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Welcome to ViTAL Economy’s (VE) “library” of case studies, reports and white papers on rural community economic development. To request a copy of any of these documents, please select the document title to complete the request form.

How FCC Can Close the Digital Divide

ViTAL Economy and Baker Engineering have joined forces to create a white paper which defines an approach to closing the digital divide. To address the problems from a digital divide, a collaborative, structured program that breaks down the traditional barriers to effective Broadband (BB) adoption is needed. This white paper describes a cost-effective way for policy makers, local governments, carriers, and citizens to close the digital divide in America.

Creating a Rural Broadband Strategy That Works: Three Steps to Success

This white paper describes a proven approach to broadband deployment that can help carriers and rural leaders bridge the digital divide and find effective, wealth-generating solutions for their communities.

Clallam Networks Case Study

This case study provides a detailed analysis of the VE Journey undertaken by leaders of the North Olympic Peninsula communities of Washington State from 2000-2004. It closely examines the region’s application of the VE Formula for Success that led to national recognition for its economic transformation.

Foundation Report

This condensed version of the original report provides an example of ViTAL Economy’s benchmarking of industry cluster development and performance, as the Clallam Networks’ regional initiative was getting underway in 2002.

“Connect SI” Readiness Assessment Sample Executive Summary

This executive summary of our Connect Southern Illinois (SI) initiative provides a sample of several key messaging tools used in a Readiness Assessment to communicate key findings, generate a sense of urgency and define opportunities for regional leaders to take action to transform their regional economy.

Economic Scenario Model™

The Economic Scenario Model™ User Guide provides a brief overview of the regional economic modeling tool developed by ViTAL Economy to enable rural economic regions to benchmark their GDP, Jobs, Earnings and Output.

Industry Cluster Guidebook

This Industry Cluster Guidebook is an example of ViTAL Economy’s INGRAIN services. It provides documentation of one client’s industry cluster development process, which enables them to train others in the process long after ViTAL Economy has completed its work.

Energy Cluster –Fuel Cell Analysis

This executive summary of the fuel cell niche energy market provides an example of the type of action-driven industry cluster opportunity research that ViTAL Economy has conducted in more than 50 niche markets for regional economies in the U.S. and Canada.

International Olympics Study

This study provides an example of ViTAL Economy’s best practice analyses, which produce cutting-edge results. This report summarizes the results of the first global, comparative study of the long-term regional economic impact of hosting the International Olympics.

Livable Community Assessment Sample

This summary report provides a sample of livable community issues that ViTAL Economy can assess during a VE Journey and demonstrates how they can motivate community leaders to make their community more livable.

Network Provider COI Guidebook

The NPCOI Guidebook summary provides a brief overview of a VE initiative in Southern Illinois called Connect SI. This regional coordinating entity brought together more than 20 network providers to develop a multi-year broadband investment and consumer education strategy that dramatically increased both broadband access and rates of consumer adoption.

Measurable Strategic Roadmap

This document provides a tangible example of a strategic roadmap used in a VE Journey to measurably transform a regional economy. This sample report is from a larger assessment developed by Connect SI.

Peace Country Investment Attraction Strategy

This example of an investment attraction strategy includes simple descriptions of the importance of undertaking investment attraction strategies when a community wants to advance its regional economy.

Ramp-Up! British Columbia Executive Summary

This executive summary describes the results of a comprehensive, province-wide assessment of British Columbia’s rural economic regions. The multi-phase report, which was sponsored by TELUS, reviews research in a number of areas that led to a roadmap for British Columbia’s future development in the context of hosting the 2010 Winter Olympics.

Rural Business Incubator and Skills Center Strategy

This report demonstrates how a VE Journey can help build a climate of innovation in a distressed economic region by leveraging the resources of a skills center and business incubator.

Cluster Business Opportunity Template

This template provides action team leaders participating in a VE Journey with a simple two-page tool to assess readiness to pursue a particular business opportunity. Numerous tools such as this one are custom-developed for each VE Journey and knowledge-transferred to the region.

Governance in the Connected Economy

Director’s Monthly-National Association of Corporate Directors
December 2000

Over the past several years, a number of leading business journals have reported on significant concerns about governance issues within “New Economy” companies.

Government's Role in Deploying Advanced Telecommunications Infrastructure

Catalyst vs. Owner Operator
1999

The debate over the appropriate role for state and provincial governments in the development of an advanced telecommunications and information technology infrastructure for enabling their communities to effectively compete in the global information economy.

Understanding the New Age of Information

Economic & Technology Development Journal of Canada
1997

Communities developing an economic strategy must be aware of the transforming changes being brought about by the new digital information economy.

Consultant: Communities must get line on future

York Daily Record
October 1996

The cost of a modern information network, Frank Knott says, must be borne by everyone who benefits.

Integrated Community Networks

Originally Prepared for The President's Transition Team Roundtable Policy Meetings
December, 1992
Little Rock, Arkansas

Integrated Community Networks (TM) are to the information based economy of the 21st Century, what railroads and canals, road systems and air routes were to the industrial economies of the 19th and 20th centuries.