Handshake 2.0 asks:

"To foster its regional economic development, what are the three most important traits a rural region needs to develop in order to have a chance at attracting a high-tech Global 1000 company - or two or three - to establish headquarters, a division, a product development laboratory, or a research facility in its locale?"

In seeking to define the what and how of a regional social media initiative and best practices for the use of social media for regional economic development, Handshake 2.0 seeks first to define what is meant by the terms we are using.  What is "regional economic development"?  What creates it?  What is the relationship of the development of a local technology industry to regional economic development?  How will we know how we're doing along on the way?  How will we know when we're "there"?

Are we asking the right questions?  What are better questions?  What are answers to those better questions?  We welcome guests posts and comments.  With a guest post or an idea for one, please email us at contact@handshake20.com.

Note:  Answers to these questions from thought leaders and the thoughtful can be found in Building a Region, a series on regional economic development from Handshake 2.0.