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UTB-CBIRD Report: “At the Crossroads” Survey 33
Figure 3.10. Matamoros: Critical Index of Factors
Inffectiveness
1.6
1.4
1.2
1
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0
Critical Index = 0.37
4. Public
Services
2. Financing
& Capital
3. Business
Incentives
0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1
Importance
⇒ STRATEGIES FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
QUESTION 4A: Please indicate the importance of each STRATEGY for economic
development in your community.
1. Affordable
Energy
Cameron County and Matamoros community leaders were asked to consider the
importance of 13 economic development strategies as well as the region’s ability
to perform these activities. In general, both regions value similar strategies as
being key to job growth and economic development:
Cameron County Ranking Matamoros Ranking
1. Retention/expansion of existing
industries/business
2. Promotion/support of local start-up
industries/businesses
3. Regional economic development plans
focusing on job creation
4. Promotion/support local entrepreneurs hightech-value
added industries
5. Relocation of industries/businesses from
outside the region
6. Regional economic development
collaborations on US side of the border
Source: UTB-CBIRD 2002
1. A “Can do” attitude for the region**
2. Retention/expansion of existing
industries/business
3. Promotion/support of local start-up
industries/businesses
4. Promotion/support local entrepreneurs hightech-value
added industries
5. Regional economic development plans
focusing on job creation
6. Cross-border economic development
collaborations
Community leaders from both Cameron County and Matamoros stress the
importance of the retention and expansion of existing firms as well as the
promotion and support of local start-up industries and businesses and local
technology-based entrepreneurs, Table 3.5. The main difference is that
Matamoros respondents place greater emphasis on (1) cross-border economic
development collaborations, and (2) the further development of maquiladoras. 1
1 Hidalgo County and Cameron County respondents list the same important strategies for job creation
and economic development in the next 5-10 years as follows: Retention and expansion of existing
industries/businesses, relocation of industries/businesses from outside the region,
promotion/support of local start-up industries/businesses, regional economic development
collaborations of cities on the U.S. side of the border, and promotion of local entrepreneurs in
technology-based industries.
One Region -- One Future
“Change and
collaboration will be
difficult to obtain,
until economic
development actually
is defined in such a
way that it becomes
valuable to the
community.”
Cameron County Survey
Respondent, Spring 2001