Business Stake in Education for US Competitiveness

At Harvard Business School the faculty leads the U.S. Competitiveness Project which is “…a research-led effort to understand and improve the competitiveness of the United States – that is, the ability of firms operating in the U.S. to compete successfully in the global economy while supporting high and rising living standards for Americans.   The Project focuses especially on the roles that business leaders do and can play in promoting U.S. competitiveness.”

Listening to a webinar by Professor Jan Rivkin on “Transforming America’s Schools: How Business Leaders Can Help” makes it clear that the U.S. shortfall in educational achievement is a business problem. The data is compelling and the charts Professor Rivkin uses are clear.  (More information can be found in this report and short video.)  On the issues of improving public education, business cannot stand on the sidelines.

Two key points of this research stand out for me. First, a mis-allocation of resources from business to schools. There is too much emphasis on alleviating symptoms and on pet projects; not enough on broader and more impactful policy efforts. Second, support for Common Core standards. The emphasis here for business has always been that higher standards matter.

The research work of the U.S. Competitiveness project is yet another call for transformative progress for Americas PK-12 education system. Their reports are well worth a read for business leaders interested in meeting their workforce needs in the years ahead.

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HBS is collaborating with the Boston Consulting Group on this project, which is supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.