Competitiveness Series

The U.S.-South Korea Free Trade Agreement
South Korea is an enormously important economic partner for the United States both in terms of trade and investment.  Our economies are intricately linked across many sectors and are becoming more interdependent every day — particularly in the production and sale of high-technology goods.
October 2009

Free Trade Colombia
The region of Central and South America is a leading destination for U.S. high-tech goods exports with tremendous potential for further growth. The U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement offers an opportunity to expand this regional market for U.S. high-tech merchandise exporters, manufacturers, service providers, and their employees.
October 2009

Free Trade Panama
The region of Central and South America is a leading destination for U.S. high-tech goods exports with tremendous potential for further growth. The U.S.-Panama Free Trade Agreement offers an opportunity to expand this regional market for U.S. high-tech merchandise exporters, manufacturers, services providers, and their employees.
October 2009

Tech Industry Sees Two Percent Job Loss in 1st Half of 2009
The tech industry shed 115,000 jobs from January to June 2009, a 1.9 percent decrease, compared to the 72,900 tech jobs added in the same period in 2008.  As of June 2009, the industry employed 5.81 million workers.
September 2009

U.S. High-Tech Jobs Depend on Overseas Investment
TechAmerica’s new report argues that recent proposals seeking to limit tax deferral and increase the tax burden on U.S. foreign affiliates in the name of encouraging domestic job creation risk achieving the opposite effect. 
June 2009

Green Tech 101: Enhancing Energy Efficiency
To coincide with Earth Day, TechAmerica released a report endorsing the widespread use of information and communication technologies to enhance energy efficiency.
April 2009

U.S. Tech Industry Adds 78,300 Jobs from January to July 2008
The tech industry is adding jobs, but the pace is slowing amidst the financial turmoil and economic downturn. Tech employment reached 5.9 million jobs in July 2008, a gain of 1.3 percent from the beginning of the year, but future job growth remains uncertain.
October 2008

U.S. 4th and 8th Graders Need To Go Back to School
Math scores are improving but remain dismally low, while science scores are stagnating, according to the Department of Education. A workforce grounded in strong math and science skills is essential for the tech industry and America’s ability to compete in the 21st century global economy.
August 2008

eHealth 301: Electronic Prescriptions
This third report in our series on eHealth analyzes ePrescribing, the application of health information technology that allows prescriptions to be transmitted electronically, reducing harmful medication errors, increasing efficiencies, and lowering costs.
July 2008

The Information Technology Agreement
Over its 11 year history, the Information Technology Agreement (ITA) spurred global economic development and expanded markets for U.S. tech exports. Unfortunately, the ITA is now being undermined by the European Union.
June 2008

The U.S.-China Economic Relationship
U.S.-China economic ties have expanded dramatically over the past two decades. Trade and investment between the two countries provide economic benefits for American manufacturers, service providers, workers, and consumers.
May 2008

The U.S.-South Korea Free Trade Agreement
South Korea is the sixth largest market for U.S. high-tech goods. Passing the U.S.-South Korea Free Trade Agreement will improve market access and enhance intellectual property protection for American high-tech products and services.
May 2008

Telework in the Information Age
Telework, also known as telecommuting, is the practice of allowing, encouraging, and even requiring that employees work remotely part- or full-time, usually from their home, facilitated by collaborative information and communication technologies.
April 2008

The U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement
The U.S.-Colombian Free Trade Agreement promises new opportunities and expanded markets for U.S. high-tech exporters, manufacturers, services providers, and their employees. Colombia is the fourth fastest growing market for tech products.
March 2008

eHealth 201: Designing the Virtual Hospital
Telemedicine – the use of technology to provide healthcare remotely – is already showing tremendous potential to lower costs and enhance the reliability, convenience, and delivery of healthcare.
November 2007

Mid-year Tech Employment Update
The U.S. high-tech industry added 118,500 jobs in the first half of 2007, slightly less than the 143,000 tech jobs added in the first half of 2006. All four high-tech sectors are adding jobs, including technology manufacturing.
September 2007

The U.S.-South Korea Free Trade Agreement
South Korea is one of the world’s largest markets for high-tech goods from the United States. Passing the U.S.-South Korea Free Trade Agreement will improve access and increase intellectual property protection for American high-tech products and services.
June 2007

Opening Trade with Central and South America

(OVERALL REPORT)
U.S. high-tech trade with Central and South America is strong, as data in this report illustrate. To expand this trade, the United States should continue to pursue all bilateral and multilateral means to open markets to U.S. goods and services in this strategically vital region.

SUPPLEMENTAL COUNTRY REPORTS
Free Trade Colombia Free Trade Panama Free Trade Peru
June 2007

China and the United States – The Links Grow Stronger
China is an undeniably important economic partner for the United States in terms of trade and investment across many sectors, particularly in the production and sale of high-technology goods.
May 2007

China’s 15 Year Science and Technology Plan
China’s 15 Year Plan intends to move the country beyond its current reliance on foreign technology to spawn “indigenous innovation.” We outline how they intend to do it and what obstacles could stand in their way.
April 2007

eHealth 101: Electronic Medical Records
Electronic medical records (EMRs) offer a tremendous opportunity to reduce healthcare costs, improve quality of care, and save lives.
December 2006

Mid-year Tech Employment Update
The U.S. high-tech industry added 140,000 jobs in the first half of 2006, nearly double the growth of the same period in 2005. Tech manufacturing employment is rising for the second year in a row and communications services is adding jobs for the first time since 2000.
September 2006

Strengthen the R&D Tax Credit and Make It Permanent
This report highlights how critical industry funded R&D has been to the United States. But the lack of a consistent R&D tax credit makes foreign incentives for R&D much more attractive.
August 2006

Attracting the Best and Brightest to the United States
Though recent public debate has focused on unskilled, illegal immigration, an entirely different but essential category is often neglected: the high-skilled, legal immigration that spurs American innovation and creates thousands of high-paying jobs.
June 2006

Free Trade Colombia
The Colombian Free Trade Agreement promises new opportunities and expanded markets for U.S. high-tech exporters, manufacturers, services providers, and their employees. Colombia is a small but strong and growing market for tech products.
March 2006

Free Trade Peru
The Peruvian Free Trade Agreement promises new opportunities and expanded markets for U.S. high-tech exporters, manufacturers, services providers, and their employees. Peru is a small but strong and growing market for tech products.
March 2006

RFID: Security, Privacy, and Good Public Policy
This second report of a 2-part series on RFID discusses how authentication and encryption technologies protect RFID-enabled devices from illicit and malicious use in both supply chain management and Secure IDs/Smart Cards.
February 2006

RFID 101: Benefits of the Next Big Little Thing
This report details how RFID technology works and discusses its current and potential benefits for the United States. It serves as a primer for our follow up report, which will address the privacy and security concerns associated with RFID.
December 2005

Like It or Not, China and the U.S. Are Intricately Linked
China is an enormously important economic partner for the United States in terms of both trade and investment, particularly in the high-tech sector. This report presents statistics quantifying this interdependence.
November 2005

Mid-year Tech Employment Update
As of June 2005 the high-tech industry added 190,000 jobs in the United States over an 18 month time span, and tech manufacturing employment rose for the first time since 2000.
September 2005

CAFTA-DR: The Misunderstood Trade Agreement, More At Stake Than Most Realize
The free trade agreement between the United States and its Central American and Dominican neighbors holds great significance for the U.S. high-tech industry and for American competitiveness.
June 2005

We Are Still Losing the Competitive Advantage: Now is the Time to Act
The natural sequel to the groundbreaking 2005 report, this expanded report offers updated data, analysis, and recommendations that reinforce the urgent need to act to maintain American competitiveness in a global economy.
March 2007

Losing the Competitive Advantage?: The Challenge for Science and Technology in the United States
This report is considered by many business leaders and policy makers to be the definitive statement on U.S. competitiveness. It explores the challenges the United States currently faces and in many ways is ignoring at its peril.
February 2005

Offshore Outsourcing in an Increasingly Competitive and Rapidly Changing World: A High-Tech Perspective
This report examines the factors surrounding offshore outsourcing and concludes that this is really a symptom of a much larger issue: that of U.S. competitiveness in a global marketplace.
March 2004