Egocentric virus plagues Roanoke and NRV

The debate about economic growth in this region isn’t new.

More than 10 years ago, The Roanoke Times wrote about development in the Roanoke and New River Valleys. Those interviewed agreed that the region should be viewed holistically for the area to take advantage of its disparate strengths. Regional governments were called to work together as a seamless entity.

And yet, as evidenced by a recent article in The Roanoke Times on this very same topic, the idea of economic regionalism has not progressed out of the embryonic stage. Each region appears to think it can survive and prosper in the global market without the other. That’s a recipe for minimal regional growth and development for the entire area.

The problem is egocentrism -- or the belief that economic development revolves solely around either the Roanoke or New River Valley. Planners develop marketing brands, initiate projects and strategize as if they don’t need the other region to be economically successful – even though stakeholders in both regions know this is not a winning formula.

And still, they all pretend to be surprised when these “cut off your nose to spite your face” policies fail.

The pull between the research facilities at Virginia Tech and the regional airport that services Roanoke is one example of this egocentrism at work. As political economist Robert Reich noted years ago in his book The Work of Nations, a first-class airport and outstanding research university are both essential to competing in the global economy.

Cutting-edge research -- especially in the medical field -- at Virginia Tech and in the research park is bringing both worldwide recognition and dollars to Blacksburg. Montgomery County administrators act as if this is sufficient to ensure economic growth in the NRV. It isn’t.

Corporate executives and venture capitalists have to get to Virginia Tech to discuss the timetable for bringing these products to market. These people normally travel by air. The Roanoke Regional Airport, and the excellent ground transportation once they land, is key to cultivating a successful global market for products discovered and manufactured in Blacksburg.

However, Roanoke didn’t solicit ideas from Montgomery County officials when setting the schedule for the Smart Way bus, a grant-funded project of Valley Metro that makes regular runs between Roanoke and several stops in the NRV.

Montgomery County administrators would have signed on and supported the venture from the beginning, if only the Star City had incorporated the need for an efficient delivery service between Blacksburg and the Roanoke Regional Airport. Ultimately, they came to an agreement, but better communication would have eliminated a lot of confusion and frustration on both sides.

We need a charismatic leader with a vision that allows both Roanoke and Montgomery County officials to understand that neither region can win alone in the global market. But both can possibly win working together.

UCLA management professor William Ouchi wrote an article more than 20 years ago in the Administrative Science Quarterly called “Markets, Clans, and Bureaucracies.” He explained how different clans had to cooperate in order to succeed in volatile markets.

He advocated the use of organizational processes that share valuable resources and, consequently, avoid costly inefficiencies because of duplication. In addition, he suggested cultural belief systems should be developed to reinforce the reality that to succeed as an individual, the group must also succeed.

Sounds like Ouchi’s prescription might be the perfect antidote for the egocentrism virus that continues to plague Roanoke and New River Valley.