2008 Transition to a Knowledge Based Economy Report

Michigan Future, Inc. has released it's first annual progress report for Michigan's Transition to a
Knowledge-Based Economy. The report collects data for states and the 53 metropolitan areas with population of one million or more plus Lansing and Madison and tracks any shifts from our traditional manufacturing economic engine to more knowledge-based economic activity. The basic conclusion of the report reads:

"What most distinguishes successful areas from Michigan is their concentrations of talent, where talent is defined as a combination of knowledge, creativity and entrepreneurship. Quite simply, in a flattening world, the places with the greatest concentrations of talent win. States and regions without concentrations of talent will have great difficulty retaining or attracting knowledge-based enterprises, nor are they likely to be the place where new knowledge-based enterprises are created."

The report continues by asserting that "Michigan and its largest metropolitan are lagging in the transition to a knowledge-based economy. In 2006 Michigan ranked 26th in per capita income, an unprecedented drop of 10 places in a relatively short six year period. It ranked 37th in the share of wages from knowledge-based industries and 34th in proportion of adults with a bachelors degree or more."

The report asserts that unless Michigan can substantially increase the proportion of college educated adults – particularly in our biggest metropolitan areas – Michigan will continue to trend downwards in the per capita income rankings towards the mid 30s.

Jason's Opinion: Once again, Michigan Future, Inc. is right on the money. Prosperity in Michigan's future is directly linked to creating new pathways for it's citizens to attain higher and continuing education. You can go on about "green collar jobs", diversifying the economy or competing in the global economy all you want, and it will all be fantasy. If you want to write our states science fiction story, we need to pack our communities with bright, educated people who are constantly learning.

I'll take things a step farther: in addition to providing access to education, we need to do everything we can develop a culture that gets excited about knowledge and discovery. Supporting Michigan's excellent school robotics program's is an excellent example of how we can spark enthusiasm in our future workforce. But that's just one thing. Our media can attach a higher priority to covering scholarship contests and their winners. State, county and municipal governments can set up funds for schools to bring in more high profile "knowledge heroes" to speak to and interact with students. And yes, communities around the state can be more supportive of science fiction conventions - which often bring in high tech industry leaders and think-tanks to speak on panels. More on that in a later post.

To read the full report, click here.