Michael Mandel

Dr. Michael Mandel is Chief Economic Strategist at the Progressive Policy Institute in Washington, where he focuses on innovation, regulation, and the impact of globalization. Recent papers include: “How the FDA impedes Innovation: A Case Study in Overregulation” (June 2011); “Not All Productivity Gains Are the Same: Here’s Why” (June 2011, with Susan Houseman); “Telecom Investment: The Link to U.S. Jobs and Wages” (May 2011); and “Reviving Jobs and Innovation: A Progressive Approach to Improving Regulation” (January 2011)

In addition, Dr. Mandel is president of South Mountain Economics LLC, which is currently developing new metrics for estimating the impact of innovation and trade on state, local, and national economies. The goal is to do a better job identifying the sectors driving growth in a region.

Dr. Mandel, who holds a PhD in economics from Harvard University, formerly served as chief economist at BusinessWeek, where he directed the magazine’s coverage of the domestic and global economies. While at BusinessWeek, Dr. Mandel was named one of the top 100 business journalists of the 20th century for his writings on innovation and growth. He received multiple awards for his work, including “Best Economic Journalist of the Year” by the World Leadership Forum, and the Gerald Loeb Award for Business and Financial Journalism, the top award in the field.

Dr. Mandel regularly is a keynote speaker at conferences. He is also the author of four books, including an introductory economics textbook, Economics: The Basics, now being used in college courses across the country. Mandel is Senior Fellow at the Mack Center for Technological Innovation at the Wharton School, and produces education-oriented economics videos through his company Visible Economy LLC. His blog, “Mandel on Innovation and Growth,” can be found at http://www.southmountaineconomics.com.