How to utilize GIS maps to improve economic development

1. The Key to Economic Development,withGISMaps:
Many organizationsandcompaniesinvolvedin
economicdevelopmentcanuse GISmapping
software tocreate strong andprosperous
communities,andcommunityidentities.This
encouragesmore people tovisitandlive inareas that
are undergoingeconomicdevelopment.
The keyaspect of understandingandcarryingout
economicdevelopment,whetheritbe government
agenciesorprivate companiesand organizationsis
by focusingondata.
Many people have experiencedgoingtotheirfavorite shoporrestauranttoone day findthe shuttersall
firmlyclosedanda‘Closed,outof business’signhangingoutside.Thisscenarioisverycommonin
communities all overthe world,bothpoorandrich.Whenbusinessessuddenlyandunexpectedclose
downit undoubtedlycreatesimmediate massunemploymentand dragsdownthe prosperityof the
community.
Newbusinessesneedtobe attractedto emptysitesassoonas possible,butknowingwhere tostartcan
seemdauntingforlocal economicdevelopmentagencies.How cana site where a businesshasjustfailed
be transformedin to an enticinglocationwithpotential?
It’sall in the data. The data neededcanall be plotted,visualizedandanalyzedwith GISmapping
software.Youneedtoknowthe typesof people wholive,workandshopina certaincommunity,their
buyinghabits,whattheylike anddislike,andmuchmore.To bestassessthe viabilityof abusiness,you
needdatathat answersbasicquestionsaboutthe demographics,lifestylesandspendinghabitsof the
populationinanarea.
GIS mappingsoftware canprovide vital informationsuchasthe characteristicsof a population.Youcan
plot,visualizeandanalyze abreakdownof variablessuchasgender,age, income,housing,familytype,
education,andemployment.Thisdatacananswerkeyquestionsinrelationtodemographics.
Whoare the people who live inthe area?
- Retireesoryoungfamilies?
- Mostlysingle ormarried?
- Do most familieshave children?
- Do most of the populationhave asignificantsalaryordotheystruggle toget by?
- Are theynewarrivalsor have theylivedinthe areafora longtime?
Thisinformationenablesacity’seconomicdevelopmentstaff tobetterpromote asite byshowing
prospectsa real and quantifieddescriptionof the typesof customerswholivenearby.Analystscan
provide mapsbasedonthe demographicsof age,income andhouseholdtype,thatshowswholives
where.

2. Whenevaluatinganarea’spotential,analystscancompare the data betweendifferentgroups.(For
example,seniorsordaytime populationsthatworkinan areaseparatelyasadditional revenue sources).
Withthisinformation,economicdevelopmentstaff cansee whichtype of restaurantsorshopsdo well.
Restaurantand retail developmentcompaniescanalsoestablishareasthatcontainpopulationswithin
targetedincome orage ranges.
What do people dowho live in the area? (Lifestyle)
Visualizinghouseholdincomeisagood start,but more detailedinformationaboutthe preferencesand
habitsof a population,(lifestyle/segmentationdata) canbe addedto demographics.
Lifestyle dataaddsanewperspective todemographics.The principle isbasedonthe ideathatpeople
withsimilartastesandlifestylesare likelytoseekotherslike themselvesandgrouptogetherwithina
society.
People generallymove throughanumberof life stages;
- Single
- Educationand work
- Marriage andhavingchildren
- Retirement
People tendtomove toneighborhoods where thosewho are at a similarstage intheirliveslive.
Althoughindividual residents maycome andgo, the character of a neighbourhoodtendstoremain
stable overtime once ithas beenestablished.
Aftercarryingout an analysisof a neighbourhood,analysiscouldnarrow the typesof prospective
businesseswhoare likelytofindasite appealing.Armedwithlifestyleinformation,staff couldshow
restaurantchainsthe demographicsof certainareas,as well asthe lifestyle choicesandmedia
preferencesof the population.Thisinformationprovidesavaluable insightintothe likelihood that
residentsinanareawill eat out at a restarant,and the bestway to communicate withthem.
How do people spendtheirmoney?
Spendingdataprovidesdetailedinformationonhow the local populationuse theirincome.Compare
spendingbyhouseholdsinacertainareafor a wide varietyof categories. Youcandetermine actual
spendingaswell asthe potential demandfordifferenttypesof businesses,suchasrestaurants.
Site selectionanalysis:
Locationis a critical elementforanysite selectionortrade areaanalysis.Studyingthe competitive
landscape isnecessary.Fromanalyzingall restauranttypessuchasfast foodoutlets,tofancysitdown
places,itisall keyto determiningaviable locationforanew restaurant,withoutdamagingthe business
of existingones.

3. Distance anddrive time isalsoanotherimportantthingtoconsider.Mostof the targetedpopulationlive
within20 minutesof a site.Proximitytoaninterstate andan upscale shoppingareawouldbe added
assets.
Putting it all together:
Incorporatingdemographic,lifestyle,spendingmaps,andthe otherinformationinthe analysisenabled
the staff to quicklysee the typesof restaurantcompaniestheyshouldfocusoninpromotingthe empty
building.A family-style restaurantwithavariedmenuandabar where patronscouldvisitandwatch
sportswouldbe a good candidate forthe site inthisscenario.Staff memberscompiledalistof
restaurantsthat metthe criteriaand createdpresentationsillustratedwithchartsandmaps.
Demographics,lifestyle,andspendingdatacan provide answerstothe who, what, where,
and how questionsthatbusinessescanuse toevaluate potentialsitesefficientlyandavoidascattershot
approach.This informationcanalsohelpcitiesmarketcommercial sitesbyidentifyingandpitchingto
businessesthatwouldbe agood fitforan area. In eithercase,data,spatial analysis,andmapsprovide
actionable answerstobusinessquestions.