FUTURE Social Network Map June 2006

(Click on the image above for more detail.)
Regional economies grow organically and just like growth cycles in nature, mature through birth, growth and death curves. Economists call these curves, "S" curves.

The Northeast Ohio region needs to move out of the past industrial "S" curve and into the next innovation "S" curve quickly. A lack of speed and failure to recognize value in non-tangibles is why Cleveland, the former hub of Northeast Ohio industry, is rated the poorest in the country. Speed is everything.

The good news is there are many entrepreneurs in NEO building what we call "next generation clusters". Next generation clusters are the new footholds for the next "S" curve.

I-Open civic forums focus on early stage thinking for these non-tangible next generation clusters. This is what nascent innovation looks like; presenting as forum topics, aggregating interest and accelerating shared group learning. Next Generation Entrepreneurs contribute by leading forums and participating in fast moving conversations. This is a new process of civic engagement that takes ideas to action (we call this "strategic doing") by leveraging the practices and tools for Open Source Economic Development developed by I-Open.

Next generation clusters can be identified, mapped and measured. Examples of clusters are gaming, digital media, software development, design. The social network map above offers a snapshot of early stage next generation cluster activity.

Forums support and cultivate transparent environments for information exchange, essential to enable individuals and teams to realize new opportunities sooner and faster. This is how business development occurs in flat, open networked economies.

Mapping growth or isolation in social connectivity is a standard metric for building innovation economy infrastructure. We will be mapping again soon.