Earlier this year, the Pratt Center's Adam Friedman participated in a roundtable at the Surdna Foundation on policy in support of the manufacturing sector in the United States. Surdna has now published a summary of the manufacturing roundtable, highlighting the need for coherent national policy and better data. Participants stressed the essential role of manufacturing in national economic recovery, competitiveness and growth, and in maintaining a strong middle class. The paper proceeds to explore ways that philanthropy can strengthen federal policy by supporting collaboration among researchers and innovators nationally.
Pratt Center's assessment of the role of manufacturing in New York City's economy and the need to support the sector is further discussed in Friedman's "Transforming New York City's Manufacturing Landscape,"featured in the Drum Major Institute's recent book on New York City's economic future. To learn more, listen to Friedman talk about manufacturing on WNYC Radio's Brian Lehrer Show.