Thousands of bloggers trot out their latest theories and thoughts about economics or entrepreneurship on an ongoing basis. Surprisingly, however, a rare few seem to focus on the ties that bind the two together. A new entry into the blogosphere by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation aims to fill that gap, examining the linkages between economics and entrepreneurship from a policy point of view. Dedicated to the full range of topics surrounding entrepreneurship, growthology.org will serve as a platform to share thoughts and ideas to enhance faster economic growth, greater individual opportunity, smart government policy, and the expansion of human welfare. Authored by two economists at the Kauffman Foundation, growthology.org will mix short essays with observations on papers, books, speeches, articles and more. Categories of content include such topics as “jobs of the future,” “the evolution of cities” and “law and entrepreneurship.”

Read more from authors Tim Kane and Bob Litan at growthology.org.

The first quarter 2007 Anchorage Quarterly Economic Indicators Report is now available online at aedcweb.com. The report summarizes the most recently updated data contained in the Anchorage Economic Indicators Database. With this database, AEDC continually tracks and updates more than 25 different measures of economic activity in the Anchorage area, including: average employment, the average residential house sales price, residential construction permit values, commercial construction permit values, Anchorage International Airport traffic, Port of Anchorage annual tonnage and room rental and tax receipts. AEDC will post update reports to our website on a quarterly basis.

For two decades, the Corporation for Enterprise Development (CFED) has published an annual survey that measures the standard of living and working in a state and how well the state is building foundations for future growth. This is different from most economic development studies that only look at how hospitable a state is for businesses. The latest ?Development Report Card for the States? (DRC) uses 67 measures to provide a relative, state-by-state assessment of economic development.�

A new research group based at the Brookings Institution, the Hamilton Project, has been generating some interesting research on issues related to innovation, technology, and economic prosperity. The Hamilton Project is the brainchild of former Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin and promotes a message that seeks to combine a commitment to economic justice, security and rigorous economic growth. Recent papers have covered topics including expanded fellowship support for science and engineering students and reforming the patent review process. A December 2006 paper, Promoting Opportunity through Science, Technology and Innovation, makes a clear and compelling case for the power of R&D and technology improvements to promote economic growth and prosperity.

A new article in the Stanford Social Innovation Review posits that non-profits and businesses are starting to converge -- in terms of how they operate, how they finance themselves and how they create value. In many cases, it?s hard to tell the difference between a big non-profit (like Goodwill or the Red Cross) and a large corporation. As a result, similar challenges are emerging. Just as non-profits must communicate effectively with donors and stakeholders, private firms often now link a positive social message (e.g. around sustainability) to their regular operations. Similarly, non-profits are starting to use venture capital-like funds to finance their operations, and both businesses and non-profits are experimenting with hybrid organizational forms such as cross-sector joint ventures. The authors conclude by arguing that these trends can create positive learning opportunities for both sides, as non-profits can become more entrepreneurial and for-profits can learn how to be more effective contributors to a healthy and sustainable economy.

Funds recently awarded to the University of Alaska (UA) by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) will help establish and operate centers for cooperative development with rural and urban businesses throughout Alaska. A total of $4.3 million will help fund cooperative development centers and related activities in 20 states. UA received an $185,363 piece of the pie.