Why
Competition for economic investment within the Four-States area doesn’t come close to the level of competition the Four-States region faces on a national and global scale. Likewise, decision-makers no longer base their investments on just cities or counties, but rather regional labor markets with the right mix of assets favorable to their ventures. In the past, location-dependent assets like transportation, real estate, utilities, and incentives were the most important factors. While these location-based assets are still necessary, the single most important factor in the modern era of economic development is the quality and availability of the region’s workforce. Growing businesses demand a workforce that is easy to reach, well-skilled, and trainable to retain for future value.
The WIRED approach provides a clear picture of the region’s assets, what it has to offer with a competitive advantage, and areas that need improvement. Asset Mapping, a vital research component of WIRED, identifies peer regions and the specific factors to compare competitiveness of the Quad-State region. The initiative plots out strategies to resolve shortcomings and exceed the competition. A renewed focus on talent development places the Quad-States workforce among the world’s best and brightest to attract economic investment for the region.
More detailed information on the design of QSRT:
