Anheuser-Busch Briefing Center, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
1615 H St NW, Washington, D.C.
Registration and Breakfast: 8:00 a.m.-8:30 a.m.
Blog
December 7, 2011
By: Michael Hendrix
In the coming months, the National Chamber Foundation will be touring the country highlighting the "Enterprising States" that are the incubators of America's economy recovery. Today finds NCF in Oklahoma, where we are joining forces with the State Chamber of Oklahoma and Governor Mary Fallin (among other luminaries) to highlight what makes this state thrive. And thrive it has, with GDP growth of over 3.6% and unemployment sitting at 6.1%. Our Enterprising States study finds that the secret to Oklahoma's growth is three-fold:
December 5, 2011
By: Michael Hendrix
The Aspen Institute is known for asking what I like to call "killer questions." Since Aspen is in the business of ideas, they know that questions have a way of focusing the mind on what we know and don't know, spurring on that tumbling, teaming process of idea creation. This time, Aspen's manufacturing team (led by the esteemed Tom Duesterberg) asked in a recent event whether the U.S. needs a national manufacturing strategy. To attempt a reply, they invited Douglas Holtz-Eakin, Ron Blackwell, and Clyde Prestowitz. Considering the backgrounds of the individuals on stage, we in the audience got vastly differing accounts of America's potential and what it takes to turn it into reality. The one thing that all the panelists agreed on was that the real question was not whether America should have an industrial policy, but what form it should take.
December 2, 2011
By: Michael Hendrix
NCF curates a weekly list of blog posts that touch on emerging issues affecting the American business community.
Brad Plumer at The Washington Post's WonkBook asks, Why are people dropping out of the labor force? Ryan Avent at The Economist takes in the sight of "Europe's armies of the unemployed." Mark Perry compiles the reporting concerning the announcement of record high rates of natural gas production in America. Reihan Salam profiles the writing of "Vaclav Smil on U.S. manufacturing."
November 30, 2011
By: Michael Hendrix
Ross DeVol, chief research officer at the Milken Institute, asked this question in The Atlantic recently: "What's the pathway to 'encouraging American innovation?'" As a question that NCF is exploring too, most notably in our upcoming winter edition of the Business Horizon Quarterly, I was naturally curious what his reply was. What Ross goes on to lay out is fascinating, romping through countries across the world looking for models of innovation that he can "stitch together into an Innovation Super-Nation."
Human Capital
First up is Singapore. DeVol points out the tiny city-state's ability to invest in its human capital, draw in the talent it needs from around the world, and use the accumulated ability to advance its industries.