Research Ideas from Class: Agglomeration in Nonprofits, 2

Forward Linkages

Forward linkages are distribution chains connecting producers/suppliers with customers.

Developing strong forward linkages are important for any nonprofit, but I have seen some not take this process seriously because they were too enthusiastic about getting their service out to people and not about doing it rationally. They throw hundreds of flyers out across an area when developing a relationship with a few local leaders gets information out faster. They try to reach children individually instead of going to the school. They say, “We are inclusive, we want to help everyone!” but they don’t take the time to develop relationships to REACH out to all desired clients, such as writing Spanish versions of their information. Also, to maintain these relationships. High performing programs and plans should be nurtured.

Research Ideas from Class: Agglomeration in Nonprofits, 1

Internal Economies

When a firm expands to cover multiple activities, it reduces cost by internal agglomeration. “The spreading of fixed costs over a larger output, greater division of labor, the potential for using alternative technologies, and saving through bulk purchases are sources of internal agglomeration.” (72) Economies of scales, which is efficiency by size, can also be internal agglomeration by being concentrated in one place.

Internal economies are helpful at spreading fixed costs over larger outputs. Examples are

• Sharing buildings: multi-use, time sharing. Catholic churches have shared their large buildings with other congregations to cut down on paying the costs.
• Sharing equipment: communal resources, labs.
• Sharing infrastructure: roads, connections. Which comes naturally with being in the same location.
• Savings through bulk purchases
• Greater division of labor

Research Ideas from Class: Agglomeration in Nonprofits, Main

Agglomeration in Nonprofits

Do nonprofits locate near each other and build off each other the same way that service businesses do? Do they internally develop like businesses? What are the location factors for nonprofits?

Could nonprofits gain from internal economies? Could they gain from studying forward and backward linkages? And, can some nonprofits develop into a localized economy that could sustain a small population?

Incorporating Academic into Real World Problems

So I'm taking Urban Economic Development at school and I'm going over exactly the kind of patterns that I want to use in my development model for research. It's exciting shit.

Agglomeration. Localization. Backward and forward linkages. Low order and high order services/goods. Central place theory. Broad strokes that I can get MUCH more specific with by using my 24 necessities as examples. That's alot of research, by the way. But I'm willing to do it to get some good models to build businesses and economies from.

I need to plug these keywords into the college library databases and come up with some precedent. Like Velma Kelly, I just can't do it alone.

The Twenty-Four Necessities

I'm compiling a list of twelve businesses and twelve non-profits every neighborhood needs to have a high quality of life, strong sense of community and accountability and control. I'll use it to create an economic development model focuses on the needs of households.

Business Suggestions

1. grocery store
2. bank/credit union
3. minutemen temp agency
4. day care
5. hospital
6. laundry mat
7. hardware store
8. office space
9. furniture store
10. diner
11. barbershop
12. book store
13. theater
14. coffee shop
15. clothing store
16. spa/bath house
17. office supply store
18. dentist
19. gym
20. hotel

Non-Profit Suggestions

1. library
2. elementary school
3. middle school
4. high school
5. community center
6. temple
7. gallery
8. park
9. post office
10. fire station
11. police station
12. head-start
13. museum/historical society
14. political party headquarters
15. government representatives offices
16. free clinic
17. settlement house

need more! How are all these different from each other? How do they connect?
What industries surround them? How can we use them to agglomerate more business and industry?

What Keeps Me from My Dreams

I am not focused enough on my work to really get it done. I spend more time wishing to talk to someone so that I don't feel like a freak for obsessing over my work.

Now I am starting to understand that most entrepreneurs don't have someone to talk to--at first. They spend more time working than talking. More time listening to need than talking. More time researching where they fit into the present framework and how they want to change the way the world see's their object of obsession. I'm okay that my mom still doesn't get urban planning.

If I spent half the time researching and listening more to insight than explaining what I think, I would be farther along in building my cities than I am now. Plus, I would actually graduate from college on time.

Here's to a semester of study.

Create Cities, Whole Cities.

Most people don't think their government is accountable to them. Some people don't trust their city government, let alone Ohio or the Feds.

But the point of the police still stands, to ensure safety. You don't think they do that in East Cleveland? Sure, they don't. The people have a high concentration of murders every year. What combats that?

I understand that you may not like how government does things, but the issues they fight are still issues we must fight if we take their power.

I want to create some new cities in Ohio. But, first, I want to create networks of citizen participation. That means citizens deterring crime, citizens creating new businesses, citizens creating new non-profits. And, once I've done that, I'll build a government around financing and legitimizing those choices.

I want to create whole cities.