Guest Commentary :
Synchronist –
A new BR & E Model for existing industry
Beginning in early 2000, it was becoming very apparent, here in the MS Delta, that the effects of the downturn in the national economy was going to have long-term negative consequences for the area’s existing industry base. Economic development professionals in the Delta area (from Clarksdale to Vicksburg; Greenville to Grenada) could not have been expected to know then, that by the 4th quarter of 2003, we would all suffer devastating manufacturing job loss and unprecedented plant closures.
By mid 2002, we were convinced that a new level of assistance for our remaining existing industry base was warranted. To suggest that we as economic developers here in the MS Delta were fully aware of the problems that our industry base was experiencing was not a sufficient reply to the constant question of, “Well, why did that plant close?” The time had arrived where we needed to initiate new, bold, and innovative programs that were pro-active. Period.
Through intensive research of the economic development profession nationwide, the Industrial Foundation of Washington County identified a very promising Business Retention and Expansion (BR&E) model referred to as the Synchronist System. In 2002, the IFWC invited all economic developers in the Delta, MDA representatives, Twin County and Entergy utility companies, and others to a meeting to unveil our findings, and to join us in our plans to immediately begin utilizing Synchronist as the new model for BR&E throughout the state of Mississippi.
In 2002, Delta State University’s Center for Community and Economic Development, with Dr. Brent Hales and Dr. Jerry Robinson, initiated a $255,000, Delta Regional Authority funded BR&E project for Bolivar, Coahoma and Washington Counties. With encouragement by the IFWC, the executive committee of this new program also selected Synchronist as the data management tool of choice.
Over the next 12 months, the DSU BR&E program unfolded progressively. Utilization of the Synchronist system is a huge and time-consuming endeavor. Without the assistance of interns and community volunteers, completion of the required data gathering would be an improbable task for the small staff of the economic development organizations at the local level, particularly here in the Delta.
On August 3, 2004, the Industrial Foundation of Washington County was the first of the 3 counties to unveil its Synchronist findings. In the interim, the Mississippi Development Authority and Entergy and others have done their research and have now decided to utilize Synchronist in their respective existing industry programs as well.
I provided all of this background information to make this point. Change sometimes comes slow here in the Delta, and for the state of Mississippi, as well. However, in the case of Synchronist, I’m convinced this change is for a brighter future.
Synchronist is an extremely powerful data management tool. With its’ company background and in-office visit survey components; I can assure you that we are receiving much more reliable and scientifically proven pro-business data from our existing industry base than ever before. At the touch of a computer button, we economic development professionals can generate 21 different reports regarding our existing companies. Every kind of category your mind can conjure up regarding an existing company is covered. Do you need to know what your community’s strengths and weaknesses are? Would you like to know everything about our manufacturing workforce from worker ability to productivity, to quality? Do you need to know which companies have expansion plans or problems expanding? Which companies introduced new products or new technologies into their production process? Which companies are involved in Research and Development locally? What companies may be at risk? Which companies are involved in importing and exporting? These are just a few of the many questions that can now be answered and more importantly, acted upon.
There are other inherent beauties of Synchronist system as well. Once every economic development professional in the state begins utilizing Synchronist, the system will automatically and continuously update itself. But for me, perhaps the most significant advantage of Synchronist is that we will all be singing off the same sheet of music. We all shall now compare apples to apples and oranges to oranges, so to speak. A bold new day for Business Retention and Expansion is upon us. Sometimes change is very good. This is inarguably, one of those times. DBJ
Larry Williams
(Larry Williams, is Vice President of the Industrial Foundation of Washington County.)
