Episode 43: Can Legacy Manufacturing Regions Reinvent Themselves? Kenan Fikri on Dynamism and Place

I had the pleasure of sitting down with Kenan Fikri, Senior Fellow at the Economic Innovation Group, an economic think tank dedicated to tackling the deep, longstanding challenges facing the American economy.

Kenan and I got into some of the core ideas driving EIG’s work, starting with economic dynamism; the health, vitality, and innovative intensity of an economy. We unpacked what that really means on the ground: not just whether jobs are growing, but whether new firms are starting, workers are moving to better opportunities, and regions are generating the kind of productive churn that drives long-term prosperity. 

We also discuss Kenan’s research in agglomeration, why industries cluster in specific places, how those clusters become self-reinforcing engines of competitive advantage, and what the spillover effects mean for entire communities. From Cleveland’s industrial legacy to Silicon Valley’s startup culture, Kenan brought it all to life with real examples. Be sure to check out Kenan’s recently released article, Does a legacy in manufacturing preclude a future in it? — it’s essential reading that connects directly to everything we discussed. And if you want to go deeper on EIG’s worldview, look up their Substack, Agglomerations, where Kenan and the team are publishing their latest thinking.

🔗Links to Learn More:

• Find Kenan on LinkedIn.
• Subscribe to Agglomerations on Substack.

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Thank you to the Economic Development Administration for their partnership in producing this podcast. This podcast was prepared in part using Federal funds under award 3070145 from the Economic Development Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce. The statements, findings, conclusions, and recommendations are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Economic Development Administration or the U.S. Department of Commerce.