World's Largest Economy
The United States is the world’s largest economy and has the world’s third-largest population, with a gross domestic product of over $14 trillion and a population of more than 310 million people. It is also one of the richest economies in the world. The country’s per capita GDP of over $47,000 leads all major developed economies. In addition, the United States maintains free trade agreements with 17 partner countries that produced a combined $5 trillion dollars in 2010—giving investors in the United States unparalleled access to diverse markets across the globe.
Competitive Business and Investment Climate
The United States consistently ranks at the top of most major indicators for its attractive business and investment climate. The U.S. is #2 in AT Kearney’s Foreign Direct Investment confidence index rankings, #4 in the World Economic Forum’s competitiveness rankings, and #5 in the World Bank’s “Ease of Doing Business” rankings.
Commanding Consumer Market
With 310 million U.S. consumers and median household income of over $50,000, the U.S. market is highly diverse in consumer tastes, income, and national origin, and thus permits success in a wide variety of business models. It is no wonder that trends in global consumer markets often start in the United States, and brands are not considered truly global until they penetrate the U.S. market.
Vast Internal Markets = Economies of Scale
The United States provides unique market opportunities, whether you are selling to a niche or have applications all along the supply chain. In the United States, everyone speaks the same language, is subject to the same laws, and believes that a single business model can reach thousands of miles and millions of people. Businesses operating in niche markets in other countries can become large, dynamic firms in the United States. And with the size and scope of the U.S. economy, opportunities for those with broader business models are even more expansive.
Center of Research and Innovation
The United States is the world’s center of innovation. The United States was responsible for 41 percent of all expenditures in research and development in developed countries in 2007. And almost half of all scientific researchers in the developed world work in the United States.
U.S. Companies dominate the World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies Ranking – easily outnumbering corporations outside of America. U.S. companies take all of the top 4 rankings, 6 of the top 10, and 22 of the top 50. [Bloomberg-Businessweek]
World's Top Universities
The U.S. is home to the world’s top universities, boasting all of the top 5 spots, seven of the top 10, and more than half the top 50 places (27). In fact, the U.S. has more than twice as many universities represented in the top 200 as its nearest rival, the UK, which has 29. [Times Higher Education World University Rankings for 2010-11]
The U.S. also leads in access to technology derived from critical basic research performed at its universities. According to WIPO statistics, all of the top 10 international universities ranked by number of global patent applications are located in the United States. These leading universities also provide the world’s best supply of highly skilled workers, who are trained to develop and use these new technologies.
The Global Leader in Information Technology
U.S. markets are among the world’s most open to new products, ideas and innovations. That is why so many companies located in the United States are world leaders in their product classes. BusinessWeek’s top 100 information technology firms include 43 U.S. companies, and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) list of the top 50 information technology firms includes 18 U.S. companies – which accounted for 35 percent of the revenue of those 50 companies and 58 percent of their market capitalization.
Protector of Intellectual Property
The United States has established the world’s leading Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) regime, with nearly a million patent and trademark applications received each year. Obtaining protection for business assets is simple and cost-effective. The transparent and predictable legal system resolves disputes quickly, often before significant expense is incurred. And businesses can rely on the U.S.'s comprehensive enforcement capabilities to protect their IP rights from infringement. Learn more .
Highly Educated and Productive Workforce
The United States has a highly educated workforce. Over 40 percent of Americans age 24 to 60 have completed a level of education beyond high school, considerably more than the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) average of 27 percent and the second highest among all developed countries.
U.S. workers are also among the world's most productive -- producing $63,885 of wealth per year per worker on average, more than their counterparts in all other countries. "The United States, according to the report, also beats all 27 nations in the European Union, Japan and Switzerland in the amount of wealth created per hour of work — a second key measure of productivity." [CBS News - Associated Press]
There are more than 150 million workers in the U.S. labor market. They share the same language, work under highly menable labor laws, and have a long history of following the trail of opportunity and reward. Americans know how to take advantage when opporunities present themselves -- it's the American spirit. And that spirit makes the U.S. workforce a desired partner in developing successful businesses.
World's Largest Economy
The United States is the world’s largest economy and has the world’s third-largest population, with a gross domestic product of over $14 trillion and a population of more than 310 million people. It is also one of the richest economies in the world. The country’s per capita GDP of over $47,000 leads all major developed economies. In addition, the United States maintains free trade agreements with 17 partner countries that produced a combined $5 trillion dollars in 2010—giving investors in the United States unparalleled access to diverse markets across the globe.
Competitive Business and Investment Climate
The United States consistently ranks at the top of most major indicators for its attractive business and investment climate. The U.S. is #2 in AT Kearney’s Foreign Direct Investment confidence index rankings, #4 in the World Economic Forum’s competitiveness rankings, and #5 in the World Bank’s “Ease of Doing Business” rankings.
Commanding Consumer Market
With 310 million U.S. consumers and median household income of over $50,000, the U.S. market is highly diverse in consumer tastes, income, and national origin, and thus permits success in a wide variety of business models. It is no wonder that trends in global consumer markets often start in the United States, and brands are not considered truly global until they penetrate the U.S. market.
Vast Internal Markets = Economies of Scale
The United States provides unique market opportunities, whether you are selling to a niche or have applications all along the supply chain. In the United States, everyone speaks the same language, is subject to the same laws, and believes that a single business model can reach thousands of miles and millions of people. Businesses operating in niche markets in other countries can become large, dynamic firms in the United States. And with the size and scope of the U.S. economy, opportunities for those with broader business models are even more expansive.
Center of Research and Innovation
The United States is the world’s center of innovation. The United States was responsible for 41 percent of all expenditures in research and development in developed countries in 2007. And almost half of all scientific researchers in the developed world work in the United States.
U.S. Companies dominate the World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies Ranking – easily outnumbering corporations outside of America. U.S. companies take all of the top 4 rankings, 6 of the top 10, and 22 of the top 50. [Bloomberg-Businessweek]
World's Top Universities
The U.S. is home to the world’s top universities, boasting all of the top 5 spots, seven of the top 10, and more than half the top 50 places (27). In fact, the U.S. has more than twice as many universities represented in the top 200 as its nearest rival, the UK, which has 29. [Times Higher Education World University Rankings for 2010-11]
The U.S. also leads in access to technology derived from critical basic research performed at its universities. According to WIPO statistics, all of the top 10 international universities ranked by number of global patent applications are located in the United States. These leading universities also provide the world’s best supply of highly skilled workers, who are trained to develop and use these new technologies.
The Global Leader in Information Technology
U.S. markets are among the world’s most open to new products, ideas and innovations. That is why so many companies located in the United States are world leaders in their product classes. BusinessWeek’s top 100 information technology firms include 43 U.S. companies, and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) list of the top 50 information technology firms includes 18 U.S. companies – which accounted for 35 percent of the revenue of those 50 companies and 58 percent of their market capitalization.
Protector of Intellectual Property
The United States has established the world’s leading Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) regime, with nearly a million patent and trademark applications received each year. Obtaining protection for business assets is simple and cost-effective. The transparent and predictable legal system resolves disputes quickly, often before significant expense is incurred. And businesses can rely on the U.S.'s comprehensive enforcement capabilities to protect their IP rights from infringement. Learn more .
Highly Educated and Productive Workforce
The United States has a highly educated workforce. Over 40 percent of Americans age 24 to 60 have completed a level of education beyond high school, considerably more than the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) average of 27 percent and the second highest among all developed countries.
U.S. workers are also among the world's most productive -- producing $63,885 of wealth per year per worker on average, more than their counterparts in all other countries. "The United States, according to the report, also beats all 27 nations in the European Union, Japan and Switzerland in the amount of wealth created per hour of work — a second key measure of productivity." [CBS News - Associated Press]
There are more than 150 million workers in the U.S. labor market. They share the same language, work under highly menable labor laws, and have a long history of following the trail of opportunity and reward. Americans know how to take advantage when opporunities present themselves -- it's the American spirit. And that spirit makes the U.S. workforce a desired partner in developing successful businesses.
