Study raises questions about Wisconsin's economic competitiveness

A report conducted by MPI Group, Inc. of Ohio concludes that Wisconsin is lagging in the areas of technology, education, and innovation. The report, The Wisconsin Economic Future Study, was commissioned for $285,000 by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. It found that while 36 of 37 leading industries in the state are manufacturing-based, Wisconsin’s lack of technology-intensive sectors is stunting its growth. Only 15% of Wisconsin’s economic output comes from the technology sector, which is nearly four points lower than the 18.8% national average, the report claims.

Wisconsin also has an education gap in its workforce, with 33.6% of adult workers over 25 having just a high school diploma. The national average is 28.4%.