Rebecca Baird, a plucky teacher from Williamsburg, Ky., hopes to lure corporations to her depressed coal town with the promise of a math-literate work force.

Moreover, joined with the much lower tax rate is a robust incentive program to lure corporations back to inner-city Philadelphia.

As a result, said Mr. Bagdon, the corporate tax incentives that lure larger corporations are less effective with smaller ones.

The measure comes on the heels of two important laws recently enacted to lure corporations to Pennsylvania.

Singapore, with its reputation for authoritarian order and safety, has long relied on luring multinational corporations for manufacturing jobs and economic growth.

Memphis has lured several major corporations and has used its central location to become a major distribution center, best exemplified by the growth of Federal Express, which is based here.

Luring Foreign Corporations Asked yesterday about the trip's purpose, Mr. Dinkins said it was important to build the city's tax base by luring foreign corporations.

To lure corporations like Philip Morris to become sponsors, she plans to emphasize the economic impact these events have on Venice, which in turn, she believes, insures high visibility for sponsors.

Since the 1950's, state governments have lured corporations with expensive incentives such as free factories, canceled property taxes, low-interest loans, free access roads and special tax credits.

Many observers said the ads were primarily aimed at Mr. Phelps and, to a lesser degree, other developers who are trying to lure corporations east of Stamford.