Economic Development in North Carolina: Moving toward Innovation

North Carolina’s economy appears to be undergoing a sea change. In fact, the ship of state seems to have lost its economic moorings. But is this actually the case? This article examines the state’s changing economy and lays out a framework for thinking about economic development policy. It describes traditional economic development policies and their achievements. Then it surveys innovative policies and programs of the past decade. It concludes with a framework for integrating traditional and innovative policies into a matrix for planning and action.