In 1997, The American Assembly published a report titled "Community Capitalism: Rediscovering the Markets of America's Urban Neighborhoods",[1] which they distributed to business leaders, President Clinton, cabinet members, members of Congress and governors, and the general public.
In 2013, George R. Tyler published the book What Went Wrong: How the 1% Hijacked the American Middle Class ... and What Other Countries Got Right,[2] which describes the community capitalism models (which Tyler calls family capitalism) used by countries that have helped their citizens to prosper, despite the forces of globalization.
He contrasts the experience of the U.S. over the past 30 years to that of Australia and the major nations of northern Europe (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden).
It focuses community resources into five key areas: place, capital, infrastructure, talent and education.
After a long period of corporate downsizings and results of mergers and acquisitions (most notably by Upjohn/Pharmacia/Pfizer, General Motors, First of America/National City and the paper industry), the Kalamazoo region went about changing the face of its downtown.