Eschewing the traditional entitlement approach, Porter formed the ICIC with the hope of developing permanent private-sector job growth in the inner city.
In the 1995 Harvard Business Review article, Porter outlined the strategy that he is applying to the ICIC.
Porter says that inner-city neighborhoods are generally perceived as unprofitable regions in which to locate business because of a number of misconceptions.
Instead of focusing on problems such as poor infrastructure, a low- Porter cites four basic competitive advantages urban neighborhoods have: * Strategic location near central business districts and major transportation hubs. * Underserved consumers with substantial purchasing power. * Growth opportunities through integration with regional business clusters. * Stable and underutilized workers with entrepreneurial potential. The ICIC pursues these goals through researching and consulting for local businesses and linking them with major corporations. To execute their agenda, the group enlists the pro bono brain power of MBA candidates from business schools across the nation. This fall one group of HBS students is in Miami conducting a benchmark study of the city's economy. In addition to providing a profound analysis on Miami's individual problems, the study will be added to nine similar ones from around the nation providing insight on broader trends within local economies. Anne S. Habiby, a recent addition to the ICIC team, is the national director of the organization's research projects. Habiby feels that Porter's organization offers an important contribution to research on inner-city problems. "It's not the case that we go into the inner city every few years, do a few studies and get some data," Habiby said. "We are in the inner city every single day." In addition to research conducted in major U.S. cities, the ICIC also acts as a consultant for inner-city businesses in Baltimore, Boston, Oakland, Calif. and Kansas City, Mo. Read more in News
