Seattle's Buy Local Campaign

For those looking for a good example of a buy local campaign Seattle's Economic Development Office partnered with the cities Mayor (Mike McGinn) to launch the promotional campaign Only in Seattle Campaign "to encourage discovery and exploration of new neighborhoods and businesses in Seattle."  The campaign works by featuring neighborhoods and businesses which are unique to Seattle. By featuring specific businesses rather than creating a cluttered campaign the Only in Seattle Campaign is better able to control the brand for each neighborhood and the city. Further it makes its ads more attractive by speaking specifically to certain segments of people. 

For the past two years Only in Seattle has captured the essence of Seattle's neighborhoods and shared the unique stories behind each of the featured businesses. Only in Seattle is now launching another piece of the campaign which is Only in Seattle Sundays. With Only in Seattle Sundays the campaign's "buy local" mission is brought to life beyond the Only in Seattle website, www.onlyinseattle.org, by inspiring people to take one day a month to discover and explore a new neighborhood or businesses they otherwise might not experience.

Following Fremont, locals can look forward to Only in Seattle Sundays hosted in Belltown (August) and Wallingford (September), and other neighborhoods in the subsequent months.

Over the next three months, OnlyinSeattle.org will introduce each of this year's new neighborhoods and their businesses. Among the 12 new businesses highlighted are Fremont's Book Larder, a bookstore devoted to Seattle's literary foodies, Pioneer Square's Magic Mouse Toys, Seattle's oldest toy store, and Wallingford's eclectic and delicious Bizzarro Italian Cafe'. By September, the campaign will grow to spotlight 70 businesses in 16 different neighborhoods.

The City promotes a healthy business environment for neighborhood business districts and organizations. The Only in Seattle marketing campaign is only one of numerous City-funded projects and activities that improve and strengthen local business districts under the broader Only in Seattle Initiative.

Indonesia's Growing Economy

Indonesia's economic growth in the last quarter beat expectations and by early next year Indonesia will have one of the eleven largest economies in the world, such economic growth has become common place as Brazil’s economy recently passed that of Great Britain and recently its economic growth beat forecasts. So although Indonesia's economic growth has been slower than that of China’s much of it has been driven by internal demand, with Indonesia having a greater domestic consumption that most other Asian countries. This means; first Indonesia has been able to beat growth forecasts even as most countries around them (Including China) have had lower growth numbers, second Indonesia is less likely to experience a major crash in the immediate future than those whose growth has been primarily from external sources, and perhaps most important Indonesia’s lower classes are likely to see more long term benefit from the growing economy as retail and service businesses put pressure on each other and manufacturers to increase employee wages. This has helped to bring Indonesia’s unemployment down by 25% over the last eight years. Still with their large populations countries such as Indonesia still have a long ways to go towards seriously alleviating poverty.

Challenges Indonesia Faces

1-Economic Disparity. Concerns abound that Indonesia’s growing economy is creating greater inequality abound as the 80/20 rule applies there as it does everywhere. Part of the problem which Indonesia faces in this is that it’s bureaucracy is set up so that much of the government's welfare programs go to the wealthiest households rather than the poorest. The World Bank found for example that 40% of all oil subsidies go to the wealthiest 10% of households http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/2012/04/04/indonesia-economic-quarterly-redirecting-spending.

 2-Aging Infrastructure One of the biggest challenge Indonesia runs into is that it’s infrastructure is already overburdened and so can’t continue to support the nation's current growth rate for long. New bridges, telecommunications and roads are needed in order to expand the country's opportunity to pick up additional factory jobs and to expand its retail and services.

3-Dutch Disease Another major challenge facing Indonesia is that it’s great abundance of natural resources means that many of it’s best and brightest as well as a lot of foreign investment seek ways to earn money from these limited resources which means that Indonesia does suffer some from the so called ‘Dutch Disease.” This restricts much of Indonesia’s economic growth in part to the limited growth of it’s commodities industry.

4-Over burdensome Bureaucracy Indonesia is considered one of the worst countries in which to start a business because of the many hoops entrepreneurs must jump through and it’s sprawling, over burdensome bureaucracy which faces many corruption and efficiency problems.

What Indonesia needs to do to improve it’s economy.
When watching for positive signs of future growth in Indonesia one should look for the following things to be happening.

1-Position itself to take advantage of changing China China’s income is double that of Indonesia’s which means that over time it will be much better for businesses to manufacture their products in Indonesia. Because of this Indonesia must begin working to not only attract manufacturers but should prepare itself to better handle new manufacturing companies.

2-Reduce bureaucratic barriers Right now many entrepreneurs likely keep their businesses small in order to avoid notice so that they can bypass government barriers to doing business. Worse still many other people who would start businesses never do. Given the importance of retail to Indonesia’s economy reducing the barriers to these service and retail businesses, as well as to investment in larger manufacturers is perhaps the most important thing which Indonesia can do to improve its economy. To do this it must be willing to redo the way it’s government bureaucracies are structured in order to shrink them and streamline them.

 3-Stricter anti-corruption laws Indonesia needs stricter laws to find and punish corruption so that the government and the businesses get to keep the money which is due them, rather than corrupt bureaucrats taking bribes.

4-Encourage investment which is unrelated to the commodities industries. Indonesia needs to begin to begin to create a better system for investing in something other than it’s commodities industries which are by and large limited in their growth.

5-Build infrastructure in telecommunications and transportation. Indonesia needs to start choosing areas which are likely to expand in order to better focus its funds on improving infrastructure within them so that they are ready to support greater manufacturing capacity.

News Articles


Above Picture Courtesy of Wikipedia

Expanding Job Training in Hawaii's Culinary Arts Industry

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Sasazushi.jpg

Food is one of the most important parts of both tourism and a communities ambiance giving both a glimps into the culture of a region and the opportunity to experience that culture while relaxing at the end of a long day of exploring. Travel and tourism are one of the United States largest exports earning roughly $144 billion dollars in 2011. This makes the culinary arts an important though less commonly discussed investment for business development. In order to help expand the culinary arts the Economic Development Administration is providing a 2.4 million dollar grant to the Culinary Institute of the Pacific of Honolulu, to help expand the institute's training facilities located on the Diamond Head campus of the Kapiolani Community College.

The goal of this investment is to train workers and entrepreneurs in the skills they need to attract more customers and to provide a better experience for tourists so that they continue to come to Hawaii. The hope is that the investment will create 500 new jobs and generate $7 million in private investment, according to grantee estimates. Culinary jobs are also of increasing importance as a driver of an improved quality of life for those working in this industry.

"The Culinary Institute of the Pacific will be a state-of-the-art facility that expands on the expertise of Hawaii's world class chefs, farmers and restaurateurs by advancing a curriculum that combines the culinary arts with restaurant management and entrepreneurship," said Senator Daniel K. Inouye. "Students will work with locally grown produce and be able to fully explore and innovate the cross cultural cooking style of our islands."

Hawaii is one of the best places to develop fusion restaurants thanks to a unique history of diversity with everything from Spanish cowboys and Portuguese farmers to Japanese and Filipino immigrants as well as the local populations Hawaii already has an eclectic mix of culinary traditions. This diversity will not only benefit Hawaii but the United States as a whole as more and more culinary artists gain the knowledge of many unique culinary experiences.

"This added investment in Hawaii's visitor industry comes at an excellent time," said Congresswoman Mazie K. Hirono, a member of the House Education and the Workforce Committee. "The state's most recent tourism numbers are strong. A number of airlines including United and our own Hawaiian Airlines have just launched non-stop service from the East Coast. And soon, Kapiolani Community College's world class Culinary Institute of the Pacific will be able to expand its job training facilities and programs. Earlier this year, I visited with the talented students of the Culinary Institute, who had their skills on full display. Their delicious and diverse dishes foreshadow successful food industry careers like those of graduates Alan Wong and Sam Choy, two of Hawaii's finest ambassador chefs."

Arts and Culture generate $122 million in San Jose

The newly released Arts and Economic Prosperity IV study shows that the nonprofit arts and culture industry generated a total of $122,627,881 in annual economic activity in the City of San Jose - supporting 2,809 full-time equivalent jobs and generating $8,782,000 in local and state government revenues. As those who have read my blog and articles before know I believe that when the demand problems can be overcome the Arts are one of the best ways to grow an economy. Further “This study highlights that the Arts are an important sector in our strong economy,” said Kim Walesh, Director of Economic Development. “San Jose residents, visitors and workers are actively engaging in the arts, which will continue to play a pivotal role in being a driving force in our economy’s resurgence.” Despite the significant impacts of the recession, the San Jose nonprofit arts sector has demonstrated growth in economic impact, attendance, audience spending, and its support of jobs. The economic impact of San Jose’s nonprofit arts organizations and their audiences is up by 19% since the last study five years ago; growing from $103,241,195 to $122,627,887. Attendance is up 5%, from 1,887,002 to 1,990,641. The average event participant is spending $24.09, up from $21.03. And, the number of full time jobs supported by the nonprofit arts sector is up from 2,348 to 2,809. “Even in this recession, the arts industry has demonstrated how it can be a significant player in San Jose’s robust economy,” said Kerry Adams Hapner, Director of Cultural Affairs. “Our cultural scene creates a visible and tangible sense of place for San Jose, a global epicenter, where people connect through the arts.” The nonprofit arts and culture industry in San Jose leverages $49,348,167 in event-related spending by its audiences. As a result of attending a cultural event, attendees often eat dinner in local restaurants, pay for parking, buy gifts and souvenirs, and pay a babysitter. What’s more, attendees from out of town often stay overnight in a local hotel. Nationally, the Arts & Economic Prosperity IV study reveals that the nonprofit arts industry produced $135.2 billion in economic activity during 2010. This spending—$61.1 billion by nonprofit arts and culture organizations plus an additional $74.1 billion by their audiences— supported 4.1 million full-time equivalent jobs and generated $22.3 billion in federal, state and local tax revenues.

Above image from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Dolce_Hayes_Mansion_at_dusk.jpg