What The Walking Dead can teach us about Economic Development

Today’s economy is a challenging environment for economic development, but it’s no zombie apocalypse.

With The Walking Dead setting ratings records, it’s safe to say plenty of economic development professionals watch every episode. But does this nerve-wracking saga of desperate survivors battling flesh-eating zombies offer anything worth pondering from an economic development standpoint?

Of course it does. A recent binge-viewing of Seasons 1 and 2 revealed 5 lessons economic development professionals can learn from the zombie apocalypse survivors. Here’s a sneak peek with tip #1:

1. Go for the head. Attracting a new business to your community is like putting down a zombie—your best bet is a clean shot to the head. Pumping scarce bullets into a zombie’s body is wasteful and ineffective—only a direct shot to the brain will stop it. Similarly, communities talk about targeting industries or corporations, but that’s like spraying bullets into a crowd of zombies… [continued]