Dallas needs a canoe factory.
Or, at least that is what John Greenan thinks.
John leads Central Dallas Community Development Corporation.
He works extremely hard these days at getting several large, multi-family housing projects--one with a sizeable retail component--out of the ground, literally. By definition he is also concerned about economic development for the sake of those who, for all practical purposes, are shut out of the Dallas marketplace.
John believes that our fundamental challenge is to learn to play the game of capitalism in a way that benefits the poor.
That means that job creation will remain a priority. But, the jobs we need to create must be the sort that pay a livable wage.
Back to the canoe factory.
John is a canoeing maniac.
He travels to participate in races and arranges family excursions to hit the rivers. He can be found on White Rock Lake and in White Rock Creek most weekends working out his stress in one of his several canoes.
Not long ago he told me that he had found a canoe factory in Florida that was for sale. It turns out that when you buy a canoe company you are purchasing designs and patents. As a result, you can relocate a company like this just about anywhere. It can be a mail order, on-line, "phone it in" company. You can open a warehouse factory anywhere you choose.
But here is the best part: employees of such a company would learn transferable, manufacturing skills and they would earn a wage that would allow them and their families to actually live!
We may never bring the canoe company to Dallas. We dream a lot here. . . so, who knows? Maybe we will.
But, John's thinking is on target. We have to play to the capitalism that makes our economy whirl. And, most importantly, we must find as many ways as possible to create jobs, real jobs, good jobs for the hundreds of people we meet every day who want to move up and on toward a better life.
John's vision reminds me of the work of Harvard professor, Michael E. Porter. His extremely interesting essay, “The Competitive Advantage of the Inner City” (Harvard Business Review, May-June 1995), has shaped a lot of our thinking about what might happen in neighborhoods like ours. As always, the only limits are funding and time.
Keep dreaming, John! We'll get there.
10 comments:
Larry,
Don't know if you remember me, but I used to hang around your office from time to time in the late 80's at richardson East with some other guys from Highland Oaks' IPM.
I have kept up with your work through the years and and I am extremely thankful for your heart and dedication to serving the poor. I found your blog through my very good friend, John Dobbs.
Anyway, I just wanted to say hello and thank you. I hope to see you again some day and renew our acqauintance. Please keep your chin up and continue the work of Jesus among the poor.
Uh-oh, Larry. The people who desperately label you Communist aren't going to have anything to write about now that you've endorsed this plan.
Gary, great hearing from you! I would love to see you when it is convenient for you. Thanks for the post.
Charles, yep, the extreme rhetoric that pops up here at times is usually laughable, huh? But I guess it does surprise some people to learn that I think the best social engagement program ever invented was a job that paid a fair and living wage! Come to think of it, if all work returned that to all workers, we likely could have avoided the whole communist thing altogether!
Hi Larry. We met in Tulsa when you came up to meet at Garnett earlier this year.
I've become aware and passionate about what you are talking about here. There is a new growing movement among Christian businesspeople and churches called "Business as Mission" or "Kingdom Business". It basically reclaims the Biblical principles found in good business practices and rather than shying away from using them to carry out God's work (not only evangelism but also caring for the poor), the movement encourages Christian businessmen to do just what you dream of with the canoe business - empower the poor and promote economic development in areas that need it most.
If anyone is interested in business and missions here are just a few more opportunities and resources for learning more. The DFW area seems to be the area for BAM conferences! These are some right around the calendar corner.
The International Conference on Business and Mission Integration - Dallas, Oct. 12-14, 2006
http://www.icbmi.org/
YWAM's Business as Mission Resource Center
http://www.businessasmission.com/pages
C12 Group's Leader Conference - Arlington, TX Sept. 28-30, 2006
http://www.c12group.com/promo_display.php?id=36
I also found a recent and good Harvard Business article called "A Gentler Capitalism:Black Business Leadership in the New South Africa"
http://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/5460.html
I hope these links work and I hope that business leaders are more intentional to use their gifts to empower and provide jobs for the poor.
Thanks for all that you do.
Larry, I think we might be taking this whole "going upriver" idea of poverty intervention too literally....
Clint, thanks for the post and the helpful information!
Jeremy, you could be right, but if we had a widget factory it might make your job easier!
Oh yes, no arugment there. Just couldn't resist making the pun.
Set up shop along the mighty, mighty Trinity?
I have to admit that there is something of a fantasy element for me in the idea of starting a canoe factory (after all, I've been increasing my fleet of canoes by an average of about 4 per year recently!), but the thought behind the idea is important.
Jobs are the best remedy for poverty. If for-profit businesses won't, or can't, create jobs in our inner city communities, then those of us in the nonprofit sector have to find a way to create jobs.
If someone wants to help the poor, then the best way to do it isn't to become a social worker, but to start a successful business.
The best jobs to alleviate poverty are manufacturing jobs. Those jobs are relatively high paying and don't require a great deal of formal education. Here in the city, we have a large amount of surplus labor available; all the infrastructure already in place; and fairly low costs to acquire manufacturing facilities. When you consider the government incentives available and some of the cost advantages of operating as a nonprofit, then we should be ashamed of ourselves if we don't even try to create jobs.
Besides, everybody needs a dozen or so canoes--they don't pollute, are great exercise, and teach one balance (or, in the alternive, improve your swimming).
Don't read this. It's an entirely spurious comment to see if my new avatar with the image of me in a canoe is working.
FloatingMr. Greenan, my name is Noah Steffy and I believe Jesus is the only way. I stummbled onto this site in my research on how to manufacture canoes as I hope to open/start a manufacturing setup for cheap canoes in my town for two demographics: The obese; and the low income (the least of these among us). I'm starting out with only Jesus and a vision and am seeking counsel, suggestions, pointers, etc. My gratitude, Noah (steefyn@wmconnect.com).
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