Delta County MI. Board of Commissioners Meeting (4/24/2025): It is all about positions!

The most recent meeting provided an excellent example of administrators working to build a consensus around how to hire and what type of positions are needed. There was also a good example of the structure of such positions in determining who should be hired and for what. Sometimes when we look at tasks we find that some functions can be removed as no longer essential, some can be moved to lower levels of administration, and other times efficiencies can be built in by tweaking the processes. Looking at the functionality of positions, flow of information, and how decisions are made can do a lot to streamline process and save labor capital. At the end of the day, each position must carry its weight in value so as to support sustainability.

Local and Regional Innovation Collaboration (Cluster Theory Development)

There are ways to encourage firms to become increasingly more competitive when functioning within a fertile environment designed to maximize innovative assets. The study of economic clusters helps us think of ways in which economies can develop. Innovation is becoming increasingly important to industry as well as to government stakeholders because it often comes with financial rewards such as improvement in GDP, taxes and/or wages (...part of the model is quality of life but is often seen as less imporant. It is essential to growth.)

The first manuscript presented below is on company based level and the second is focused more on a regional level. It is important to understand the nature of a phenomenon and what factors go into creating a viable cluster. One needs to understand current research and then take a step forward beyond what is available or known to further advance science. At least that might be a good goal.

Study 1: The study Strategy, Efficiency, Structure and Manufacturing Performance helps understand how manufacturing within a competitive environment leads to operational efficiciency and innovation (Handoyo, S. et. al 2023). Companies that proactively adapt strong practices outperform those who take defensive strategies. In the cluster theory I'm working on a level of competition-collaboration leads to faster operational, research and technology adaptation cross-industry in many cases (depending on how a cluster is designed.). Theoretically a cluster should be designed to create an environment with the right balance of pressures to limit stagflation but also maximize healthy adjustments.

Study 2: From a regional level we know that fostering innovation and development rests on the ability to attract firms to the area that sets the base for development. Special care should be taken in selecting anchor industries because they can catalize innovation in other areas. Start-ups based around the needs of these anchor industries sometimes take a life of their own. According to Regional Innovation and Economic Growth the amount of innovative firms in an area lead, research and development (R&D) investments, open innovation, and high-medium tech industries drive for greater Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP)  (Pyo & Choi, 2025).

Handoyo, S. et. al (2023). A business strategy, operational efficiency, ownership structure, and manufacturing performance: The moderating role of market uncertainty and competition intensity and its implication on open innovation. Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity, 9 (2). 100039, ISSN 2199-8531, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joitmc.2023.100039.

Sangjae Pyo, Sang Ok Choi, (2025) Regional innovation and economic growth: Empirical insights from FGLS, FE-DKSE, and XGBoost-SHAP approach. Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity, 11 (2) ISSN 2199-8531. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joitmc.2025.100524

Marine Industry Changes and Recreational Boating: Mystique Still Floats!

Boating for some is a hobby, for some a passion, still others inspiration, and for a lucky few an encompassing lifestyle! No matter what brings you to the world of boating and sailing it is now the time you spend on the water that counts. People are becoming more drawn to the world of boating and new investments around San Diego and places as far as Escanaba have experienced growing interest in their harbors. Whether you are on the Pacific Ocean or on the Great Lakes, the joys of sailing are not just for scallywags and salty dogs but also for those who enjoy the freedom of nature to unknown destinations.

Growth in Recreational Boating:

The future of recreational boating looks it is staying afloat according to this report. It discusses the issues facing the marine industries as well the 5-7% growth rate of recreational boating and a rise in alternative propulsion. Customers also seem to want customization, eco friendly boats, boat rentals for the experience, and technology on boats.   Navigating Marine Industry Trends: Financial Results and Market Outlook for 2025

The Story of Mystique:

The ship Mystique almost sun and was saved by dock hands. The damage to the wiring and bildge pump is going to cost a few thousand dollars. The people who sail Mystique in San Diego are very nice group of recreational boaters that are hoping to engage in some of the fun races in the future (Lots of fun races in the SD area. It is a type of lifestyle.). The captain has a Go Fund Me Page Here if you would like to contribute to their repair work. 

The captain enjoys taking her friends and club members out for leisure trips. She always has an open heart when it comes to good people and good fun. 

Escanaba City Council Regular Meeting Thursday (April 17, 2025): Grants and Arbor Day

The city had done a strong job maximizing grants and other value driven initiatives in their development and reemergence.

April 17th, 2025 Escanaba Agenda Review the budget, economics and costs.

Don't forget to plant a tree Arbor Day April 25th, 2025

The city is on a positive trajectory and effectively navigating wider market adjustments (It could actually be an opportunity if a few more businesses move to the area.). 

Honoring Pope Francis and His Contribution to Humanity

It is important to honor the loss to humanity of spiritual leaders such as Pope Francis who worked on the behalf of the poor, downtrodden and often those discarded by society. There are spiritual leaders of different religions that teach us the importance of treating each other well and living for something beyond the day. Some may call these Philosophers of God who teach people about the world. Most religious have their own spirtual leaders who reach for a higher more noble world. Such knowledge helps us put or own lives in perspective and the choices and actions we take every day. If you believe there is something more beyond your time here then you will be your own advocate for personal improvement. Vatican News: Pope Francis Passes Away

Delta County MI Board of Commissioners Meeting (4/15/2025): County Level Decision Making

The video highlights the variety of topics discussed at the meeting including the airport, parks, grants, processes, so on and so forth. The participants engaged in constuctive dialogue and brought forward ideas for the rest of the committee to ponder. Strong decision making relies on the usefulness of information that occurs through dialogue.

Just as an example, you must make a choice between A and B but have limited information. One might anchor their decisions based on long term objectives, development plans, market needs, citizen sentiment, etc.  

Thinking about the total ability to obtain data for informed decision making to achieve certain objectives can help in successful long-term management. What type of data one can collect, how often they receive such feedback, whether it's in useful form, etc. would likely have some influence on strategic alignment of such choices and in turn their total impact. 

Evidence Based Management County Level

Cross Sector Collaboration Study (Economic Cluster Development)

Understanding a complex phenomenon like an economic cluster requires the ability to continuously read and evaluate available research literature on related issues/topics. I'm working on an economic piece on the concept of transactional clusters so reading other's research helps to ensure appropriate context of those efforts. Hopefully to be published in a scientific journal somewhere (probably not groundbreaking). Likewise, some of the information will be used in the last chapter of a book discussing why entities might collaborate around a problem. The more studies one reads, generally the more knowledgeable one becomes on a topic, and more likely to understand how others as well as mine are formed (similarities and differences). For research studies this is used as a literary discussion which is necessary for complex theoretical models (For example, I have 15+ years of research but am writing it in smaller batches based on that information.) The background is important for research and theory development  (You can read What Are Literature Reviews?).

Here is what I found in the study,

Cross Sector Collaboration Study

Notice from the study why and how organizations will sometimes collaborate with each other to achieve certain goals. The authors also mention the community as a major influence and that is important. Community is a primary source of economic growth but is often neglected in economic theory. This is also why our previous discussions on the blog include the social development of community as a major input factor and benefactor of economic growth (This is becoming increasingly important as wealth gaps rise and zip code as a major factor in life quality. Finding ways to increase quality of life for local residents in our model is part of community support, individual effort, and purpose that underline all sustainable economic engines.).

There is also a level of discussion on data and data collection. Data is used to assess an issue and evaluate such information for possible cause and/or association. Within the model I have been working on it is possible to collect data and measure the value of that data in a way that provides a dashboard health of an entire cluster that would allow for better policy development and overall cluster management. Because elements interact within a cluster they also should be measure in different ways to better understand the flow of such elements within a system.

The study provides some interesting information on mutual learning and blaming loops. There are going to be agreement and disagreements about when and how things function, so some organizational framework is likely needed to handle lack of interest on certain projects that still need support (i.e. a fund on cluster-based research not specific to any study or industry but to general cluster problems as one possibility). Different interests come into play when collaborating on key objectives, projects, etc. The areas where entities in the study collaborated are around education, economic development, and public safety. The manuscript also discusses what happens under a blaming loop. In collaborative efforts you want to avoid non-constructive engagement.

Santiago Pulido-Gómez, Jorrit de Jong, Jan W Rivkin, Cross-sector collaboration in cities: learning journey or blame game?, Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 2025;, muae026, https://doi.org/10.1093/jopart/muae026