IC² Institute

Permanent URI for this communityhttps://hdl.handle.net/2152/14283

The IC² Institute was established at The University of Texas at Austin in 1977 as a think-and-do tank to study the drivers of economic development and shared prosperity. IC² has a deep legacy not only of academic research, but also of real-world practice—and connecting academia, business, and community leaders around bold ideas. Under current director S. Craig Watkins, IC² is connecting economic development to well-being. The Institute’s new strategic initiative, “Innovating Well-Being,” will drive research and programs that advance equity in social, economic, environmental and health systems.

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A Machine Learning Approach: Socio-economic Analysis to Support and Identify Resilient Analog Communities in Texas
(2022-08-26) Mabadeje, Ademide O.
Identification of analog resources or items are important during the planning and development of new communities because available information is usually limited or absent. Conventionally, analogs are made by domain experts however, this is not always readily obtainable. Coupled with this challenge, most of the available data in socioeconomic systems have high dimensionality making interpretation, and visualization of these datasets difficult. Hence, it is crucial to adopt a workflow that can be used to identify analogs regardless of its existing high dimensionality. To this end, we present a systematic and unbiased measure, group similarity score (GCS) and similarity scoring metric (SSM) to support the predictive search of missing properties for target communities and identification of analogous cities based on available socioeconomic data and modeling. Knowing that each Texan community can be characterized by its associated properties, the workflow combines both spatial and multivariate statistics in a novel manner to determine the GCS & SSM whilst visualizing the associated uncertainty space. The workflow consists of three major steps: 1) key parameter selection via feature engineering, 2) multivariate and spatial analysis using multidimensional scaling (MDS) and density-based spatial clustering of applications with noise (DBSCAN) for clustering analysis, 3) similarity ranking using a modified Mahalanobis distance function as a clustering basis on preprocessed data. Afterwards, to assess the quality of the predicted feature and analog communities obtained, K-nearest neighbor algorithm is applied, then the analog cities are found. The workflow is demonstrated using on high dimensional socio-economic data. We find analogs for each community cluster identified with their GCS and SSM in relation to 4 randomly selected communities used for testing. Thus, it is recommended to apply the integration of this workflow in uncertainty exploration, trend-mappings, and community analog assignment, and benchmarking to support decision making.
A Roadmap to the Innovation Hub of the Hill Country
(2020) Pedigo, Steven
To further its pursuit of economic resiliency, Boerne/KendallCounty requires a deliberate, collaborative strategy for business expansion, startup and enterprise development, talent attraction/retention, and destination development. Guided by Steven Pedigo, faculty director of the LBJ Urban Labat the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at UT-Austin, and with the financial support of the IC2 Institute, the BoerneKendall County Economic Development Corporation (BKCEDC)has spent the past year engaging with residents, business executives, community leaders, and elected officials on how to build Kendall County into a creative and innovation hub for theTexas Hill Country. The result is this five-year strategy.An environmentally responsible community with an appreciation for its singular quality of life, Boerne/Kendall County is the creative and innovation hub for the Texas Hill Country.
Accelerating Technology-based Economic Development in the Canary Islands
(IC² Institute, The University of Texas at Austin, 2000-02-28) Jarrett, James E.; Aguirre, José Manuel; Kaehler, Richard; Durden, Elizabeth
This report provides an analysis of technology-based entrepreneurship, R&D and university technology transfer, workforce training, financing, and industry clusters, and benchmarks the Canary Islands with other regions and small nations.
Accelerating Technology-based Economic Growth and Entrepreneurship in Greater Moncton Part B, Full Data Presentation
(2007-04) IC² Institute, The University of Texas at Austin
Report prepared for the Moncton Technology Planning Group, Moncton, NB, Canada. It emphasizes the importance of having common visions and action plans to mobilize key local partnerships.
Accelerating Technology-based Economic Growth and Entrepreneurship in Greater Moncton: Part A, Executive Summary
(IC² Institute, The University of Texas at Austin, 2007-01) IC² Institute, The University of Texas at Austin
Report prepared for the Moncton Technology Planning Group, Moncton, NB, Canada. It emphasizes the importance of having common visions and action plans to mobilize key local partnerships.
Accelerating Technology-Based Growth and Entrepreneurship in the Greater Waco Region
(IC² Institute, The University of Texas at Austin, 2002) IC² Institute, The University of Texas at Austin
Study prepared for the Greater Waco Technology Planning Group to assist in visioning a new economic future for Waco. The Executive Summary, which is prepared as a stand-alone document, is included in the main report along with a section of supporting documents.
Across the Income Divide: High-Tech Industries in Texas Metropolitan Areas
(Bureau of Business Research, The University of Texas at Austin, 2000-10) Echeverri-Carroll, Elsie L.; Kumazawa, Risa
Policymakers in high-technology cities have become increasingly concerned that large segments of their populations are not reaping the benefits of the economic growth associated with these industries. Though it should be noted that our perception of the positive correlation between income inequalities and the growth of high-tech industries result from indirect observations, the data considered in this article do illustrate some of the consequences of being a "high-tech city."
Activities and Resources of the Galveston Bay
(Bureau of Business Research, The University of Texas at Austin, 1971-12) Holstrum, Gary L.; Williams, W. Reed
Report on the benefits associated with activities and resources of Galveston Bay. Aggregates data from a variety of sources on the economic value of the Galveston Bay waters in three sectors: (1) recreation, (2) natural resources, and (3) industry and commerce. Prepared by the Bureau of Business Research for the Galveston Bay Project of the Texas Water Quality Board.
Application Driven Theory: Rigorously Combining Applied and Basic Research Relevant to Accounting and Marketing
(Journal of Accounting & Marketing, 2012-01) Golden, Linda L.; Cooper, William W.; Brockett, Patrick L.
In this editorial, the authors argue that accounting and marketing research can be both practically relevant and theoretically well-grounded, if a paradigm of application driven theory is adopted and rigorously applied. They distinguish between two dichotomies characterizing research, (1) basic vs. non-basic research and (2) applied vs. pure research. They call for an approach to accounting and marketing based in the intersection of applied and basic research which they refer to as "Application Driven Theory."
Articulating Problems and Markets: A Translation Analysis of Entrepreneurs’ Emergent Value Propositions
(SAGE, 2018-07-18) Spinuzzi, Clay; Altounian, David; Pogue, Gregory P.; Zhu, Lily; Cochran, Robert
In this qualitative study, the authors apply Callon’s sociology of translation to examine how new technology entrepreneurs enact material arguments that involve the first two moments of translation—problematization (defining a market problem) and interessement (defining a market and the firm’s relationship to it) - which in turn are represented in a claim, the value proposition. That emergent claim can then be represented and further changed during pitches. If accepted, it can then lead to the second two moments of translation: enrollment and mobilization. Drawing on written materials, observations, and interviews, we trace how these value propositions were iterated along three paths to better problematize and interesse, articulating a problem and market on which a business could plausibly be built. We conclude by discussing implications for understanding value propositions in entrepreneurship and, more broadly, using the sociology of translation to analyze emergent, material, consequential arguments. The study is based on data collected at the Austin Technology Incubator’s Student Entrepreneur Acceleration and Launch program (ATI SEAL) at The University of Texas at Austin.
An Assessment of Mental Health Services for Veterans in the State of Texas
(LBJ School of Public Affairs, The University of Texas at Austin, 2015) Eaton, David; Hornbach, Rebecca; Marcotte, Lauren; Read, Lindsay
This report describes the complex challenges faced by veterans and their families in seeking, navigating, and attaining adequate mental health care in Texas. There are 1.7 million veterans in Texas, comprising 8.6 percent of the adult population. According to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA), the number of veterans requiring mental health services has grown dramatically and will continue to increase, making veterans’ mental health care an urgent issue in Texas. The federal agencies responsible for military and veterans mental health care, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and the VA, have created new programs and invested significant financial and staff resources. Despite barriers to addressing veterans mental health needs. Texas state agencies have increased funding and instituted new mental health programs supporting returning veterans. Nonprofit agencies focused on veteran’s mental health have multiplied across Texas and the U.S. over the past decade to fill gaps in care. While these organizations provide a growing and increasingly diverse set of resources for veterans to extend the scope of support, volunteer efforts can suffer from fragmentation and overlap. The report identifies current practices, challenges, and opportunities within and across each group of service providers. The report draws on government reports, scholarly literature, and agency websites, as well as interviews with counselors, Veteran Service Officers, nonprofit providers, state officials, and veterans themselves. This report offers five recommendations toward the goal that veterans’ mental health care in Texas become comprehensive, inclusive, effective, and efficient. First, there is a need for greater inter-agency communication across organizations, improved outreach efforts, and increased services for hard-to-reach populations, such as homeless veterans. Second, federal agencies ought to address staff shortages, improve the transition from DoD to VA care, and increase feedback. Third, at the state level, specialized services are needed to address unique veterans’ needs concentrated in cities across Texas as well as those dispersed in rural areas. Fourth, providers can improve mental health care by integrating social services and law enforcement. Fifth, both veterans and providers can benefit if they recognize opportunities for cooperation and coordination and work towards long-term goals that emphasize outcomes that improve the lives of returning veterans. This research was funded in part by the Jack S. Blanton Research Fellowship and the George A. Roberts Research Fellowship of the IC² Institute.
An Assessment of the Adult Entertainment Industry in Texas
(Bureau of Business Research, The University of Texas at Austin, 2009-03) Kellison, J. Bruce; Busch-Armendariz, Noël; Jarrett, James E.
This project, a collaboration between the Bureau of Business Research (BBR) and the Institute on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (IDVSA) at The University of Texas at Austin, assesses the socio-economic impact of Texas’ sexually oriented business industry on the Texas economy, analyzes the impact on Texas’ economy of the Adult Entertainment Fee (AEF) imposed by the Legislature in House Bill 1751, and provides recommendations for further regulating the sexually oriented business industry in Texas. Two files are available for download: an executive summary and the full report.
Asset-Based, Sustainable Local Economic Development: Using Community Participation to Improve Quality of Life Across Rural, Small-Town, and Urban Communities
(Applied Research in Quality of Life, 2022-06-22) Kammer-Kerwick, Matt; Takasaki, Kara; Kellison, J. Bruce
We analyze survey data from 5,487 residents of 85 Texas communities, including rural communities, small towns, medium-sized cities, and the five largest urban centers, to model the influence of the degree of urbanity and rurality of a community as well as residents’ social position, values, and their satisfaction with local assets. The paper’s central argument is that a wide range of factors impact how community members think about their needs and thus should be considered in any community development process. This human-centered approach looks at how community specific factors impact economic and quality-of-life development project preferences in support of adapting community development decision-making processes according to the context of each community. For the sake of parsimony, this paper presents results for three community development project concepts: (1) renovating some downtown buildings as mixed-use facilities with retail shops and apartments, (2) opening a community health center, and (3) deploying gigabit high-speed fiber broadband internet in the downtown area. Our findings specifically highlight areas where participatory processes can be introduced to guide further interactions be- tween experts and community members to (1) identify groups in the community to bring into the process who may be most impacted by the choice of one intervention over another, and (2) target areas where further community discussion and deliberation is necessary around which community dialogues (round tables, town halls, workshops, etc.) could be facilitated.
Assets and Challenges for Accelerated Technology-Based Growth in Hidalgo County: A Knowledge-Based Benchmarking
(University of Texas Pan-American, 2001-10-31) Brazier, Gerald D.; Gibson, David V.
Assessment of assets and challenges to the development of a knowledge-based economy in Hidalgo County, Texas, driven by technology industries, second-generation manufacturing, and value-added support services. Includes data on demographics, economy, education, infrastructure, and business activity, as well as a survey of local business leaders on factors affecting economic development.
Assisting Regional Growth through Technology Commercialization: Lessons Learned in Global Programs
(IC² Institute, The University of Texas at Austin, 2012-06-28) Global Commercialization Group
The Global Commercialization Group (GCG) of the IC² Institute at The University of Texas at Austin has been implementing economic development programs for over a decade. Through work in thirteen different countries and with a variety of players, GCG has experienced both great successes and frustrating challenges. GCG’s mission is to help regions around the world help innovation-based businesses succeed, providing opportunities for citizens to prosper. GCG's clients often come with either high expectations - "We’ll be the next Silicon Valley!" - or soured attitudes - "We just paid a consulting company millions for a program that did nothing." What’s the formula for creating real successes—ones that matter to those footing the bill and ones that will matter to the people most in need of opportunities? Here, in brief, are five lessons learned in the course of delivering dozens of initiatives.
At the Crossroads: The Texas/Mexico Border Economy at Cameron County and Matamoros
(Bureau of Business Research, The University of Texas at Austin, 2006-06) Gibson, David V.; Rhi-Perez, Pablo; Zavaleta, Antonio
Cameron County, Texas and Matamoros, Mexico face the Rio Grande River where it meets the Gulf of Mexico; it is a place of natural beauty and agricultural strength. The region has a strong economic and cultural heritage, established educational assets and a rapidly growing bi-literate workforce. Right now, the border region is at a crossroads in terms of regional leadership; business and industry development; education and workforce training; and quality of life. One direction leads toward enhanced regional prosperity; the other results in regional decline.
The Austin Index: Monitoring a City's Progress
(Bureau of Business Research, The University of Texas at Austin, 2003-06) Echeverri-Carroll, Elsie L.; Wright, Rita J.
Developed in 2002 by the Bureau of Business Research (BBR), the Austin Index began as a pilot project to benchmark the economy of the Austin-San Marcos metropolitan statistical area (MSA). The Index uses twenty indicators (measurements) to illustrate Austin's performance today and compares it to that of other leading U.S. high-tech regions. This issue of Texas Business Review (TBR) introduces the Austin Index, providing a sampling of the kinds of analysis and information made available by this resource.
Austin Sui Generis?: The Strength and Resilience of the High-Tech Complex
(Bureau of Business Research, The University of Texas at Austin, 1998-01) Oden, Michael
Austin Sui Generis?: The Strength and Resilience of the High-Tech Complex
(Bureau of Business Research, The University of Texas at Austin, 1998-02) Oden, Michael D.
Since the late 1980s, the growth of the Austin regional economy has outpaced that of other medium-sized high-tech centers. Austin’s economic expansion was based on four private sector growth drivers: computer and office equipment, electronic and electrical equipment, software, and research and engineering services. Each sector showed rapid employment growth, a strong regional export posture, and robust growth in the number of establishments. However, despite this impressive performance, questions linger about the stability and dynamism of this high-tech complex.
Austin Technology-Based Industry Report
(IC² Institute, The University of Texas at Austin, 1991-03) Gibson, David V.; Smilor, Raymond W.; Kozmetsky, George
Exploratory study to report on the current status of Austin's technology-based manufacturing industries, to identify emerging technologies that may be important to the Austin economy, and to provide a perspective on the technology-based industries that may be significant to Austin in the 1990s. The report includes timelines for company relocations, expansions, and foundings in technology industries; funding figures for technology-based research at the University of Texas at Austin; and the results of a survey of business and community leaders about technology-based industries which will be important to Austin in the coming decade.

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