The applicability of growth machine theory to the knowledge economy: Social network analysis of Chattanooga's civic infrastructure

Purpose Neoliberal urban regimes focus on redeveloping downtowns to compete for economic development. Chattanooga has been lauded by urban development organizations such as Brookings and the Urban Institute for its public-private partnership model dubbed the Chattanooga Way. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach In this paper, the authors use social network analysis to analyze elites highly involved in local economic development, education policy and social entrepreneurship in Chattanooga, TN. Findings The results suggest a strong group of nonelected local elites dominate policymaking in policy arenas traditionally reserved for elected elites. The overlap between elites who shape local policy and elites who fiscally benefit from local policies raises troubling questions for local democracy, public accountability and transparency. Originality/value This analysis is valuable to public policy scholars who are interested in analyzing neoliberal coalitions and their impact on local development initiatives.