The New Industrial Belt: The Deep South
by James Fallows
Does America still “make things?” Come take a look … in Mississippi. (Read it here.)
Category Archives: Economic Life
A Song of America’s Downtowns
A Song of America’s Downtowns
by James Fallows
A heartening surprise of our travel so far: the breadth, seriousness, and—in some places—success of the effort to revitalize small-town downtowns. Or, what 3 programmers from Uzbekistan taught us about America. (Read it here.)
The Seas? The Skies? The Transformation of a Company Town, Part 2
The Seas? The Skies? The Transformation of a Company Town, Part 2
by James Fallows
One economic titan has fallen, another has taken its place, but a city wants to expand its options. (Read it here.)
The Transformation of a Company Town: St. Marys, Part 1
The Transformation of a Company Town: St. Marys, Part 1
by James Fallows
What happens when the company shuts down? (Read it here.)
The Parks and Recreation Theory of America’s Future
The Parks and Recreation Theory of America’s Future
by James Fallows
What we discuss at the national level has surprisingly little to do with startup decisions. Some provocative data about where America is growing, and why. (Read it here.)
Smaller-Town Startups: ‘Stopping the Brain Drain’ in South Carolina
Smaller-Town Startups: ‘Stopping the Brain Drain’ in South Carolina
by James Fallows
‘People say, this is my ticket Out.’ Then, they want to stay. (Read it here.)
Ice Cream, Chocolate, Coffee, and Beer
Ice Cream, Chocolate, Coffee, and Beer
by Deborah Fallows
Take ingredients and blend, for small-town synergy. (Read it here.)
Why Do Tech Companies End Up Where They Are?
Why Do Tech Companies End Up Where They Are?
by James Fallows
“You get some clusters, and some stand-alone firms far from anyone else. But rarely anything in-between.” (Read it here.)
Luck? Planning? Karma? The Elements of a Small Town’s High-Tech Success
Luck? Planning? Karma? The Elements of a Small Town’s High-Tech Success
by James Fallows
A software company grows in an unlikely setting. “Why here?” we ask the founders. (Read it here.)
From the Tree to the Table: The Journey of a Brave Little Orange
From the Tree to the Table: The Journey of a Brave Little Orange
by James Fallows
The surprising complexity behind even the simplest-seeming aspects of modern life. (Read it here.)