California Business Minute™

Hi, I am Tim Johnson and welcome to the California Business Minute.

Area Development magazine has released its lists of the “Best States to Do Business"
and surprise, California makes the Top Ten. 

States were ranked in each of the 12 site selection categories based on the number of
times they were named as a "Top-5" choice by the responding consultants. Next, a top-5
state's ranking in each of the 12 categories was assigned a weight in accordance with its
position in these individual categories.

The following outlines the magazine’s rationale for the ranking.

TOP TEN BEST STATES FOR DOING BUSINESS
1. Texas
2. Georgia
3. Alabama
4. South Carolina
5. Indiana
6. Louisiana
7. North Carolina
8. Tennessee
9. Mississippi
10. California

While battered by the recession, when it comes to international trade and access to
global markets, make no mistake, California is still a powerhouse and the leader of
the pack. Placing first for access to global markets in our survey, California serves
as a gateway to the Pacific Rim and, indeed, the world. Its state ports transition
more than 40 percent of container cargo traveling to the United States, Canada, and
Mexico; its two top airports, Los Angeles International (LAX) and San Francisco
International, rank second and fourth in the country for international air cargo
volume.

California has capitalized on its access to global markets by offering its so-called
“4G Platform for Global Business,” which underscores its global innovation network,
global competitive advantage, role as the gateway to the Pacific Rim, and its great
lifestyle and entertainment advantages.

California has also launched a new Innovation Hub (iHub) initiative, which will improve
the state’s national and global competitiveness by stimulating partnerships, economic
development, and job creation around research clusters through state-designated iHubs.
These iHubs will leverage research parks, technology incubators, universities, and
federal laboratories in order to provide an innovation platform for startup companies,
economic development organizations, business groups, and venture capitalists.

“As the countries of Asia and south of our border continue to thrive and expand their
trade, our state will play a leading role, as it always has, and reap unimagined
benefits,” said Governor Jerry Brown in his 2011 State of the State Address.

I am Tim Johnson and this has been the California Business Minute.