These are some of the more Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) that arise in our discussions with businesses and community leaders.
Economic Gardening is a term referring to economic development programs that support the development of existing local businesses and communities. That is in contrast to strategies that are built around support from outside the region and community. A fundamental objective is to grow business activity and to build better communities.
The purpose of Economic Gardeners is to stimulate and support a fresh approach to business and economic development and community development. The improved performance of existing local businesses and community organisations and a strategic approach to the attraction of new opportunities and new businesses will result in sustainable development of regional economies. More and better jobs will result and there will be a higher retention of young people in those communities to take up those jobs.
The principal target is businesses ranging from start-ups to mature businesses all wanting the same thing; more productivity, more jobs, more growth and improved lifestyles. We also help local agencies and community groups that work to build better communities, for example Mensheds Australia
Managing businesses and community organisations for better performance has become more complex and requires high levels of skill and information. Economic Gardeners is a unique way of generating and supporting new business and community opportunities; a way of supporting projects that might be outside your normal scope of business. Through collaboration, problem solving and decision-making, we can enhance the initiation and implementation of projects to operate better and realise new opportunities.
Access to Economic Gardener's Resource Centre provides you with information, knowledge, tools and processes to assist your business and community development and completing projects in a more cost effective way. Access is gained through Economic Gardeners web site on receipt of a password.
Looking for "something special", something that will help you to grow your business, or community as you would like and have more fun doing it. If you say, "yes" to any of the following, then perhaps it is worth taking the time to have a closer look at Economic Gardeners to see what we can offer you.
"It is the mark of a good action that it appears inevitable in retrospect” Robert Louis Stevenson
It is way of cooperating and communicating with each other. Collaboration enables a range of management and marketing benefits to flow more cost effectively between the people involved.
The collective skills and brainpower can provide outstanding results to everyone involved. It enables you too more easily:
Economic Gardeners provides a network structure that enables members to consult with one another on matters of mutual interest. The members of Economic Gardeners share an objective of continuously improving their business or organisation. That collaboration may be through a local group or within the whole Economic Gardeners network.
Economic Gardeners also provides a range of workshops and conferences to extend the collaboration among members.
Membership provides you with access to The Resource Centre, the specialist back-up advice and periodic information through newsletters, workshops and seminars. Membership of Economic gardeners also gives you the opportunity to network and collaborate with other members. Economic Gardeners is itself a networking organisation.
As new issues arise and new materials and information is added to The Resource Centre, then members will have immediate access to those materials.
There are a lot of intangible aspects associated with Economic Gardeners. The following will give you some idea of the issues we address on a daily basis.
The Resource Centre contains materials that will assist the operation of all businesses. However, from an economic growth perspective, the businesses that will benefit most are those that seek to grow, but for some reason are not able to take the critical decisions (called ‘explorers’ by Burgess). Access to the materials and specialist support is likely to result in these businesses making the decisions to grow their business and making an impact on their local community.
Research indicates that small businesses contribute most to growth. However, only a small proportion, maybe 10 per cent of small businesses, has the capacity to lead growth. The remaining businesses will normally also grow through the flow-on effects of the leading businesses. As a result, a business growth strategy might include the nurturing of a small number of ‘growth leaders’ and then taking actions to maximise the flow-on effects to other local businesses.
Economic gardeners groups are normally formed because the members share a common need to improve and grow their business. Groups make it easier for Economic Gardeners to service the members with workshops and seminars. The main benefit is the dynamics that come from working together. That includes sharing problems, discussing ideas and possibly collaboration in new business initiatives.
Many economic development organisations have limited capacity to provide advice to businesses. In some cases, staff members are not permitted to provide business advice because of the indemnity issues involved. Without Economic Gardeners it is not possible to implement a strategy to support business growth. That curtails the comprehensiveness and ultimate success of the overall strategy.
Economic development organisations are encouraged to work with Economic Gardeners in forming Economic Gardening groups. In consultation with Economic Gardeners, the role that they play in running the group can be negotiated. They may also assist in recommending businesses to participate that fit with their strategy for industry growth, businesses that have been seeking assistance or businesses that have potential for growth but are making slow progress.
Where possible, Economic Gardeners prefer to work collaboratively with the local economic development group. The working relationship will be negotiated as each case will be different.
