雅思课外阅读：the Innovation of Ameirica

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雅思课外阅读:theInnovationofAmeirica
这篇雅思阅读材料的主要内容是虽然美国的经济正在复苏,但是,美国人的信心仍然深陷在经济危机当中没有回复。在2月份的一次对于世界经济的领导力量的调查中,大多数人选择了中国。所以美国的经济复苏虽然充满了想法,但是还需付出实践。
Stillfullofideas,butnotmakingjobs
Americaneedstosharethebenefitsofinnovationmorewidely
THEeconomyisrecovering,yetAmericanconfidenceremainsmiredatlevelsmorecommonlyeninrecessions.Forthatblameunemployment,petrolpricesandadeeper,naggingfeelingthatAmericaisindecline.AGalluppollinFebruaryaskedAmericanstonametheworld’sleadingeconomicpower.Byasignificantmargin,theysaidChina.
BarackObamahaxploitedthisanxiety.America,hehassaid,facesanew“Sputnikmoment”andmust“competeforthejobsandindustriesofourtime”byspendingmoreonrearch,educationandinfrastructure.ButthenotionthatAmericaisonthevergeofbeingvanquishedbycleverer,moreinnovativecompetitorsisflawed.First,competitivenessisawoollyconceptthatwronglysupposcountries,likefootballteams,winonlywhenanotherteamlos.Butonecountry’conomicgrowthdoesnotsubtractfromanother’s.Second,America’sabilitytoinnovateandraiproductivityremainsreasonablyhealthy.Theproblemisthatthebenefitsofthatinnovationandproductivityhavebecomesonarrowlyconcentratedthatworkers’medianwageshavestagnated.
TowardstheendofthelastdecadeAmericanproductivitybegantoslump,asigntosomethatthepayofffromnewinformationtechnologyhadlargelybeenexhausted.Butcomingoutoftherecessionproductivitysurged;itroby3.9%lastyear,thefastestratesince2002.Thiswaslargelycyclical,sincebusinessoutputhasrecoveredmorequicklythanhiring.Longtermproductivitygrowthwillbemoremodest,anditsratewilldependoninvestment,humancapitalandinnovation.
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Aftercollapsingduringtherecession,investmentinbusinesquipmenthasbouncedback,rising17%inthelastquarterof2010fromthefigureayearearlier.Humancapitalismoreofachallenge.Americansonceledtheworldineducationalattainment,butthisisnowbarelyrisingwhileothercountrieshavecaughtup(earticle).ThatisakeyreasonwhyDaleJorgenson,aneconomistatHarvardUniversity,reckonsoverallproductivitygrowthwillaverage1.5%inthecomingdecade,downfrom2%intheprevioustwo.
InnovationiswhatpreoccupiesMrObama.Heworriesthatthenextbreakthroughsinenergy,transportandinformationtechnologywilloccurelwhere.HisadvirsfretthatfederalrearchanddevelopmenthasfallensharplysincetheSputnikera.ButthepictureismoreencouragingonceprivateR&Disincluded.In2008,themostrecentyearforwhichdataareavailable,totalR&Dwas2.8%ofGDP,nearthetopofitshistoricalrange(echart).Americanpatentapplicationstailedoffduringtherecession,butonlyafterdoublinginthedecadebefore.
RobAtkinson,presidentoftheInformationTechnologyandInnovationFoundation,athinktankbackedbythetechnologyindustry,acknowledgesthatAmericastartsfromanimpressivelevel,butsaysothercountriesarecatchingupastheirgrowthinR&Dandthenumberoftheirscientistsandengineersgraduallyapproaches,orovertakes,America’s.ChinahasdoubledtheshareofitsGDPdevotedtoR&D,althoughitremainsbelowAmerica’s.In2000AmericansfiledsixtimesasmanypatentapplicationsasChineresidentsdid.By2009,however,ChinahadsurpasdtheAmericantotal.
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AmericancompanieshavebeguntobuildmoreR&Dfacilitiesinemergingcountries,bothinrespontolocalgovernmentpressureandtobeclortocustomers.GeneralElectric,whichalreadyhasrearchcentresinChina,IndiaandGermany,announcedlastyearthatitwouldputoneinBrazil.This,itsays,hasnotcomeatAmerica’xpen:GEplanstoaddtwomorerearchcentresintheUnitedStatestotheoneitrunsinupstateNewYork.MarkLittle,theheadofGEGlobalRearch,thecompany’sinhourearchdivision,saysputtingscientistsandrearchersintoothercountrienablesGEtocomeupwithproductsitwouldnothavethoughtofbefore.ForruralChinehospitals,moreudtodoingthingsmanuallythaninAmericaandEurope,GEdesignedlessautomatedMRImachines.
AdamSegal,authorof“Advantage:HowAmericanInnovationcanOvercometheAsianChallenge”,saysAsia’sthreattoAmericantechnologicalleadershipisoverstated.China’srearchoutputissoaring,butmuchofitispoorqualityorbadonplagiarism.Chinecompaniesareizingmarketshareinsolarpanelsandwindturbineslargelybecauoflowmanufacturingwages,saysMrSegal:“Theyhavemadenomajorbreakthroughsinanyoftheunderlyingtechnologies.”R&DspendinginIndiaisminuscule.
TherealproblemforAmericaisnotitsinnovativecapacity,butthefactthatitsbenefitsgotorelativelyfew.ThisisillustratedbyarecentpaperbyMichaelSpenceandSandileHlatshwayo,bothofNewYorkUniversity.Theydividedjobsamongtradableandnontradablectors.Tradablectorsincludemanufacturing,commoditiesandrvicessuchasfinanceandengineeringthatcompeteglobally.Valueaddedperperson,aproxyforproductivity,rosharplyinthisctor,butthenumberofjobsactuallydeclinedbetween2000and2008.Theoppositewastrueinthenontradablervicessuchasgovernmentandhealthcare.Thererealvalueaddedroonlysluggishly,butemploymentexpandedsignificantly.Behindthis,saysMrSpence,isthetrendofAmericanmultinationalstokeepthehighestvalueaddedactivitiesathomewhileshiftinglowervalueaddedactivities,suchasmanufacturing,abroad.
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Qualcomm,adeveloperofmobilephonechipsandtechnologybadinSanDiego,earnsroughly40%ofitsrevenuefromlicensingandroyaltyfeesfortechnologydevelopedprimarilyinAmerica,wherethreequartersofitmployeeswork.Lastyearitspent$2.5billion,orroughly20%ofrevenue,onR&DforsuchprojectsasdevelopingMirasol,aneasytoread,energyefficientphonedisplay.PaulJacobs,thecompany’sboss,complainsabouthighcorporatetaxratesandthedifficultyofgettingimmigrantvisasforforeignbornengineersandscientists,butmaintainsthatAmericaisnotabouttobesuperdedasacentreforinnovation.InCaliforniaQualcommhasaccesstothebestcollegegraduatesandapoolofideasandrecruitsgeneratedbyanexusofestablishedandstartupcompanies.
ButQualcommhasdonenomanufacturingofitsownsincellingitslasthandtplantin2000.AlthoughMirasolwasdevelopedinAmerica,thedisplayswillbemadeinTaiwan,whichhastheskills,thesuppliersandtheeconomiesofscale.
ThefindingsprentadilemmaforAmerica’spolicymakers.RaisingfederalR&DspendingandeasingimmigrationforforeignbornPhDswouldboostinnovationandcompanysuccess,butwouldnotproducemanyjobs.MrSpenceandMrAtkinsonwouldliketoegovernmentincentivesaimedatstrategicmanufacturingctors.Butsuchpolicieshaveapoortrackrecord.AndinanycaCongressisinnomoodtopayforthem,nomatterwhatMrObamasays.