Competitiveness matters: industry and economic performance in the U.S

"Going against the current, this book argues that competitiveness - that is, the competitiveness of the manufacturing sector - matters to the long-term health of the U.S. economy and particularly to its long-term capacity to raise the standard of living of its citizens

The book challenges the arguments popularized most recently by Paul Krugman that competitiveness is a dangerous obsession that distracts us from the question most central to solving the problem of stagnant real income growth, namely, what causes productivity growth, especially in the service sector."

"The central argument is that, if the U.S. economy is to achieve full employment with rising real wages, it is necessary to enhance the competitiveness of its tradable goods sector. The book shows that current account deficits cannot be explained by macroeconomic mismanagement but are rather the consequence of an uncompetitive manufacturing sector."

"This book will be of interest to economists, political scientists, and business researchers concerned with the place of the manufacturing sector in the overall health of the U.S. economy, issues of industrial policy and industrial restructuring, and the conditions for rising standards of living."--Jacket

Introduction : Competitiveness matters / Candace Howes and Ajit Singh -- The trade deficit and U.S. competitiveness / Robert A. Blecker -- Improving U.S. international competitiveness : macro policy management vs. managed trade policy / Catherine L. Mann -- The Anglo-Saxon market for corporate control : the financial system and international competitiveness / Ajit Singh -- American corporate finance : from organizational to market control / William Lazonick and Mary O'Sullivan -- Can technology policy serve as industrial policy? / Ann Markusen -- Does the United States need a technology policy? / W. Edward Steinmueller -- A high-road policy for U.S. manufacturing / Daniel Luria -- U.S. competitiveness and economic growth / Candace Howes.