Economic Development: A Governance Perspective

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Economic DevelopmentA Governance Perspective

• Don Lenihan
• Crossing Boundaries

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Context

• Who and what is Crossing Boundaries?
• The book and the conference
• Book available free at www.crossingboundaries.ca
• My role with the Province of New Brunswick

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Conventional model of governance

• Governance is about decision making
• Saying the conventional model of governance is
  top-down means it is
• closed, centralized and hierarchical
• treats the public as passive consumers of
  government policies and programs
• This was fine in an agricultural/industrial,
  slower moving, less connected world

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Where are we now?

• A global, information society like our own raises
  new challenges
• the pace of change
• complexity and interdependence
• the need for social change
• What are the lessons for governance?

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Strengthening governance

• Top-down planning is too slow and too remote.
  Decision making needs to move closer to those
  affected by it.
• The more players in the field, the more essential
  collaboration is for effectiveness.
• The public must become actively engaged in
  achieving public goals.

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Rethinking GovernanceA bottom-up approach

• Voice ? Decision ? Action

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Leveraging social networks

• Literacy programs
• Universities and community colleges
• Community health initiatives
• Environmental organizations
• Co-operatives
• Chambers of Commerce
• Immigrant networks
• Rotary clubs, church groups
• Professional associations

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A community planning approach to economic
development?

• Is there a risk of paralysis?
• What would it take to make the approach work for
  long-term economic planning and development?

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Culture changethe real challenge

• Government
• Business
• NGOs
• The public
• Political leadership

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Lessons

• Economic, social, cultural and environmental
  development are interdependent
• Collaboration is essential for sustainable
  development
• Citizens, governments and stakeholders must
  assume new responsibilities for community
  development
• New tools and skills are needed to support the
  process

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A final question

• At what level should the approach be applied?
• Community-building as an overarching idea
• Leveraging technology to increase scale
• Geographical vs. communities-of-interest