United Brains of America

The U.S. economy is evolving from an industrial economy to a knowledge economy. It is the "United Brains of America" now instead of United States of America that will dominate the world stage. High paying work is knowledge work. That is not going anywhere.

It is in the interest of the U.S. if some countries stay in the agricultural age while others move on to the industrial age. These nations will continue to do the leg work, grabbing a bigger share of the low paying jobs.

Nike is a good example of this phenomenon. Their footballs and shoes are stitched all over the world but none of these manufacturers have the knowledge and brand power to ever threaten Nike's dominance of the market. The critical advantage is not in the factories but in the brains that make Nike.

Starbucks is another example of a knowledge company based on nations that are stuck in the agricultural age.

I am sure that policymakers in the U.S. know this, and the paranoia about the shifting of jobs overseas is intentionally created hype.

I hope the U.S. can retain the flexibility and the freedoms that make it so attractive for the brains of the world, sustaining the United Brains of America.

My submission at http://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/5570.html