Harvard Business School - Institute for Strategy and Competitiveness

Economic Strategy for the United States

What is the fundamental competitive position of the U.S. in the global economy? And what must we do to remain strong when other nations are making rapid progress?
The stark truth is that the U.S. has no long-term economic strategy—no coherent set of policies to ensure competitiveness over the long haul. Strategy embodies clear priorities, based on understanding the strengths we need to preserve and the weaknesses that threaten our prosperity the most. Strategy addresses what to do, but also what not to do. In dealing with a crisis, experience teaches us that steps to address the immediate problem must support a long-term strategy. Yet it is far from clear that we are taking the steps most important to America's long-term economic prosperity.


		Articles
		Why America Needs an Economic Strategy Michael E. Porter BusinessWeek cover story Nov. 10, 2008				Clusters and Economic Policy: Aligning Public Policy with the New Economics of Competition White Paper Michael E. Porter November 2007; Revised October 2009


		Interviews and news coverage
		Spending to Keep America Great (video, 9:44) Porter's Points (video, 3:46) Healing America's Healthcare (video, 4:38) Staying Competitive (video, 0:56) Michael Porter, guest host CNBC Squawk Box March 13, 2009 __________________________ Michael Porter discusses Economy and Education (video) The Charlie Rose Show December 16, 2008				Michael Porter on U.S. Stimulus Plan (audio, 3MB mp3) and Obama stimulus package questioned (article) BBC January 30, 2009 Michael Porter at Davos discuss discusses strategy in times of economic crisis (video) CNBC January 29, 2009 Michael Porter on US Economic Strategy (video) CNBC December 16, 2008 Porter Prescription for America (video) CNBC November 14, 2008 Michael Porter interview on American Competitiveness (audio) National Public Radio, OnPoint November 10. 2008 Nicht alte Strukturen aufpumpen and Ich hoffe, PräsidentObama hat zugehört NeuöZürcörZäitung January 31, 2009 English translation of titles: “Don’t prop up old structures” and "Hopefully President Obama has been listening” Stimulus for Skeptics David Brooks New York Times November 28, 2008 A new type of capitalism Andrea Silbert Boston Globe October 30, 2008


		Presentations and resources				Recommended Links: Clusters and Public Policy
		State Competitiveness: Creating an Economic Strategy in a Time of Austerity Michael Porter's presentation at the National Governors Association Winter Meeting *plus economic profiles of the 50 U.S. states* Washington, D.C. February 26, 2011 Regional Competitiveness in a Global Economy: A Small Business Led Economic Strategy for America Champion Award Winners Luncheon National Small Business Week 2009 Small Business Administration Washington, D.C. May 18, 2009 American Cluster Innovation, Profiles from the 50 States (Work in progress) Advice to the U.S. President on Competitiveness (video) World Economic Forum, Annual Meeting Davos, Switzerland January 30, 2009 Session moderated by Michael Porter and featuring Scott Davis, Ellen J. Kullman, Rupert Murdoch, Duncan Niederauer, David M. Rubenstein, Ronald A. Williams. National Summit on American Competitiveness (video) Competitiveness Challenges panel Washington, D.C. September 18, 2007 Transcript available.				How to Take Advantage of Business Clusters Richard Mammone BusinessWeek December 8, 2009 A Stronger New England through Industry Clusters by Michael Gurau Federal Reserve Bank of Boston Communities & Banking Fall 2009 Importance of Industry Clusters to a Nation The Congressional Record Rep. Mark Souder of Indiana October 14, 2009 also on C-SPAN SBA Announces Support for Michigan Robotics Cluster SBA press release July 28, 2009 related news coverage Budget 2010: A New Embrace of Regional Innovation Mark Muro The Brookings Institution May 13, 2009 Clusters and Competitiveness: A New Federal Role for Stimulating Regional Economies Karen G. Mills and Elisabeth B. Reynolds The Brookings Institution April 2008 The view from Maine Street CNN Money February 6, 2009


	For information about materials not available online, please email isc@hbs.edu.