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I-Open Backgrounder
A Network Approach to Technology-Driven Enterprise Development
1982 - Prologue: Death and Emergence
The Institute for Open Economic Networks (I-Open) is an educational economic development initiative based in Northeast Ohio. I-Open is the spin-out of the Center for Regional Economic Issues, a widely respected research and policy institute formed in the early 1980's at the recommendation of a Rand Corporation report requested by the region's Fortune 500 leaders and funded by the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland.
After an esteemed twenty-three year history led by several outstanding practitioners in economic development and the region's eventual loss of all but one global corporate office combined with a failure of institutional leadership foresight and powerful shifting local real estate interests, the Center was abruptly closed by the Weatherhead School of Management, Case Western Reserve University (CWRU), where it was housed in 2005.
After an esteemed twenty-three year history led by several outstanding practitioners in economic development and the region's eventual loss of all but one global corporate office combined with a failure of institutional leadership foresight and powerful shifting local real estate interests, the Center was abruptly closed by the Weatherhead School of Management, Case Western Reserve University (CWRU), where it was housed in 2005.
2003 - Catalyzing A Connective Vortex
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But before the Center was closed, it celebrated a brief period of re-birth, a kind of resurgence under the direction of 2003 new hire, Executive Director, . For a period of seventeen months before its close, the Center became a hub - no, vortex - of entrepreneurial connectivity, a new and dynamic center stage of regional social connectivity and "Strategic Doing".
Launched around the idea of weekly Civic Forums called "Tuesdays@REI", open guided conversations were hosted in the beautiful recently constructed Peter B. Lewis building, home to CWRU's business school. A set of Principles were constructed to strengthen engagement, purpose and collaboration. Forums were led by civic entrepreneurs, who, representing business, academic, civic, and government interests, wanted to present their ideas, their solutions, to what they felt were complex global challenges deteriorating civil society, economic prosperity building and the natural environment. |
Center for Regional Economic Issues (REI) - REI Civic Forums, Social network mapping, and partnership development identified and incubated Northeast Ohio's enterprise clusters embedded in emerging regional innovation & entrepreneurial ecosystems, 2003-2005.
[Above] To read the original document or for a detailed description, position your cursor over each slide.
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Behind the scenes, the Center's small team worked diligently to build strategic social networks by reaching out to enlist the help and guidance of local technology consultants and social entrepreneurs.
New conversations catalyzed new public-private collaborations. REI and it's networks began to quickly partner with local municipalities, organizations and government offices just beginning to stumble on the encroaching barriers to solutions based on old ways of thinking and doing - like, deal brokering and business poaching. Something needed to change, because, "planning for the future by looking in the rear-view mirror" wasn't working anymore.
While at REI, Ed Morrison launched a new concept called, , an approach to strategic investment in networked regional economies based on "spotting new opportunities faster". Influenced by the work of David Cooperrider, Professor of Organizational Behavior at the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University best known for his work in the field of appreciative inquiry, an organizational development (OD) methodology for organizational renewal, Ed proposed five categories of an "Innovation Framework" - a heuristic model with the capacity to accelerate innovation and catalyze transformative entrepreneurial enterprise in complex social and economic systems.
New conversations catalyzed new public-private collaborations. REI and it's networks began to quickly partner with local municipalities, organizations and government offices just beginning to stumble on the encroaching barriers to solutions based on old ways of thinking and doing - like, deal brokering and business poaching. Something needed to change, because, "planning for the future by looking in the rear-view mirror" wasn't working anymore.
While at REI, Ed Morrison launched a new concept called, , an approach to strategic investment in networked regional economies based on "spotting new opportunities faster". Influenced by the work of David Cooperrider, Professor of Organizational Behavior at the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University best known for his work in the field of appreciative inquiry, an organizational development (OD) methodology for organizational renewal, Ed proposed five categories of an "Innovation Framework" - a heuristic model with the capacity to accelerate innovation and catalyze transformative entrepreneurial enterprise in complex social and economic systems.
With this guiding framework, the weekly Civic Forums - the new conversations led by civic entrepreneurs - were convened, focused on the strategic investment value their unique initiatives would contribute to building a robust, sustainable northeast Ohio.
All in all, seventy-eight civic forums were convened, attracting over 3000 people - "on a college campus with no parking" and BEFORE the advent of social media - supercharging a collective regional civic will to dream, design and launch countless collaborations, partnerships and new transformative enterprises.
A region once defined by five counties, for example, became re-configured by the REI community as twenty-two counties, including Cuyahoga County, the largest county in the State of Ohio, and thus, becoming an area sufficient in resources to successfully engage in global markets.
The network cultivated regional collaborations with universities and large organizations, built strategic public-private partnerships, hosted regional day long meetings celebrating regional thought leaders, training sessions to learn about new practitioner developments, promoted collaborative technology advancements, and most importantly, regularly shared information and continuously built relationships of mutual trust and respect - energizing a greater collective awareness and momentum.
Efforts to connect talent with resources quickly paid off, aligning entrepreneurs, propelling their unique initiatives forward with the support of collaborators and assets with the power to successfully launch scalable, transformative enterprises.
The network cultivated regional collaborations with universities and large organizations, built strategic public-private partnerships, hosted regional day long meetings celebrating regional thought leaders, training sessions to learn about new practitioner developments, promoted collaborative technology advancements, and most importantly, regularly shared information and continuously built relationships of mutual trust and respect - energizing a greater collective awareness and momentum.
Efforts to connect talent with resources quickly paid off, aligning entrepreneurs, propelling their unique initiatives forward with the support of collaborators and assets with the power to successfully launch scalable, transformative enterprises.
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Here are just a few of the initiatives resulting from the Tuesdays@REI civic forums and the work that went on outside of the forums:
* Read the entire REI Summary Horizontal v.2.4 here. |
REI Strategic Activities Reports (2003-2005) - Background materials, a business plan summary, and a paper about building prosperity in Northeast Ohio presented to university administration before an abrupt close of the Center.
[Above] Click on the slide you're interested in to link to the full report.
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Seventeen months later, with the abrupt and unexpected closing of the Center in June 2005 by University administration, civic entrepreneurs marched in the streets - cordoned off by police cars ordered by the University President in fear of protesters becoming unruly - with placards saying,
"Where's MY REI?"
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Indeed, certainly the first time anyone has marched for economic development!
In it's rather short tenure under the direction of Ed Morrison, REI began to invest in the civic trust necessary to bridge, catalyze and launch initiatives, collaborations and regional partnerships; many have since grown into large regional and global public-private partnerships and successful businesses. But the story does not stop here. Read on. |
"REI’s focus on building networks and on magnifying the effectiveness of existing networks in NE Ohio provides exactly the kind of practical activity that makes best use of our resources in our programs (foreign students and business professionals) and opens immediate ways that we can contribute through internationalization to the region’s development." - Malcom Watson, Director, International MBA, Baldwin-Wallace College
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2005 - Unleashed: I-Open, The Spin-Out
[Above] For a detailed description place your cursor over the slide.
Having left Case Western Reserve University in June 2005, the Center's team, Ed Morrison, Susan Altshuler, Matt Kozink, Dennis Coughlin and Betsey Merkel immediately founded the Institute for Open Economic Networks (I-Open).
In some ways free from institutional constraints, the team was repositioned overnight as an independent, free-standing entity. Adamant about continuing to develop and deploy new practices and tools in Open Source Economic Development, the team felt it was imperative to offer whatever support they could to the region's emerging civic entrepreneurial culture - and, they were learning - the resulting enterprise activities sure to impact Cleveland's course from a struggling manufacturing rust belt to a globally connected, creative hub.
Could a region empowered by open, guided conversations, the efficiency of collaborative technologies, and the brilliance of creative industries really bridge the gap between civic entrepreneurs, their transformative enterprises, and resources?
Could an emerging collaborative civic network support it's own enterprise solutions in response to a growing collective awareness of public issues involving health care, energy, food, land and water - issues that people really cared about?
To get the new enterprise initiatives off the ground?...
To influence public decision makers?...
To reach out to the world?
In some ways free from institutional constraints, the team was repositioned overnight as an independent, free-standing entity. Adamant about continuing to develop and deploy new practices and tools in Open Source Economic Development, the team felt it was imperative to offer whatever support they could to the region's emerging civic entrepreneurial culture - and, they were learning - the resulting enterprise activities sure to impact Cleveland's course from a struggling manufacturing rust belt to a globally connected, creative hub.
Could a region empowered by open, guided conversations, the efficiency of collaborative technologies, and the brilliance of creative industries really bridge the gap between civic entrepreneurs, their transformative enterprises, and resources?
Could an emerging collaborative civic network support it's own enterprise solutions in response to a growing collective awareness of public issues involving health care, energy, food, land and water - issues that people really cared about?
To get the new enterprise initiatives off the ground?...
To influence public decision makers?...
To reach out to the world?
Listen (above) to a conversation with Midtown Brews presenters, Gwen Fischer and Debbie Silverstein, now associated with Concerned Citizens Ohio, who share their perspectives in anticipation of the March 5, 2009 forum topic, The New Landscape of Healthcare Reform. (Having trouble with the sound? Click through to okay the cookie policy.)
2006 - A Time Of Regional Emergence
[Above] For a detailed description place your cursor over the slide.
Civic Forums Jumpstart Regional Technology-based Community and Economic Development
With the jumpstart support of a small grant from the City of Cleveland's Economic Development Department, I-Open hosted forty-six face-to-face conversations from September 2006 through July 2009 in collaboration with leaders in education, government, business and civic organizations to address timely global issues affecting Ohio communities.
The I-Open social network maps (above) visualize a portion of Northeast Ohio civic entrepreneurs, regional leaders and government representatives who opted into mapping and participated in I-Open Civic Forums.
The I-Open social network maps (above) visualize a portion of Northeast Ohio civic entrepreneurs, regional leaders and government representatives who opted into mapping and participated in I-Open Civic Forums.
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Shared social network maps have the power to engage large numbers of citizens at new levels of transparency to reveal social connectivity, idea and resource relationships.
With access to local Civic Forums and map insights, civic entrepreneurs and business leaders have the power to take intermediary action on their own behalf by connecting to new people and resources they may not have known about. New connections can offer guidance or might reveal people otherwise unknown who would be interested in collaborating on a new enterprise. This is the abundance transparency brings in open economic networks. New opportunities for the people prepared to grasp them. You may ask, "How did you do that?", "Where did you start?" And, "How can we do this where we live, too?" |
The social network maps (above) were generated using Inflow, a social network mapping software designed and developed by Valdis Krebs, Founder & Chief Scientist, Orgnet.
Cleveland resident Valdis attended one of the first REI Civic Forums. Learn from Valdis in the interview below why social network mapping is important to communities who want to accelerate innovation and entrepreneurship.
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The Four Pillars of Catalyzing A Regional Collective
No. 1 Build Partnerships with Local Universities ~
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Midtown Wednesdays
In early 2006, I-Open, in collaboration with Chancellor University located in Cleveland, Ohio, hosted “Midtown Wednesdays”, a weekly I-Open Civic Forum funded with the support of the City of Cleveland and the in-kind services of a local bank to strengthen economic development activity in Midtown Cleveland, a two mile wide urban core of the city home to over 2000 nonprofit organizations. |
[Above] For a detailed description place your cursor over the slide.
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No. 2 Let Local Business Leadership Be Your Guide ~
Midtown Mornings
From Midtown Wednesdays, “Midtown Mornings” formed, an early morning coffee and bagels gathering for civic entrepreneurs hosted and led by Cleveland, Ohio marketing and branding company, Nead Brand Partners, to connect leaders interested in designing projects to revitalize urban Cleveland.
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Meet Mark Zust, Partner, Nead Brand Partners and co-developer of Midtown Mornings. Nearly 10 years later, Mark enthusiastically shares insights gleaned as a partner hosting I-Open Civic Forums to accelerate Midtown area business development. (Learn more at Zust + Co.)
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No. 3 Convene New Conversations ~
Midtown Brews
From the Midtown Mornings gatherings, “Midtown Brews” was created by a small group of business, civic, and government leaders interested in identifying and connecting technology businesses in Northeast Ohio.
From the Midtown Mornings gatherings, “Midtown Brews” was created by a small group of business, civic, and government leaders interested in identifying and connecting technology businesses in Northeast Ohio.
Three Cleveland based technology companies, Webtego, Insivia and Analiza, alternately hosted Midtown Brews. In the second and third year of the program the Midtown Brews community expanded significantly, convening conversations focused on creativity, renewable energy, land use, local food production, water stewardship, transportation logistics, civic service, web 2.0 technologies and culture, spirituality networks, and Futuring.
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[Above] For a detailed description place your cursor over the slide.
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No. 4 Strengthen The Edges ~
Women's Enterprise Network
In July 2008, I-Open launched a second civic forum called, “Let’s Talk!” in partnership with Judson Smart Living and the Women’s Enterprise Network, a community of women dedicated to the empowerment of one another. These intergenerational broadcast conversations were co-led by Judson residents whose average age of ninety years old brought deep insights, and wise, experienced perspectives.
In July 2008, I-Open launched a second civic forum called, “Let’s Talk!” in partnership with Judson Smart Living and the Women’s Enterprise Network, a community of women dedicated to the empowerment of one another. These intergenerational broadcast conversations were co-led by Judson residents whose average age of ninety years old brought deep insights, and wise, experienced perspectives.
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[Above] For a detailed description place your cursor over the slide.
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Conversations focused on the economic contributions women bring to education, economic, and workforce development in Northeast Ohio.
Women from other parts of the globe frequently joined the “Let’s Talk!” live broadcasts contributing on chat, sharing experiences, insights, and building relationships focused on how women build value in economic development.
Women from other parts of the globe frequently joined the “Let’s Talk!” live broadcasts contributing on chat, sharing experiences, insights, and building relationships focused on how women build value in economic development.
The Wisdom We Learned
√ Civic Forums Build Trust in Open Economic Networks ~
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Civic Forums focus on industry innovation opportunities. Since 2006, I-Open conversations exchanged information and updates in water, advocacy, health care, creativity, land, energy, transportation, and technology; target innovation in education, economic, and workforce development; and share insights into lifestyle, civic service, and regional culture.
The Civic Forum process brings people together to build trust, civic networks and collaborative communities to identify and strengthen citizen priorities and entrepreneurial opportunities. The I-Open Civic Forum process offers communities and regions a place to start to strengthen good habits of collaboration, engagement, and civility. Civic Forums model collaborative behaviors drawing from such disciplines as Appreciative Inquiry and Servant Leadership – important ‘soft’ skills every entrepreneur needs to master to thrive in locally based, global business environments. I-Open conversations convened in Northeast Ohio focused on five priority areas of regional economic development: the importance of strengthening education; the relationship of social and behavioral economics to build prosperity; how to grow resilient, attractive communities; how to build innovation and entrepreneurial networks; and the intrinsic value of quality communications sharing stories of regional culture. |
√ Civic Conversations Inform Public and Private Investment ~
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[Above] Northeast Ohio civic leader and blogger, Gloria Ferris, talks about the importance of cultivating relationships between citizens and government.
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from on .
[Above] Pascal Marmier,
Director, Consul
, swissnex Boston, Consulate of Switzerland, shares this summary interview of his insights, passions, and discoveries incubating locally based and globally connected knowledge networks to drive innovation in industry, culture, government, and education.
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To inform the strategy and design of civic forum conversations, civic leaders contributed over 100 interviews, nearly fifty conversations with over 1000 voices participating, and over 150 hours of content to I-Open research.
Conversations illuminate innovative competitive curriculum opportunities, bring people together interested in establishing connections they would not otherwise have the opportunity to make because of a lack of time (everyone is "busy" doing what they do), and a general lack of strategic, on-demand, social connectivity.
With the support of collaborative technologies, interview content shares individual and collective insights, stories of innovation, and civic priorities to guide strategic investments by resource stewards and business leaders, expediting next action steps.
Conversations illuminate innovative competitive curriculum opportunities, bring people together interested in establishing connections they would not otherwise have the opportunity to make because of a lack of time (everyone is "busy" doing what they do), and a general lack of strategic, on-demand, social connectivity.
With the support of collaborative technologies, interview content shares individual and collective insights, stories of innovation, and civic priorities to guide strategic investments by resource stewards and business leaders, expediting next action steps.
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Civic Forum conversations are broadcast live with chat and archived to the web in an on-demand library for public access. Since early 2008, the Midtown Brews channel, for example, has quickly grown in value, accruing over 275,000 viewer minutes sharing citizen priorities focused on global issues.
During one thirty-one month period, I-Open educational communications reached over 195,000 (opt-in) subscribers mailed who read over 48,000 email communications, exploring 14,000 information web links to people, research, and innovation in energy, health care, land, food, and water. |
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Watch live streaming video from midtownbrews at livestream.com
[Above] Innovate or Perish: Northeast Ohio as a Global Leader in Biotechnology. With guests James Cossler, Youngstown Business Incubator; Ernest Andrade, Charleston Digital Corridor, Charleston, SC; Mark Stratton, Analiza, Inc.; Angelo Vermeulen, Biomodd [LBA2]: Art + Ecology + Digital Gaming + Community, Philippines
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Cultivating high levels of collaboration, transparency and communications is fundamental to growing robust, diverse open economic networks embedded in other networks - tomorrow's new, emerging economies - whether on a local, regional, or global level.
√ Civic Forums are Cost-Effective And Yield New Opportunities ~
Not including labor (a small expense, proportionately), I-Open's forty-six public conversations cost an average of $50.00 per month (for technology related fees) for a total of $1550.00 generating over 4,000 contacts at about $.01 cost per contact – proving that building the open civic networks for communication and collaboration to strengthen businesses and emergent cluster industries can be strategic, efficient, and financially prudent.
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Midtown Brews co-host Jeff Friedman, CEO, Webtego, talks about the difference hosting a Midtown Brews civic forum makes to where you live and work:
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Midtown Brews co-host Andy Halko, CEO, Insivia, talks about the partner benefits of hosting Civic Forums for business development.
Andy shares his take-aways:
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√ Civic Forums Build Social Capital To Transform Regions ~
To conclude, I-Open Civic Forums build the open, neutral spaces for important new conversations to take place focused on citizen priorities and network building to connect people and their ideas to resources. Civic Forums begin to build the exponential growth trajectory for collaborative business development to strengthen regional universities, colleges, and libraries; ultimately invigorating institutions, organizations, government and the services they provide to revitalize education, economic, and workforce development in communities and their regions.
Closing: I-Open Civic Forum Process Community Insights
I-Open is "a sophisticated center of civic dialogue that furthers the community’s understanding and engagement of issues.” - , Faculty Director of Economics, Case Western Reserve University
“I-Open Civic Forums give people hope.” – David Moss, Founding Director, FUTURE @The Cleveland Institute of Art & Owner, MossMedia
“As Midtown Brews host, Webtego has strengthened and built new connections, enhanced the company’s visibility, and positively affected new business opportunities. Open conversations help small to medium businesses meet the challenges that we face in 2008 and beyond” - , Owner, Webtego
“In November 2006 when Meet The Bloggers joined the Midtown Brews collaborative, I had no idea of where the conversations would lead. The ongoing relationships forged by these monthly get togethers have been nothing short of amazing. Beyond the conversation is where the true value of Midtown Brews lives.” - Gloria Ferris, Meet The Bloggers
"I just watched the latest session at Judson Park – great discussion and residents seem to have a wonderful opportunity to share their perspective!" - , Director of Communications, Judson Smart Living
"Midtown Brews is an awesome example of the type of evolution in decision-making that absolutely must occur: Actively seeking foresight for clarity on future possibilities; Processing old and new paradigms in parallel; Balancing interests for the concomitant good. " - , National Policy Development at Humana
"I-Open is a dynamic missionary organization for the new economic model of collaboration...in a world of dwindling resources, the old model of wasteful competition is no longer appropriate. I-Open suggests ways to pursue non-destructive win/win scenarios, which are good for society." – , James Herget Ltd
Support I-Open
Ensure education, economic and workforce development services such as knowledge sharing, communications and engagement for a network of community and economic developers. Send your donation to I-Open by clicking on the secure PayPal donate button below.
Ensure education, economic and workforce development services such as knowledge sharing, communications and engagement for a network of community and economic developers. Send your donation to I-Open by clicking on the secure PayPal donate button below.