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Toward New Horizons - Conclusions
2007-11-04
Businesses, states and provinces, urban cities and rural communities, universities, and non-governmental organizations in North America find themselves operating within rapidly changing economic, technological and social conditions. In order to move forward in the 21st century, many of them are seeking solutions to old and new problems through collaboration with new or different partners.
To address issues such as environmental protection, economic development, education and training, labor qualifications and mobility, cultural diversity and preservation, and community and social stability, multi-jurisdictional or organizational collaboration–often across state, provincial and national borders–has become increasingly necessary. This often requires new institutional structures and responses. It requires changing definitions of community. And it requires the kind of vision that understands recent shifts in the global economy and how to take advantage of the opportunities that this time of change offers.
Specific to this report, establishment of community in a broader sense– and with it an ethic and practice of cooperation–requires regional, multijurisdictional strategies for the 21st century in parallel with the New Economy business strategies of networking and collaborating for competitive advantage. Regional cooperation can help the participating jurisdictions be more innovative, adaptive, flexible, and globally linked. A larger community means greater choices and increased opportunities. It can also establish a more positive belief in the future and a renewed sense of optimism that economic growth is possible.
The Northern Great Plains region, as with all voluntary efforts in regional, multi-jurisdictional cooperation, will have many opportunities for and face many challenges to development in the future. If voluntary, regional communities are truly to succeed, they will need to function in this climate of changing economic relationship. The challenge for the Northern Great Plains region and all emerging regions is that they must identify, as best as possible, the changes that will be taking place over the next ten to twenty years, the variables regarding those changes that are important to them, and the assets they have to build upon in addressing change. Then they must act accordingly.
