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Minnesota Magazine Economic health of Minnesot §ets top scores in two studies TWo recent national studies show Minnesota in a strong competitive position for future economic growth. The studies measure the capacity of states to compete for the technology and skill-intensive industries of the future. These studies are in marked contrast to the Grant Thornton approach, which emphasizes low-cost, low-skill labor and does not value either research investment or public infrastructure. The first study, "Indicators of Economic Growth," was done by Ameritrust/SRI International. It measures three factors of economic capacity: accessibility of technology to business, skill level and adaptability of the state labor force, and the availability of capital within the state. Minnesota ranks third in the North Centred region and eighth in the United States on the technology factor. The state is second in the region on the labor force measure and 10th in the nation. In capital availability, Minnesota is third in the region and ninth in the United States. Each factor has several economic indicators. Minnesota shows particular strength in indicators that measure the quality of engineering and science faculty, the amount of industry invt sLment in university research and development, and the number of patents issued per capita. Minnesota has the third highes~ average ACT scor&s in the nation and the highest proportion of s~udents attending techniced institutes. The s~ate ranks well above average on the amount of equiLv capit~ed in commerciM banks. The second stud>; "Making ~he Grade -- the Developmen~ Repor~ Card for ~he S~ates," was published by the Corporation for Enterprise Developmenu S~ates were graded on ~he basis of theh~ scores on a s~t of economic indicators desi=omed to cap,ute four measures of state econo~Jc hea]~h: '1~ performance of nhe s~a~e in providing opportunities for ks citizens. 2! the vi~aii? of the state's businesses. 3) capaciD~ of the s;ate for economic growth, and 4) state policies to fos~er business ~ow:h and econon~Hc oppor~unk>', in con~rzs: ;e ~he Ameritrus~ SRi s~udy, grades were awarded on recap;ye ..... ones, a~u ..... =s of in~vidu~ s;a~es. 5~,neso~, ~ finaJ grades are ~hree As and one B on vitality index. Yhe s~a;e ranks very high among ~he 50 scares on ali four indexes. Within the re,on, Minnesota places first on the performance, vitality and capacity indexes. Na~ioned]v on these indexes, Minnesota ranks fourth. 11th and s:'xch, respectively. On the policy index. Minnesota ranks third in bo~;h ~he region and the nation. Minnesota Rani. in: North Central Region (12 states) U~dted States (50 states) National Ranking of the 50 States: North Central Region: i: MINNESOTA; Iowa Amerit TECHNOLO Score 9.66 ,' i0176 11.30 Nebraska i North. Dakota . .. ~· . . .'..~ Ohio i'~ South Dakota i "', ..... Wisconsin Rest of United States: ·Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California ' ' Colorado -C0nnectidU-t' . Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Kentucky ~ Louisiana Maine .... Maryland Massachusetts Mississippi Montana Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New tbrk North Carolina Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont VL~ginia Washington %'est Virginia Wyoming · · I 13.50 8.93 ]i:i 3.97 11.15 ." 4.68 12.60 12.16 4.84 10.38 9.56 12.30 8.98 4.61 8.61 10.80 4.86 4.68 6.95 5.14 10.19 5.22 7.35 D.DD 6.70 l 7.88 8.37 11.36 9.24 6.25 9.09 10.24 11.48 6.05 4.99 9.23 12.20 8.86 6.51 11.52 6.48 6.1(i