, manufacturing
Plastic credit and identification card manufacturing
Plastic inputs for consumer durables, manufacturing
Plastic trash container manufacturing
The major products and services in this industry are:

Fabricated plastic products for transportation applications
Other plastic products
Consumer, institutional, and commercial fabricated plastic products
Plastic packaging (except film, sheet, foam and bottles)
Fabricated plastic products for building applications
Fabricated plastic products for electrical/electronic applications
Reinforced and fiberglass plastic products
Plastic plumbing fixtures
Plastic dinnerware, tableware, kitchenware and oven microwave ware
Resilient floor coverings
Plastic products for industrial machinery products
Plastic furniture components

Latest Update on the U.S. Economy

From the Economist: "A new forecast from the Congressional Budget Office shows America’s budget deficit once again coming in lower than expected. Republicans, unsurprisingly, are rushing to claim credit for sound economic management. But the long-term outlook is still soaked in red ink."

Read more here.

Target Company Profile: Genentech

Genentech, Inc. is a biotechnology company that uses human genetic information to discover, develop, manufacture and market human pharmaceuticals for significant unmet medical needs.Genetech manufactures and markets eight products

Genentech has developed seven products, co-developed one product and manufactures and markets eight of its products :Herceptin, Rituxan, monoclonal antibody, Activase, Protropin, Nutropin, Nutropin AQ, Pulmozyme, and Actimmune.

As part of the Agreement, the Company receives royalties on sales of its products in Canada, on sales of Pulmozyme outside of the U.S. and on sales of rituximab outside of the U.S. (excluding Japan) from HLR. The Company receives royalties on sales of two of its products, growth hormone and t-PA, outside of the U.S. and Canada through other licensees.

Learn more here: http://www.genentech.com

International Congress of Nanotechnology 2005

Want to learn more about "small things" that are making a BIG difference in the economy?

Nanotechnology: Building Infrastructure for the Next Frontier
October 31-November 4, 2005, San Francisco
Learn more here: http://www.nanotechcongress.com

Conference Topics:

* Focusing on the converging of Nano-Bio-Info technologies
* Presenting the state-of-the-art scientific and technological advancement
* Highlight a wide spectrum of its applications: electronics, chemical, biotechnology,
semiconductor, aerospace, automotive and textile industry.
* Working groups and forum on developing Nomenclature and Standards
* Working groups and forum on Nano Toxicology
* Working groups and forum on Education and Training
* Investment Forum for Emerging Nanotech Companies
* Discussion Forum on Ethics, Social, Environmental and Health Safety
* Open Public Forum and Debate on Nano Economy

Recent Business Expansions

1. GREEN ENERGY RESOURCES EXPANDS TO NETHERLANDS
New York-based Green Energy Resources has announced the opening of an office in Rotterdam in the Netherlands.

2. SIEMENS WIND POWER EXPANDS IN DENMARK
Germany's Siemens Wind Power, formerly Bonus Energy, is expanding its production facilities at its blade factory in North Denmark and plans to employ more people.

3. SANYO: NEW DIGICAM PLANT IN VIETNAM
Japanese Sanyo Electric Co Ltd is to open a digital camera plant in an industrial zone in the Vietnamese southern province of Dong Nai in September 2005.

4. DELL OPENS CUSTOMER CONTACT CENTRE IN OTTAWA
Texas computer giant Dell has selected Ottawa, Ontario, Canada for a customer contact centre to provide support for its growing North American customer base.

5. UBE TO LAUNCH CHEMICAL R&D SITE IN SPAIN
Japanese chemicals group Ube plans to open a research and development (R&D) centre in the Spanish city of Castellon. The centre will serve as a base for the company's production in Europe.

6. EXEL LAUNCHES NEW OFFICE IN URUGUAY
UK-based transport and logistics firm Exel has announced the opening of a new office in Montevideo, Uruguay, to support its international freight management operations.

7. KENNAMETAL LAUNCHES EUROPEAN HEADQUARTERS
Pennsylvannia tool distributor Kennametal Inc has announced it has opened its European headquarters in Neuhausen in the Greater Zurich Area of Switzerland.

8. ITALIAN DURST LAUNCHES AUSTRIAN PLANT
Italian-headquartered Durst Photo Technik is catering to the global growth in inkjet markets with the opening of a new manufacturing facility for LFI Equipment located in Lienz, Austria.

9. DEFINIENS ANNOUNCES US SUBSIDIARY
Definiens AG, a German provider of advanced image intelligence solutions, has announced the opening of a wholly owned US subsidiary, Definiens Inc.

10. NEW IMSATEC STEEL PANEL PLANT IN VEGAS
Mexico's Grupo Imsa, through IMSATEC's US subsidiary Metl- Span, has inaugurated a new insulated steel panel production facility in northern Las Vegas.

Source: IPA World (Subscription required.)

Discount Stores Per Square Foot Sales Data

Click here to download the latest published data on retail sales per square foot by the leading discount store comapnies.

The Rural Developer

I just discovered this publication. If you are interested in rural economic development, this might interest you. Click here to download a sample issue.

Low-Income Counties

20 Lowest Per Capita Income Counties in America
Source: US BEA and Center for Rural Affairs Web Log

County's 2003 Per Capita Income

1. Starr, TX $10,805
2. Ziebach, SD $11,264
3. Maverick, TX $12,774
4. Loup, NE $12,819
5. Zavala, TX $13,304
6. Todd, SD $13,505
7. Jefferson, MS $13,608
8. Grant, NE $13,705
9. Zapata, TX $13,847
10. Hamilton, FL $13,932
11. Union, FL $14,021
12. Shannon, SD $14,106
13. San Juan, UT $14,363
14. Guadalupe, NM $14,455
15. Presidio, TX $14,465
16. DeKalb, MO* $14,577
17. Hancock, TN $14,610
18. Elliot, KY $14,633
19. Buffalo, SD $14,649
20. Jackson, KY $14,760

Note: Most are rural.