Competitiveness: The wealth of nations

The U.S. has fallen for the fourth straight year in global competitiveness, according to the World Economic Forum. Switzerland topped the list with Finland and Sweden rounding out the top three. The rankings are based on institutions, infrastructure, financial systems, flexible labor markets, economic stability, innovations and public services. Those scores are then plotted against GDP per person, which yields a country’s competitiveness score. Wealth can fuel competitiveness, but it can also squander it—as evidenced by the U.S. running backward.