Where are we headed in North America as our manufacturing base contracts? This panel of manufacturing experts, analysts and policy drivers will be asked, “Is globalization good for America?” Many feel that globalization, encouraged with free trade agreements, has not resulted in reciprocal benefits.Yet, there are clear cases where companies have competed very well by developing a global manufacturing strategy. Are all of North America’s manufacturing job losses due to low-cost labor advantages in other countries? While many economists believe that free trade as a whole is good, there are those who do not believe that free trade has been fair. In the long-term, the primary weapon against job loss to low wage countries is innovation. Is America innovating fast enough to stem the decline in our prevailing standard of living, and are our intellectual property laws sufficient to protect us? 

This panel will discuss international manufacturing competitiveness, and provide insight on what can be expected in the near term with regard to the pace and extent of globalization, how to position our companies to compete globally, and manufacturing policy issues.

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