Economic Development of Arlington in Texas - Essay Example

Other races in the city include Hispanics, Blacks, and Asians (Onboard Informatics, 2011). The median household income is $48,617 (City of Arlington, 2011). In terms of religious affiliation, 36% are Southern Baptist, 22% are Catholics, 13% are United Methodists and 29% comprises the other religions. Arlington has ten public elementary/middle schools and ten private elementary/middle schools. It has ten public high schools and seven private high schools. The workforce of Arlington is large, well-educated, and diverse (Arlington Chamber of Commerce, 2008). The land area of Arlington is 99.

5 square miles and the city’s property tax rate is 0.6480 per $100 valuation (City of Arlington, 2011). The city is in the middle of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex and is eight miles from the DFW airport. It abides by the business-friendly traditions of Texas (Cluck, 2011). Over 100 square miles are allotted to businesses which include five business parks (Cluck, 2011). In terms of the industries present in the area, as of 2009, the most common industry is construction which comprises 13% of the total industry in the area (Onboard Informatics, 2011).

Other industries include accommodation and food services; administrative and support and waste management services; professional, scientific, and technical services; educational services; finance and insurance, and transportation equipment (Onboard Informatics, 2011). Like the other areas in Texas, the people of Arlington also celebrate varied cultural heritage festivals because of the diversity of its population in terms of background and culture. Since Texas used to be a part of Mexico, a lot of the Mexican traditions have been adopted by the Texans.

Among the festivals celebrated by the Texans is the Cinco de Mayo celebration. The German heritage has also influenced Texas; thus, the celebration of Oktoberfest. Other festivities celebrated by the people of Texas are Charro Days, Riofest, and Port Isabel’s Day of the Dead. A major consideration in opening a business in Arlington is the economic incentives that the city has to offer. Proof that the city of Arlington encourages participation in global markets is the establishment of its Office of International Protocol which aims to “enhance the City’s ability to attract and create international business opportunities as part of Arlington’s economic development effort and provide diplomatic guidance to the Mayor, Council, city officials, and the community on cross-cultural interactions” (City of Arlington, TX, 2011).

Entering global markets is not an easy task. The company must study the profile of the location where they want to establish their market. The incentives and regulations offered by the government in the area must be researched. The most appropriate approach in entering the market must be determined to ensure the success of the new business.