Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Insights and Opinions: It's Not the Economy, Stupid
Today's Insights & Opinions piece comes from Krisztina Holly, the vice-provost for innovation and executive director of the USC Stevens Institute for Innovation at the University of Southern California, and Jim Clifton, chairman and CEO of Gallup.
How can we be expected to grow and create jobs, many executives wonder, when we are shrinking?
Despite a slight easing on the unemployment rate, a quarter million Americans lost their jobs last month, and job prospects for those out of work look bleak for the foreseeable future. Policymakers and citizens alike are concerned with how we can reduce the rate of unemployment—no easy feat when balanced with the need to slash expenses.However, focusing on unemployment is exactly the wrong thing to do. Yes, the numbers are staggering. But they only tell part of the story, and they do not offer a solution for relieving the economic chaos.
Read Krisztina and Jim's thoughts on a better approach in our Insights & Opinions section.