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The Oakland Partnership is gaining momentum. The launch event on May 3 was followed up by five cluster meetings in June and July (in healthcare, biotechnology, trade and logistics, creative arts, and green technology). The groups ranged from 30 individuals in the biotechnology cluster to 69 in green technology. The initial task of each cluster group was the confirmation of the major opportunities and challenges facing their industry and the identification of a number of concrete actions that can move each industry forward.

In my experience, in more than 15 years in collaborative economic strategy development, the most successful efforts are a careful blend of participation from every part of the community (community members and CEOs), a balance that is finely tuned to the region’s economy, history and culture, and that even varies by cluster as necessary. In Oakland, a unique constellation evolved in the Oakland Partnership:

This is the right layer cake of committed stakeholders (top-down and bottom-up) who can stimulate real economic growth that benefits everyone in Oakland.

There is much work to be done. Having agreed on broad strategic directions, the clusters have now divided into subgroups to hammer out details, and will reconvene in September to evaluate progress and act on priorities. But they have a big head start, with most of the underbrush already cleared away, and a clear vision of the job that needs to be done. Most importantly, there is a very clear sense of direction, and a surprising sense of unanimity regarding the goals and the means to accomplish them. This unanimity, in turn, has led to a striking willingness to cooperate from a variety of corners that don’t have a long track record of collaboration. Participants sense that Oakland is on the verge of something big.

All very nice, but where’s the beef? The “beef” is in the 15-20 detailed business plans that are under preparation, forming the backbone of the implementation initiatives through the fall of 2007. Creation of an Investor’s Network for green technology and biotech investments in the East Bay. Breakthroughs in land use planning to pave the way for more jobs. A branding and promotion campaign of Oakland as the hub of a vibrant, dynamic world-class region, which encompasses jobs as diverse as computer programming and artistic expression in one seamless web (the “Creative Arts” cluster). Working with the major hospitals to streamline their efforts to upgrade and expand their facilities and to help develop the healthcare sector so that it not only serves Oakland residents and the surrounding community far better than before, but with greater impact on diverse populations and boosting the region’s reputation as a medical research center of excellence.

Each of these initiatives, and a dozen more like them, will not only have a major impact of their own, but will serve to inspire greater levels of participation, collaboration, innovation and achievement. Participants already involved in the process say they have been hungry for something tangible to work on, a way to really utilize their talents on something that will further the city as well as themselves. When word starts to get out, many more will add their shoulders to the wheel. Nothing succeeds like success.

Alec Hansen, Ph.D. is an economist specializing in cluster-based economic development. He is president of the Economic Competitiveness Group, Inc., and vice president of The Competitiveness Institute.