Whiton House Publications
While not necessarily a fan of writing assignments in college, Oakleigh discovered both the power and joy of the pen early in her career. She is author of several book chapters including Janesville, A Case Study in the Annual Proceedings of Wealth and Wellbeing of Nations, Beloit College, and the Role for Patient Advocacy in Desmoid Tumors, published by Springer.
She was editor of Hardwiring Excellence by Quint Studer, with 1.5 million copies sold and creative content driver for Studer Groups workbooks and videos while at Studer Group. In 2012 she released under Whiton House, the Patient Experience Puzzle, a simple step by step guide, for healthcare leader to construct a sustainable strategy for excellence.
A Strategy Map to Placemaking: Janesville Wisconsin, A Case Study
This paper was based on remarks given by Oakleigh at the 16th Annual Miller Upton Forum at Beloit College in 2024.
Summary
Professor David Audretsch’s framework for economic prosperity emphasizes four key elements: resources and factors of production, organization and spatial structure, the human dimension, and public policy. Unlike fragmented academic approaches, Audretsch’s model offers a coordinated menu of strategies, encouraging places to leverage their unique assets for improvement.
Applying this framework to Janesville, Wisconsin, reveals four growth phases shaped by civic and political leadership rather than market forces: 1853–1917, 1918–1986, 1987–2008, and 2009–present. Each phase demonstrates how integrating Audretsch’s four dimensions can drive economic progress.
Ultimately, the human factor stands out as the essential ingredient—more than just one part of the recipe, it is the foundation for prosperity. This perspective encourages communities to foster civic responsibility and actively implement strategies for growth
