Thread by @william_r_kerr

Our @HarvardHBS MBA course on #ManagingTheFutureOfWork is underway!

I share a few key ideas from each class that sparked conversation.

Class 23 covered Jump-Starting America, @baselinescene & @jonathangruber1's plan to renew US cities thru innovation: amazon.com/Jump-Starting-…

Their plan is to invest $100bn into basic R&D in middle America cities to spur breakthrough innovations, attracting talented people and unlocking growth

Research supports the idea, and the authors harken back to the US post-WW2 prosperity when public R&D was much higher.

Should interventions be place-based (as in Jump-Start) or universal (eg, broadband access)? A trade-off exists for likelihood of success vs widespread benefits.

Simon & Jon see place-based as politically feasible, and they propose an Innovation Dividend to spread out the gains.

Class debated criteria for selecting cities, esp "future potential" versus current traits. Most ended up emphasizing a longer horizon view, while recognizing it is hard to grow a top university if not already there.

Simon & Jon agree - but also pushed back on skeptics...

You can view the cities that rank highly under the authors' baseline criteria... and play with your own model on the Jump-Starting America website… among qualified cities, the authors propose positive contests for selection vs HQ2-esque tax breaks:
jump-startingamerica.com

We spent extra time on how the intervention would impact gentrification--would the city win but also push poorer groups out of their homes? A tricky balance as rising land prices are part of the scheme (how the gov gets a return to pay the innovation dividend).

Grab your copy today - Simon & Jon are touring the country now making their pitch, and if you ask politely they just might come visit you and your city too!
amazon.com/Jump-Starting-…