News & Updates

Sudden shifts in industry, trade dynamics, and supply chains have disproportionately affected certain communities most exposed to disruption. As Chinese imports surged in the early 2000s, American factories shuttered and manufacturing communities lost millions of jobs. And as the energy transition continues accelerating, communities reliant on traditional energy sources like coal and oil face similar […]

Inflation-adjusted household income rose about 4% in 2023, driven by easing inflation and a strong labor market. This represents the first annual increase since the start of the pandemic and puts real income back at roughly 2019 levels, which represented a historical peak. While U.S. households have experienced nominal wage gains in recent years, these […]

Economists have been keeping a close eye on the U.S. labor market as the economy continues to toe the line between inflationary and recessionary pressures. In particular, experts have noticed a divergence between sustained tightness in the labor market (e.g., low unemployment, high job openings), and easing inflation. New research from Brookings points to elevated […]

In the decade prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, American entrepreneurship lagged behind the historically high levels that many have come to expect. In 1982 about 38 percent of U.S. firms were less than five years old; by 2018, that share fell to 29 percent, with many start-ups concentrated in Silicon Valley and a few other […]

U.S. power demand is surging for the first time in more than 20 years. Many observers point the finger at the artificial intelligence (AI) boom, which has spawned hundreds of data centers across the country. According to an analysis by the Boston Consulting Group, electricity demand at US data centers could triple by 2030. In […]

On Wednesday, December 6, the Council on Competitiveness and the Global Federation of Competitiveness Councils will host a series of conversations with global leaders from business, academia, national laboratories and research organizations, and the public sector to advance sustainability challenges under discussion at COP28.

On February 28, Council on Competitiveness CEO Deborah Wince-Smith testified to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, which is led by Chairman Frank Lucas and Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren. The hearing was titled “The United States, China, and the Fight for Global Leadership: Building a U.S. National Science and Technology Strategy." Deborah framed her […]

In light of increasing turmoil, turbulence, and transformation around the world, Deborah Wince-Smith makes the case in her latest article for Forbes.com for stronger and more plentiful partnerships between the public and private sectors to bolster resilience, security, and growth. She argues innovative partnerships can solve key global challenges, including: energy supply and security, and […]

Deborah Wince-Smith is an ongoing Forbes contributor. Her September article, "I Salute American Labor," underscores the critical role labor plays in U.S. competitiveness and reflects on the extraordinary contribution American labor has made to turn our country into the world’s economic and technological superpower and global defender of freedom Read the full article here.