News & Updates

The stakes for U.S. productivity and economic growth, security, and prosperity have never been higher. In her January Forbes.com article, the Hon. Deborah L. Wince-Smith provides guideposts, drawing on insights from the Council on Competitiveness’ 2025 NCF — which convened more than 200 leaders from business, academia, labor, national laboratories, and government. Six lessons on […]

Dear Council on Competitiveness Community, This past year’s National Competitiveness Forum was consequential for a variety of reasons. First and foremost, we welcomed our new Council Chair, Erik Fyrwald, CEO of IFF. Erik’s experience leading a research-driven, innovation-intensive enterprise comes at a pivotal moment for the Council — one that demands ambition, insight, and sustained […]

Senior Director, Programs and Digital Operations The Council on Competitiveness (www.compete.org) — entering its 40th anniversary year — seeks a Senior Director of Programs and Digital Operations to participate in leading the development and delivery of the Council’s flagship programs, convenings, and research-driven outputs, while overseeing the effective use of the Council’s core digital platforms. […]

Global economic and geopolitical uncertainty is no longer episodic; it has become structural. Non-financial U.S. corporations are holding approximately $7.9 trillion in liquid assets — roughly 12 percent of their total — a level that reflects elevated interest rates and heightened risk sensitivity rather than capital scarcity.1 At the same time, traditional pathways for deploying […]

Recent data on global manufacturing output spotlights a stark reality: China now accounts for 35 percent of the world’s manufacturing, nearly three times the United States’ share. The remaining 53 percent is spread across the rest of the world. This concentration is of strategic significance. Manufacturing underpins innovation ecosystems, supply chain resilience, national security, and […]

Dear Council on Competitiveness Community, In this season of Thanksgiving, the Council team is grateful for so much — starting with our members and the broader Council community. Because of you, the Council has had the opportunity to engage in and lead some of the most important policy conversations facing our nation for nearly 40 […]

Reflections from the Global Federation of Competitiveness Board Council Meeting at the University of Pittsburgh When I stood before the global federation of competitiveness leaders gathered at University of Pittsburgh last month, I opened with three numbers that frame our current reality: One trillion dollars in global AI infrastructure investment over the next two years. […]

The Council’s September Executive Committee and National Commissioner meetingin Lafayette, Indiana — made possible with the support of National CommissionerJim Stutelberg — brought together leaders from across the bioeconomy value chain.The meeting was expansive (a full summary report to follow in December), but onemessage rose to prominence: the United States is distinctively positioned to lead […]

Dear Council on Competitiveness Community, We are less than two months out from the Council’s premier annual gathering — our 2025 Gala Dinner and National Competitiveness Forum (NCF) — which is coming together as a truly extraordinary event. I am excited to share more soon about the agenda — and special guests. This year’s NCF […]

Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) data underscore a pivotal trend in the global race for innovation leadership. In 2023, the United States invested $823 billion in research and development (R&D) — the largest total globally — but China is rapidly closing the gap, reaching $781 billion and growing nearly twice as fast (8.9 […]