Sunday, May 16, 2010

Jobs Arrive as well as Depart

We read endless articles about US jobs disappearing to places far from North Carolina, California, Texas, Michigan and every other state in the Union.  But we seldom read about the jobs that arrive, created here thanks to investments by companies who are based in those distant lands that become home to US jobs.

This month Fortune magazine (www.fortune.com) published an article  “American made.  Chinese Owned,” that reminds us jobs move in two directions in our connected global economy.  Although Canada, the United Kingdom, Belgium are among the countries with the highest dollar value of investment in the US, China’s direct investment highlighted in this article.  The author, Sheridan Prasso, points out that  Chinese businesses started 50 companies in the US in 2009 adding jobs  (1200 by one company in South Carolina alone) and bringing millions of dollars to the local economies. 

The numbers of jobs created by these international investors don’t pop up in seconds with a Google search.  Headlines don't shout the numbers at us.  But they exist.  The jobs are real. 

Today’s economic reality is that jobs leave and jobs arrive.    Let’s remember to the count flow in both directions.

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