"May we quote you?"ED&F; MISSION
NEED ND BUSINESS INFO? MAKE YOUR FIRST STOP ED&F;'S NEW WEB SITEThe state's economic development leader unveiled a redesigned, highly interactive web site in August. The ND Department of Economic Development & Finance (ED&F;) created www.growingnd.com to be the first stop for anyone seeking information about North Dakota for business expansion, startup, or relocation.
New information and interactive services help users get exactly the information they want. For example
- The "Company Profiles" section lets users search for information on primary sector businesses across the state based on city, SIC/NAICS codes, product profile, or key words.
- The "ED&F; Services" section shows users a list of ED&F-funded; projects and review summaries.
- The "Business Toolkit" section lets users view or download a variety of forms and applications for businesses, including new business registration, financing, business costs and licenses, taxes, patents and trademarks, and job training.
By late 2000, the American Community Network database for North Dakota will be added, giving users access to more than 600 data elements for all 53 ND counties and the state's three metropolitan areas: Grand Forks, Fargo, and Bismarck.
ND'S DYNAMIC INDUSTRIES GROWING FASTER THAN NATIONWIDE RATESThe dictionary definition of "dynamic" is "vigorous" or "energetic." In economics, dynamic industries are defined as those for which employment is increasing at a rate greater than 1.5 percent per year and the ratio of the industry's employment share in the state to its employment share nationwide is growing by more than 3 percent per year.
North Dakota's dynamic industries match both definitions, currently expanding employment and increasing productivity more rapidly than the state average, and also increasing their concentration in the state more rapidly than in the nation as a whole.
In North Dakota, dynamic industries include business services (call centers and telemarketing ventures), industrial and commercial machinery and computer equipment manufacturing, general building contractors, and amusement and recreation services.
Economists and researchers at RFA of West Chester, Pa., found that North Dakota's dynamic industries have outperformed the same group of industries nationally for most of the decade from 1988-98.
Employment statewide for the industry group has expanded at an 8.7 percent annual rate, compared to a 2.6 percent national rate for the same group of industries. Behavior of output was similarly impressive, growing at an 11 percent rate statewide versus a national rate of less than 6 percent. Dynamic industries account for 11 percent of state employment and around 13 percent of gross state product in North Dakota.