The Leeds Anchor Network (or system) was established in 2017 with eight founder organizations. In 2024, membership was 14 and represented 1 in 7 of the Leeds city workforce. Leeds Beckett University is a founding member. This paper explains how the system originated and developed, the role Leeds Beckett University has played in that process, and…

Craftspeople in eastern Nepal have demonstrated how they can use traditional skills to contribute both to economic development and environmental conservation. Their initiatives were achieved with little outside assistance and disruption to family life. (SK)

Provides an overview and definition of local authority and town planning in New Zealand. Demonstrates the relevance of planning matters to the teaching of geography. Reviews objectives of geography and specific planning methods used in several districts. (BR)

A study developed and tested a set of behavioral propositions through responses from 56 economic development planners (51 percent). The findings suggest that educational training has a relevant influence on the marketing management style of community economic development planners in California. (JOW)

In 1989, gambling was legalized in Deadwood. The resulting boom produced unexpectedly high revenues, allowing the town to meet historic restoration and preservation goals within 10 years. However, in the absence of community planning, the boom also changed the community's social fabric and increased noise, traffic, and congestion. (SV)

Community planners in Illinois use computer software to conduct retail trade market analyses based on Reilly's Law. Market boundaries are determined using the population of the town and neighboring town, and the distance between the two towns. The simple indices implied by Reilly's Law do not offer reliable guidance to planners. (KS)

Describes rural revitalization efforts for small towns in central Washington. Planning analysis by Eastern Washington University faculty and students emphasizes community participation. Details revitalization of the town of Wilbur from planning stages to final outcomes. Describes overall project results. (KS)

While other studies of local efforts to promote small town growth have generally shown negative results, this study of 88 small northwestern Michigan towns during the 1970s focused on external ties and contacts of local influentials and tended to support the growth machine hypothesis. Extensive metropolitan contacts increased population/program…

Examines indigenous capacity for local community development. Examines new economic development initiatives by communities, nature of relationships between local and larger economies, and how relationships affect local capacity for new economic activities. Discusses benefits of spatial framework in rural development and planning. (TES)

The rural communities of the North American Great Plains are experiencing fundamental economic and social changes that threaten their very existence. While local projects offer hope for survival, many communities lack the knowledge needed to envision and evaluate their possible futures. As a consequence, communities may pursue survival strategies…

In response to a 1991 call issued by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, eight institutions were selected to participate in a model process designed to involve higher education in the economics of community development. They were: Bloomsburg University, Chadron State College, Kean College of New Jersey, Murray State…

Economic growth and development have many implications that need to be considered so that informed decisions regarding the community can be made. Although expansion of an existing establishment or a newly located plant or business are the primary means by which communities seek economic growth, growth can also occur when the new industry is…

A survey of 135 small towns in Nebraska found that half had undertaken economic development projects; development activity and success were related to community size (with the smallest communities lacking both local resources and outside support); and most community leaders perceived their development efforts as unproductive. (SV)

The paper addresses the importance of developing a rural community's commercial sector for economic development by providing some analytical tools. Procedures are outlined to estimate commercial sector activity in a community, to estimate commercial sector activity for various counties within a state (Nevada is used as an example), and to develop…

Community decision makers selecting an economic development strategy most appropriate for their local community must begin with an understanding of how their local economy functions, what its economic base is, and how changes in that base may affect local economic structure and performance. The economic base approach emphasizes the roles of…