Wayne Titus
Professor TenHaken
Management Seminar
12-12-12
Detroit: Building An Economy On Ruins In America, overcoming a challenge is something that we take pride in. The American spirit is fueled by individuals working hard to make it on their own, booming business, and a unique sense of community backed by this “One nation, under God”. We do not like to stare failure in the face, and we have a hard time taking “no” for an answer. For many, the roots of our country’s prideful spirit began in 1620 with the arrival of The Mayflower in what is now Massachusetts. From there, spanning hundreds of years, American cities have formed across the nation, many of which have become the centers for international business, the arts, sports, …show more content…

A few examples particular to Detroit would be the Detroit Metropolitan Airport and its new $431 million Northwest Airlines Terminal, the auto industry led by GM and Chrysler, and Healthcare systems such as Detroit Medical Center, Wayne State University, and the Henry Ford Hospital. One helpful way to see the effect of these institutions on a city is to move outside of the examined city and compare the approach to that within a different city. In Philadelphia, the University of Pennsylvania proclaims itself to be one of these anchor institutions for the city. In 2008, Amy Gutmann, the President of the University said, “To realize our full potential, Penn depends on the creative mingling of scholars, students, and ideas across all disciplines, backgrounds, and perspectives. For example, interdisciplinary research at Penn has helped policymakers address disparities in health, education, and economic mobility that have afflicted the urban underclass”(Gardner). Penn specifically prides itself on how the school’s presence has positively affected the lower class of Philadelphia. Penn now waives tuition for families making less than $90,000 per year and pays for all