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CONSIOERiNG CHANGE Durham and Wake counties illustrate ment structures in Chat co omit development function. These As the economic developto structure a county there is no one best way ortance of county commitment to economic demonstrate the imp e County is counties do, however, regardless of its structure. If orange one of two development and support of the function, reg act, it may wish to explore interested n increasing the OCEDCIs activity and imThese approaches differ in strategy but primary change Paths — cultural or structural change. orange County Board of begin at the same point, with a new commitment from the Commissioners to support economic development. Cultural Change this change roach to change would involve incremental improvements bus nesstsl to ke Ye Ois c A cultural app en Orange County empower the OCEDC to lead economic structure. Its end result would be to op in developing a comprehensive, would begin with the Board of Commissioners emp call on the County development. From here, the OCEDC could lead the Such county plan would likely policy- driven economic development strategic p in economic development. One such to clearly e shell building in one of its economic Department demonstrate its new commitment to encourag method might involve the County constructing clearly demonstrate to the North Carolina ants to bring in development districts. This move . ngle Regional Partnership that the County and equally importantly, this move would give prospects a chance of Commerce and the Research Triang prospective new employers, County. to see themselves in orange Even an incremental approach to change will require a great deaf of 1. Establishing a sense of urgency and support to gain 2. Creating the guiding coalition leadership momentum. OCEDC staff and County 3, Developing a vision and strategy q. Communicating the change vision Commissioners process m y benefitdfrom leading eald'iing for broad -based action this process may 5. Empowering employees Leading Change. in this 1995 text, e management guru John Kotter 6. Generating short -term wins Chang smart, gains and producing more change s for leading 7. consolidating g details eight step r argues sustainable chang e Kottecreating a ht -Stage Change Process effective change begins by sense of urgency. 20 The current Figure 7: Knitter's Eight-Stage economic environment, gap between s failure to attract new businesses a e, One could argue that if Orange County fails to diversify its commercial and residential tax bases, and the County falls is to at the suggest an urgent need for change. education and other County priorities ent need for tax base, it will be unable otential for developing a strong case for the urgent The p ntinue funding identify and discuss the challenges levels it has previously. to stand up, change is clear. It just takes one leader willing ading Change. Boston: Harvard Business School Press, pp• 21• 20 Kotter, John P. (1996)• Le 10