An example of the type of cooperation envisioned would be the development of the Residence Inn in Washington D.C. near the National Museum of the American Indian, which was financed by a consortium of tribes. Similar joint efforts could be applied to many business opportunities both on and off reservations. Such joint efforts could also be applied to grant programs and experimental initiatives to boost employment health and other key support for tribal members through pilot programs developed and proposed by cooperating tribes or cooperative efforts to adapt existing programs to the tribal environment. Within this context, key recommendations and areas of focus include: Development of consortiums between land-rich, labor-rich, resource- rich and financially successful tribes to develop new business ventures capitalizing on shifting trade and supply chain patterns, with development located to maximize needed employment or market/resource access with investment from tribes lacking such needs or opportunities but having cash available for investment Continued and expanded lending and investment tribe-to-tribe for renovation and expansion of existing facilities to meet new operating requirements as recovery takes hold Continued joint efforts to support needy Native Americans not living on their home reservations Continued, renewed or expanded support by individual tribes for the multi-tribal organizations and associations previously referenced Increased efforts to make inter-tribal purchases, whether tax- advantaged or not, and support Indian-owned businesses SUPPLY CHAIN DIVERSIFICATION We have discussed at several points the expected trend toward diversification of the supply chain to provide a more robust and flexible source of suppliers and customers in the event of future major economic disruptions. Lessons learned directly by users along the supply chain unable to obtain needed or wanted products and by suppliers in the chain suddenly left with nowhere to sell their products will not be easily or quickly forgotten, whether learned directly through destruction of completed but perishable output or inability to find supplies, or indirectly through the myriad news stories documenting the issue. There will be counter pressure to retain old patterns due to the efficiency of single sourcing and just-in-time inventory models. However, the perceived security of a reliable source at a predictable volume has been severely damaged. Now, greater security through multiple sources and outlets will be perceived by many to be a worthwhile hedge, even if there is a loss in predictability of needs and increased pricing competition in both directions.
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