Some observers contend that manufacturing activity in rural areas has been more adversely affected than in urban areas by foreign competition. It is true, of course, that the economies of some rural areas have been devastated by closing of key manufacturing plants. Even if plant closings were...

North Carolina's furniture manufacturing industry has contracted in recent years as imports have gained a greater share of the domestic furniture market. Rapid growth of the furniture industry in China and a surge in exports from that country to the United States in particular have contributed...

International competition in manufacturing is intense and growing, but the search for international bogeymen overlooks U.S. competitiveness.

A review of how moderation in U.S. manufacturing labor costs and record growth in manufacturing productivity have helped to improve the U.S. trade deficit in recent years, and an evaluation of how well domestic producers have performed relative to their major trading partners.