Generating Community Change 355Economic development is one part of community development. Consequently,
the type of economic development strategy pursued should match the community
development model used. Two of the more common models are the firm recruit-
ment model and the self-development model. For both community development
and economic development, new collaborations must be formed inside and out-
side communities.
Appendix: Key Terms
An asset-based approach to development is used by most community developers
now, in contrast to the old needs assessments. Whereas a needs assessment focused
on what was not in a community and developed a wish list of projects and pro-
grammes, an asset-based approach links the various capitals existing in a commu-
nity to see how they can be recombined to achieve a desired future condition.
The broadform mineral deed was used by land purchasers in the early 1900s to
buy up hundreds of thousands of acres of mineral rights, leaving subsequent surface
owners legally helpless to prevent destruction of their homes, yards and gardens by
strip mining when this technology came into vogue in the middle of the century.
Collective agency is the ability of a group of people to solve common problems
together.
Community development is what people do to improve the overall quality of the
community.
The conflict model of community development focuses on the redistribution of
power among community members.
The firm recruitment model of economic development assumes that private-
sector firms have considerable geographic mobility and seeks to engage commu-
nity resources to attract those industries to the community.
Futuring is a process used by community developers and planners that brings
together a small but representative group to assess the current environment, develop
a strategic positioning plan and establish priorities based on the assessment and con-
sistent with the plan and the organization’s or community’s mission.
The self-development model of economic development uses public-sector groups
working with private-sector groups to establish locally owned enterprises.
The self-help model of community development focuses on the process by
which people work together to arrive at group decisions and take action.
The technical assistance model of community development focuses on the task
to be accomplished and uses outside expertise to help community members accom-
plish that task.
Visioning is a process used by community developers and planners to work
with a broad-based group of citizens to determine desired future conditions and
long-term goals for what their community should be.