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| Oregon, the Innovation State |
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Oregon competes in a global economy. To succeed in the world market, Oregon must cultivate its competitive advantages.
Oregon must become a world leader for innovation: it must encourage innovative technology, innovative culture, innovative business, innovative marketing, innovative governance and innovative approaches to economic growth and development for all Oregonians. In short, Oregon must become "The Innovation State."
Innovation
Oregon's existing industries will stay healthy and competitive by improving existing products and developing leading-edge products and services. Oregon will commercialize research and foster entrepreneurship to develop a new generation of industries and to diversify its economy.
Oregon will market its products and resources to the rest of the world and increase exports while bringing new investment, companies and jobs to our state.
Competing in a Global Economy
Oregon's industries have the unique ability to rapidly turn ideas into products, systems and services that are differentiated, and thus competitive. Oregon businesses will remain competitive by being first to market with new ideas, adding value to their existing products, expanding high-value niche markets, increasing productivity and responsiveness to customers or increasing the knowledge and skills of its workforce to realize and generate further innovation.
Innovation isn't just about research and development. Every worker is a potential source of the innovative ideas in order to develop new products, improve efficiency, and find out new ways of satisfying customers. The best businesses tap the talent and creativity of every worker to look for better ways to do everything, every day. For example, many Oregon firms are using innovative practices to become "high performance work organizations" that better tap worker skills and insights to increase productivity and responsiveness to customers.
Traded Sector Strength
In the past two decades, Oregon has moved from an economy chiefly based on forest products and agriculture to a balanced mix of technology-oriented and natural resource industries. Oregon's economy is now supported by increases in international trade, in-migration, a high quality of life, and business diversification, with a multitude of large and small, traditional and emerging technology firms and traded-sector industries.
Innovation is more than just technology. Electronics and biotechnology capture headlines, but innovation includes all the small and seemingly simple ways people make things better. It also includes figuring out new ways to reach the market and build customer satisfaction and loyalty. Whether it is the style of a new running shoe, the distinctive taste of an Oregon micro-brew or the organic appeal of Oregon country beef, new ideas move our economy forward.
Targeted Industry Cluster and Current Market Strengths
Oregon is a leader in engineered wood products, micro-technologies, semiconductors and display systems, advanced manufacturing, fabrication and infrastructure engineering, sports apparel, neurosciences, specialized food and nursery products, distribution and logistics, tourism and recreational vehicles including RV and fishing boats. To keep that edge, Oregon needs to maintain a solid research infrastructure for new product development, increase its start-up capital to help new discoveries reach the marketplace, and enhance the ability of businesses to quickly access and adopt productivity tools that sustain their competitiveness.
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| The State's Strategy |
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The state will pursue a four-fold strategy for economic growth:
Invest in Infrastructure and Communities
The state must expend and leverage resources to make sure our markets are open and accessible. This includes:
- Invest in Oregon's multi-modal transportation infrastructure - including roads, bridges, ports, airports and railways - to allow businesses to decrease time to market for their goods.
- Invest in Oregon's rural and urban community infrastructure - including roads, water, energy, sewer and technology infrastructure, that are needed to retain and attract business expansion.
- Invest in technology infrastructure that provides communities, businesses and governments with state-of-the-art telecommunications and information systems.
Invest in Human Capital and Promoting Innovation
To sustain economic growth for the generations to come, Oregon must invest in intellectual capital. The state must invest in educating and training citizens to create a next generation labor force able to compete in the global markets. Having a highly trained workforce with cutting-edge skills is critical to success. Investments in education and training must include:
- Support the development of a sustainable, stable pre-K-20 education system that is second to none.
- Increase access to, affordability of and excellence in post-secondary education.
- Enhance Oregon's training systems and provide focused workforce training in high demand and critical occupations.
- Provide Oregon industries access to a skilled workforce and high performance tools like lean manufacturing to keep operations productive and competitive.
- Promote the importance of education and training as the key to economic prosperity for Oregonians.
Invest in Businesses and Technologies that Drive an Innovation Economy
To make Oregon globally competitive, the state must invest in targeted businesses and technologies that will drive the "innovation economy." In addition to education and training, Oregon must invest in the innovative ideas created in universities and industries. The state must make strategic investments in building Oregon's capacity in universities and citizens, partnering with private industry to bring those ideas and products to market. Investments in innovation must include:
- Research and development in new technologies and products through partnerships among universities, federal labs and industry, including signature research centers like the Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnologies Institutue (ONAMI) and Center for Manufacturing and Infrastructure Engineering, or new research arising out of sustainable energy, agriculture or forest products.
- Enhancement and expansion of start-up capital to promote the commercialization of research into new and existing companies.
- Attracting and leveraging new investment – private sector, international and venture capital - and federal dollars to Oregon's economy and businesses.
- Greater access to international markets and expanded targeted marketing of Oregon's innovation products and knowledge base to other states and nations through programs like Brand Oregon.
- Strategic use our resources to recruit, expand and retain businesses that further Oregon's core competencies and aspiration as the mecca for innovation and sustainability.
Facilitate Growth through a Positive Business Climate
Government needs to balance myriad interests in order to govern for the public good. Often, the primary tool for action is through regulation of multiple interests. One way to facilitate Oregon's economic growth is to seek the right balance between the benefits of regulation and the costs of "unfettered" growth. The state must use its resources to reduce barriers to business and growth when the costs of those barriers exceed the benefits received. We must continue to facilitate a positive business by taking the following action:
- Identify and certify marketable industrial sites that are ready for business location or expansion.
- Coordinate with state and local agencies to address regulatory and land use compliance issues, and development constraints.
- Help to identify and resolve regulatory conflicts, and ensure delivery of state permits, funds, and services in a streamlined, coordinated and objective manner.
- Identify and apply tax tools that create an appropriate balance between the service needs of Oregonians and needs of business and industry such as the Strategic Investment Program.
- Help create a healthcare environment that provides better value, sustainable cost trends and improved quality.
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