Micheline Maynard

“At a time when the United States has never been more connected to the global marketplace, nor more dependent on capital from abroad, Micheline Maynard makes a deeply compelling case why foreign companies  investing in our country are so critical to America, including all of its communities and workers. This important book should be read by top officials of the Obama administration and by every senator, congressman, governor and mayor– and by anyone else interested in our country’s future.”

– Jeffrey E. Garten, Juan Trippe professor of international trade and finance and former dean, Yale School of Management and Former Undersecretary of Commerce for International Trade, Clinton Administration

“The Selling of the American Economy is a solidly reported, lucidly written book that completely debunks the conventional wisdom of American economic exceptionalism.  Clearly demonstrating that now, as always, this country is strengthened by foreign faith in our markets,  Micheline Maynard shows that “Buy American!” was and is excellent  and beneficial advice – for foreign companies. It turns out we’re all fortunate they followed it.” — Peter Sagal, host, NPR’s Wait Wait, Don’t Tell Me

“When Americans refer to the “globalized economy,” what they generally mean is either: us enriching the benighted, Coca-Cola-deficient, Apple-deprived, Hollywood-less masses of the world with our cool stuff; or us picking up incredible bargains on Chinese toys at Wal-Mart and French cheese at Whole Foods. But what we don’t talk about–what we’re perhaps embarrassed to talk about–is what happens when Americans, right here in small Southern towns and Midwestern suburbs, find themselves working for foreign-owned companies. This other kind of globalism is the subject of Micheline Maynard’s fascinating new book, The Selling of the American Economy: How Foreign Companies Are Remaking the American Dream. Maynard, senior business correspondent for the New York Times, begins by recognizing the fear and shame traditionally associated with foreign companies employing Americans. There has been a suspicion that these foreign competitors are undermining American companies, and that their American workers are a kind of fifth column, betraying the national interest. Maynard brilliantly shows how these ideas are not merely outdated, but utterly wrong.

Painting a portrait of four foreign companies–Tata, Haier, Airbus, and Toyota–and, more vividly, some of the Americans who work for them, Maynard shows how overseas firms have been a godsend for the U.S. They bring consumers better products–who thinks Pontiac makes better cars than Toyota? As importantly, they’ve enriched the lives of their American workers and host communities. Maynard doesn’t ignore the challenges of foreign ownership–implacable union opposition, most notably–but she catalogs the opportunities, such as steadier employment, more job skills training and opportunities for promotion, diffusion of best practices to other, American companies. At a time when Americans are skeptical of foreign entanglements and foreign ideas about health care, Maynard’s book is a lively reminder of how much we can learn, and how much we can benefit, when the world comes here.” – David Plotz, editor of Slate.com and author of  Good Book: The Bizarre, Hilarious, Disturbing, Marvelous and Inspiring Things I Learned When I Read Every Single Word of the Bible.

-Douglas Steenland, former CEO, Northwest Airlines

“While American companies globalize, foreign companies Americanize, transforming our landscape.  As Micheline Maynard makes compellingly clear in this vivid account, global firms have rescued companies, restored jobs, and revitalized communities in the U.S. — and have brought better ways of doing business that American companies may ignore only at their peril.”
— Michael Useem, Professor of Management and Director of the Center for Leadership and Change, Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.

“Offers a wealth of analysis explaining how foreign companies investing in the United States have long benefited America: through jobs, capital investment, and many other activities. Amidst the longest U.S. recession since the Great Depression, from which recovery will require creating good jobs at good wages, government and business leaders alike have much to learn from her insights.”
–Matthew J. Slaughter, Signal Companies Professor of Management and Associate Dean, Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth

“Micheline Maynard is the rare scholar who is a journalist, and journalist who is a scholar. The Selling of the American Economy is a compelling treatise on the positive impact of foreign direct investment on the American economy. Given the flight of American industry to low labor countries for manufacturing, engineering, software development and about anything, Maynard reminds us that it is too late to put up the fences and keep the foreigners out, and would be extremely unwise even if we could. Once again she gives us a look in the mirror that is ahead of its time.
- Jeffrey K. Liker, Professor, University of Michigan, and bestselling author of The Toyota Way

“Micheline Maynard’s provocative examination of growing foreign ownership of American business will enrage nativists, challenge globalists and prompt everyone to think deeply about the reasons that American needs foreign investment to create high-paying jobs.”

- David Cay Johnston, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Free Lunch and Perfectly Legal