Facilitating Rural-Urban Trade and Technology Flows

NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: A growing number of economists and policymakers contend that finding new ways to connect to the markets, and technological innovation of metropolitan areas, will be a critical challenge for rural companies and communities who now face thin local markets and thin networks of firms and support institutions, e.g. finance. This research will lead to the commercialization of two possible service delivery models: a training program for identifying, creating and sustaining a market presence in metropolitan areas with a particular emphasis on issues related to information technologies; and direct or liaison services to individual businesses, business networks and business development organizations that 1) serve as a focal point for the entry of rural-produced products into metro markets, and 2) facilitate the acquisition of information about technology advances occurring in metro areas for rural companies.