Author Description

This book documents a new study produced by Cleveland State University's Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affiars that is one of the first in the country to examine the role of manufacturing in a state economy and how the manufacturing sector relates to the so-called "new economy." The study, written by Dr. Edward Hill, Distinguished Professor at the Levin College and Non-resident Senior Fellow with the Brookings Institution, dispels the myth that a state economy based on manufacturing is necessarily a low-technology, low-productivity, low-income economy. While the study focuses on the economy of the State of Ohio, its conclusions and policy recommendations are applicable to other states with similar economies. The data and policy recommendations contained in this book are the basis for correcting mistaken perceptions about the competitive advantage manufacturing can add to a state economy. Many states that have traditionally relied upon manufacturing as a cornerstone of their economies are now fearful their economies are too "low-tech;" this study shows that the converse is true: manufacturing can use technology to make process and product innovations that can lead to major increases in productivity and better incomes for state residents.