A social and economic impact analysis of community business development: leather finishing in a small town

Abstract

Numerous studíes have addressed economic, social, and communíty development issues in rural areas. However, few have combined these constructs into a theoretical framework that can be used to project the impact of a leather-finishíng facility on a small town. The major purposes of this study were to project the socíal and economíc impact from estabiishing a new leather finishing faciiity in a rural community and to development an application model through whích community business development decisions could be made. Another purpose of this study was to project the economic ímpact on the state of Texas if 50% of the partially processed leather were finished into ieather rather than beíng exported.

A survey (N = 242) examined respondents' attitudinal characterístics toward all aspects of community development. Participants also responded to queríes designed to measure their support for a leather-finishing facilíty. A regression anaiysis identified an individual 'desire for employment' varíable as significant in predicting support for a leather-finishing facility. Response summaríes indicated high community príde, a willingness to financialiy support some public facility and community business development, and a low preference for raising addítionai taxes.