Friday, November 19, 2010

DBJ... Ohio improves innovation ranking


Editor’s Note: Beware the various rankings that typically involve government spending – grants, stimulus, special projects and so on – that laud state cooperation or preparedness for future economic growth, such as this one. I haven’t seen another ranking recently, but for several years in a row, Ohio has been a top-ranked state in building infrastructure for businesses that somehow aren’t interested in coming.
I believe a reasonable comparison of this article’s top five and bottom five states can best be noted by the unemployment rates in those states.
Check the link at the end of the story.

From Dayton Business Journal…
Ohio improves innovation ranking
by Scott Dance
Thursday, November 18, 2010, 1:45pm EST

Ohio jumped several spots on a list ranking the states moving toward a global, innovation-based economy, according to a new study.
The Buckeye State ranked 25th on the list, up from 29th place in 2007, according to an index by the Kauffman Foundation and Information Technology and Innovation Foundation.
The index factors education of its work force and the percentage of managerial, professional and technical jobs in the work force.
High-ranking states are well prepared for economic prosperity, according to the study.
In individual categories, Ohio ranked 15th for its percentage of information technology workers, 9th for bringing in knowledge workers and 19th for value-added manufacturing.
The state ranked in the middle of the pack in other categories, including 26th for its focus on exports of manufacturing and services.
Massachusetts topped the rankings, followed by Washington state, Maryland, New jersey and Connecticut. Ohio outperformed neighboring states Indiana (35th) and Kentucky (44th), but trailed Michigan (17th).
The bottom five states were South Dakota, Alabama, Arkansas, West Virginia and Mississippi.

State unemployment rates as of Sept. 30, 2010.
http://www.bls.gov/web/laus/laumstrk.htm

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