Enterprise Zone Administration in Oregon: A Structural Analysis

Abstract

Enterprise zones are an economic development policy adopted by many local governments in Oregon and elsewhere. The management structures used to implement enterprise zones are illustrative of operational dynamics of public-private partnerships used for economic development purposes. This study utilizes interviews of local economic development actors and government document research to assess types and levels of partnership between each city and its development non-profit. This qualitative analysis is aimed at discovering similarities and differences in how cities execute enterprise zone management and how these discoveries fit in the context of public administration literature. Aspects of each cities partnership are explored. Most interview subjects agree on the importance of enterprise zones and the use of partnership to promote economic development, but there are significant operational differences among the cities which reveal a need for ongoing assessment of management structure and partnership roles.