You may have seen yesterday's WSJ and the op-ed "Europe's Crisis of Ideas" which lays the blame at the feet of a statist mentality. This is evidenced in that "Since 1990, only three of the 36 winners of the Noble Prize in Economics were then affiliated with a European university".
Today, in our culture, many people do not understand the need for profit in running a business. As a result, many do not seek to participate in promoting a competative edge. Even in our brief intro to CDC there is a request for "more and better restaurants" in Penn Hills without the recognition that if there were a market, there would be some better
restaurants. That is just Economics 101.
The green roofs projects border on micro economics. In Penn Hills and surrounding communities there are a number of examples of good and poor businesses which may well provide younger people especially with a better understanding of where jobs come from. So I would propose that one of our projects would be to provide a framework of seminars that examine the business models of companies that exist or existed in our community. I would hope that the presentations would be of such good quality that were video recorded and made available on a community web site. Perhaps a blog or two would result and our residents would learn the necessity and benefit of hard work and right thinking.
I would like to see presentations on Turner Dairy, Universal Atlas Cement, McCullough Tire, Crawford Insurance, McDonald's, J&L Steel, Westinghouse Electric, UPMC, Westinghouse Air Brake, Giant Eagle, East Hills School and a number of craftsman and contractors. Perhaps some of the local universities have presentations on business models they would be willing to present.
Other important aspects of successful living could include logical thinking as presented in classical education (Trinity Christian School), a person's motivation ( I am the most important person in the world or I seek to honor my Lord), family economics, work ethic, civic responsibility, etc. These subjects seem to be missing from normal public education.
How many of our residents know of the underground railroad tunnel? How about the history of coal mining in our area? Even a presentation on road maintenance, sewerage disposal, water provision, electrical supply, school bus maintenance, law enforcement, first commercial radio (KDKA), etc . . .
We had a report of one of the disaster relief teams that went to Haiti.
They were commended for their work discipline, ability to contribute under very trying conditions and willingness to adapt to changes. That was the result of training and character.
Perhaps these proposed seminars could be presented once a quarter. The object is to learn and teach how to put our shoulder to the wheel to accomplish that which is worthwhile.
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I have a couple more thoughts along these lines. Perhaps we could ask these companies what they would like to see from local government to make them want to stay, and what they think are barriers to new business locating here.
ReplyDeleteA similar inquiry should be made to the real estate professionals as to how to attract new residents and keep existing ones from leaving.
I would also like to reach out to Pitt CMU or other colleges to see if their public policy institutes could help find solutions for attracting business and residents. Penn hills could be a source of many projects for the students and we get free help in the bargain.
It's not just whether or not there's a market for new businesses, but how on earth to get that market to spend money at the businesses in time for them to get up and running. If people are forever driving in to the city or out to Oakmont for the great restaurants there, those are dinners they are not buying in Penn Hills. If people are driving to Monroeville to shop at Home Depot and Lowes, that's money not being spent at the little hardware store on Saltsburg near Frankstown. If people aren't sensitized to spending money within their community, that's money that won't keep any businesses here.
ReplyDeleteNot only that, but the money that we spend at Arby's, McDonalds, and all the other national chains located within Penn Hills - that money isn't staying here. Sure the people behind the counter are getting (almost) a living locally, but most of our dollar gets sent to corporate headquarters to be spent on global marketing and expansion campaigns and the like. Locally owned businesses are much more likely to keep money inside the community.
One place that has some interesting ideas about local businesses is here: http://www.slowmoneyalliance.org/ Not that there isn't a need for national or global chains, but we need to be aware of what our dollars are doing, where they're going, and what that means for our neighbors.
I think we could approach Turner's Dairy with this idea and we might find them receptive.
ReplyDeleteHoward Davidson