This dissertation is designed to document and to describe the strategic, non-routine decision processes used by leaders as they establish collaborative initiatives in economic development. This case study explores the following question: What are the strategic decision processes as well as actions and beliefs that community college leaders, county leaders, and industry leaders use in developing and maintaining economic development initiatives?Mintzberg, Raisinghani, and Theoret's research (1976) of unstructured, strategic decision processes serves as the framework for this study of an economic development initiative involving a Southeastern North Carolina community college, a Tier 2 county, and a French steel wire manufacturing plant. Interviews and document reviews serve as the data collection methods.Following interviews with college, county, and industry leaders concerning the joint economic development initiative, three main themes emerge: identification of a problem or opportunity, selection of the solution, and lessons learned. Two obstacles surface in the initiative as well: the need for a well system and the disruption of power outages.Upon review of the data with emerging themes and obstacles, decision making within the economic development initiative appears to have followed the basic elements of Mintzberg's et al.'s study (1976) of strategic decision processes. Both the county and industry identify opportunities for growth, and consequently, the necessity for decision making. Both groups seek alternatives, allocate resources as they devise their plans, and then make their final selection. Once the company decides to locate in North Carolina, the county and college's decisions about training and services have to be implemented. Daily decisions continue to be part of the collaborative venture as leaders move forward in helping the company build its plant, while maintaining the desired production level.This study extends decision-making theory into the realm of economic development. Thus from this study, county, college, and industry leaders will gain a better understanding of the dynamics of decision making as they apply decision processes to their collaborative economic development efforts in the future. Additional research is necessary for initiatives where barriers and political influences play a major role in decision making and affect the outcome of decisions.
