After the economic turbulence overall FDI is back on the rise. Emerging economies such as China are looking for investment opportunities abroad. To capture growth, secure talent supply and reduce risks global corporations reshape their international footprint. Despite FDI into G20 economies is declining, the USA are with 25% of the FDI total a big and attractive market. On national level the USA is one of the most competitive countries with unique advantages to attract foreign investments. Global-Arena.com’s interactive analysis to the growth competitiveness of the US States on level unveils the big differences in comparative advantages between the 50 States.

1. July 10, 2012 www.global-arena.com 1

2. Executive Summary
After the economic turbulence overall FDI is back on the rise. Emerging economies such as China
are looking for investment opportunities abroad. To capture growth, secure talent supply and reduce
risks global corporations reshape their international footprint.
Despite FDI into G20 economies is declining, the USA are with 25% of the FDI total a big and
attractive market. On national level the USA is one of the most competitive countries with unique
advantages to attract foreign investments. Global-Arena.com’s interactive analysis to the
growth competitiveness of the US States on level unveils the big differences in comparative
advantages between the 50 States:
• California, Texas and Massachussets offer most attractive business environments, despite their tax
climates
• Populated States California, Texas, Florida, New York and New Jersey rank top on growth factors,
including entrepreneurial activity and international accessibility
• California, Utah and Massachussets score highest on talent factors: California out performs with its
11 top listed universities and its relatively young and highly educated population
• Mississippi, Montana and Alabama offer the most attractive governance environment with
competitive tax climates, combined with significantly low labour costs
July 10, 2012 www.global-arena.com 2

3. Growth Competitiveness of the USA
• USA leading nation in many aspects:
• Largest homogenous market (regulation, logistics, etc)
• Home of most leading international corporations (Forbes 500)
• Most top listed universities (Times Higher Education Ranking 2012)
• Leading on consumer trends.
• USA attracts 25% of worldwide foreign direct investments (UNCTAD, 2011)
because of its:
• profitability market expansion opportunities
• preferred destination for doing business
• new product and services development.
• USA top ranked on many international competitiveness surveys:
• Nr 5 on World Economic Forum Global Competitiveness Report 2011-2012
• Nr 2 on IMD World Competitiveness Scoreboard 2012
• Nr 8 on World Economic Forum Global Information Technology Report 2012
• Nr 2 on Global-Arena.com Global Site Location Ranking 2012
July 10, 2012 www.global-arena.com 3

4. Overall Ranking Growth Competitiveness
US States
California
100%
Montana
46%
MassachuseVs
93%
Vermont
44%
Texas
93%
Delaware
43%
Utah
91%
Missouri
43%
Florida
88%
South
Dakota
43%
Arizona
84%
Indiana
43%
New
York
84%
Idaho
43%
Washington
82%
Rhode
Island
32%
New
Jersey
82%
Wisconsin
31%
Colorado
82%
Tennessee
29%
Maryland
80%
Louisiana
28%
Alaska
78%
Iowa
27%
ConnecKcut
74%
New
Mexico
24%
Illinois
69%
Ohio
24%
Minnesota
65%
Mississippi
23%
New
Hampshire
64%
Alabama
22%
Kansas
59%
Michigan
21%
Virginia
58%
Arkansas
18%
Georgia
55%
Kentucky
14%
North
Carolina
55%
South
14%
Oregon
54%
Carolina
Maine
14%
Nevada
53%
Wyoming
13%
Hawaii
52%
Oklahoma
10%
Nebraska
50%
North
Dakota
4%
Pennsylvania
49%
West
Virginia
1%
July 10, 2012 www.global-arena.com 4

5. Key Findings
California
• California, Texas and Massachussets offer most Economic
Growth
6
attractive business environments, despite their less Labour
Costs
4
Entrepreneuri
al
Ac8vity
favorable tax climates 2
0
Interna8onal
Tax
Climate
Accessibility
• Biggest populated States California, Texas, Florida, -­‐2
New York and New Jersey rank top on growth Governance
Quality
Talent
Supply
factors, including entrepreneurial activity, Quality
of
Life
Educa8on
Quality
international accessibility (internet infrastructure and
California
Average
proximity to international airports)
• California, Utah and Massachussets rank on top for Florida
talent factors, in particular California out performs Economic
Growth
3
with its 11 top listed universities, its relatively young Labour
Costs
2
1
Entrepreneuri
al
Ac8vity
and highly educated population and above average Tax
Climate
0
-­‐1
Interna8onal
Accessibility
quality of living -­‐2
Governance
• Mississippi, Montana and Alabama offer the most Quality
Talent
Supply
Educa8on
attractive governance environments with competitive Quality
of
Life
Quality
tax climates, combined with relatively low labour Florida
Average
costs
July 10, 2012 www.global-arena.com 5

6. Ranking Component: Economic Growth
Data Series Used
Top
15
States
• US Census Bureau Population Size
California
100%
• US Census Bureau Population
Texas
98%
change 2012-2030
Florida
98%
• GDP per capita
New
York
92%
New
Jersey
91%
Maryland
90%
Arizona
85%
MassachuseVs
84%
Analysis Virginia
84%
• California offers of all States the most Washington
82%
favourable economic growth potential ConnecKcut
82%
because of its on average high GDP per Nevada
78%
capita, population size and forecasted
Minnesota
71%
population growth
New
Hampshire
71%
• Populated States such as Texas,
Florida, New York and New Jersey show Illinois
70%
comparable features 0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
• Arizona is expected to have the highest
population growth
July 10, 2012 www.global-arena.com 6

7. Ranking Component: Entrepreneurial Activity
Data Series Used
Top
15
States
• Kauffman Foundation
California
100%
Entrepreneurial Index
Texas
97%
• US States Patent Office number of
Arizona
96%
patents granted per capita
New
York
90%
Colorado
83%
Florida
79%
Missouri
73%
Alaska
71%
Analysis
Nevada
69%
• Arizona shows the highest Idaho
68%
entrepreneurial activity of all States Vermont
68%
• California combines a significantly Georgia
65%
high rate of entrepreneurial activity Kentucky
63%
with significantly high figures on ConnecKcut
62%
patents granted per capita. Maine
58%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
July 10, 2012 www.global-arena.com 7

8. Ranking Component: International Accessibility
Data Series Used
Top
15
States
• US Department of Transportation
California
97%
Total nr. of international flights of
New
York
96%
international airports
• Pandonetworks average download MassachuseVs
96%
speed (kilobytes per second)
New
Jersey
95%
Illinois
95%
Florida
95%
Maryland
92%
Analysis
Texas
91%
• California ranks on top as it comes
down to international accessibility Georgia
91%
because of its highest number of Rhode
Island
90%
international flights from its three Pennsylvania
88%
international airports, despite the fact
Delaware
84%
that it scores average on download
speed Washington
80%
• Rhode Island, New Jersey and Colorado
74%
Massachussets rank on top of highest
North
Carolina
69%
quality internet connections.
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
July 10, 2012
www.global-arena.com 8

9. Ranking Component: Talent Supply
Data Series Used
Top
15
States
• US Institute of Education % of
Utah
100%
population over 25 with a graduate
Maryland
98%
or professional degree
MassachuseVs
93%
• US Census Bureau % of population ConnecKcut
91%
under age of 18
Colorado
89%
Virginia
88%
Alaska
88%
Texas
86%
New
York
81%
Analysis
Georgia
81%
• With the largest % of population Illinois
80%
under age of 18 it are Utah and California
79%
Texas how rank on top of talent New
Jersey
77%
supply Kansas
71%
• Massachussets, California and Arizona
70%
Maryland outperform on highest 0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
educated population
July 10, 2012 www.global-arena.com 9

10. Ranking Component: Education Quality
Data Series Used
Top
15
States
• American Institute of Physics
California
100%
scores of students on math, science
MassachuseVs
100%
and reading tests
New
York
100%
• Times Higher Education number of
Illinois
88%
top listed US universities in global
Pennsylvania
84%
top 200 ranking
Indiana
77%
• Times Higher Education total score
Maryland
75%
of listed universities in global top 200
Virginia
74%
ranking
Minnesota
72%
Georgia
72%
Analysis
New
Jersey
70%
• With its 11 top listed universities it is
New
Hampshire
70%
California that significantly scores
highest on education quality, followed Texas
64%
by Massachussets, New York and North
Carolina
63%
Illinois Florida
63%
Students in New Jersey, New
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Hampshire and Massachussets score
best on math, science and reading tests
July 10, 2012 www.global-arena.com 10

11. Ranking Component: Quality of Life
Data Series Used
Top
15
States
• Gallup Health Well Being Index (e.g.
Hawaii
98%
life evaluation, basic access, work
North
Dakota
98%
environment, etc.)
Minnesota
94%
Utah
93%
Alaska
93%
Kansas
87%
Analysis
Colorado
87%
• Gallup Health’s Well Being Index Nebraska
85%
indicates Hawaii and North Dakota as New
Hampshire
84%
the best places to live with respect to Montana
81%
life evaluation, basic access and work South
Dakota
77%
environment.
Vermont
76%
• States such as Minnesota, Utah and
Alaska also rank high on quality of life. Maryland
74%
Virginia
70%
MassachuseVs
70%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
July 10, 2012 www.global-arena.com 11

12. Ranking Component: Governance Quality
Data Series Used Top
15
States
• State Integrity Investigation New
Jersey
98%
Corruption Risk Index (e.g. Public ConnecKcut
98%
Access to information, Executive Washington
95%
Accountability, Political Financing, California
93%
etc.)
Nebraska
91%
Mississippi
89%
Iowa
87%
Analysis
Tennessee
81%
• New Jersey, Connecticut and Rhode
Island
78%
Washington rank on top of offering the Kansas
78%
most attractive environment when it MassachuseVs
74%
comes to governance quality. These
Illinois
74%
States score best on the corruption risk
assessment by the State Integrity Hawaii
74%
Investigation Oregon
70%
Missouri
66%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
July 10, 2012 www.global-arena.com 12

13. Ranking Component: Tax Climate
Data Series Used
Top
15
States
• Tax Foundation
Wyoming
97%
• Corporate Tax Rate
South
Dakota
96%
• Employee Tax Rate
Nevada
96%
• Sales Tax Rate
Alaska
95%
• Unemployment Insurance Tax
Montana
94%
Rate
Florida
92%
• Property Tax Rate
Delaware
89%
Utah
87%
Indiana
82%
Analysis
• With regards to the tax climate States Missouri
82%
such as Wyoming, South Dakota, Oregon
79%
Nevada, Alaska, Montana and Florida Oklahoma
74%
offer the most attractive business Alabama
73%
environment: most of them don’t charge
Arizona
72%
employee taxes and far below average
Washington
69%
corporate and property taxes.
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
July 10, 2012 www.global-arena.com 13

14. Ranking Component: Labour Costs
Data Series Used
Top
15
States
• US Department of Commerce:
Mississippi
96%
• average wage per job
Idaho
95%
• % change in wage and salary
Maine
91%
disbursements
Montana
91%
South
Dakota
89%
New
Mexico
89%
Alabama
89%
Arkansas
87%
Vermont
78%
Analysis
• On average labour costs are South
Carolina
77%
significantly lower in the less populated Missouri
75%
States, with the lowest costs in Nebraska
73%
Mississippi, Idaho, Maine and Montana Kansas
73%
Iowa
73%
Kentucky
72%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
July 10, 2012 www.global-arena.com 14

15. Have a look yourself
Looking for high growth
locations with a secure
talent supply and a low
cost business environment
in the USA?
Click here to visit the
interactive analysis and
adjust the sliders and find
out where you can capture
growth
July 10, 2012 www.global-arena.com 15

16. Appendices
• About Global-Arena.com
• Data sources
July 10, 2012 www.global-arena.com 16

17. Global-Arena.com
Global-Arena.com is the leading secure online matching platform that brings together companies,
investors and business locations worldwide. Using a unique scientific algorithm and objective and
independent data sources Global-Arena.com is able to:
• Analyse and compare attractiveness of business locations in support of its clients growth
strategies;
• Provide understandings of economic statistics, trends and forecasts of global business
environments, complemented with tools for analytics, visualisation and scenario analysis;
• Search and analyse growth, expansion and relocation, opportunities worldwide
With it’s Go-Global Solutions Enterprise Location Planning and Economic Development Planning
Global-Arena.com provides companies and governments an integrated 360-degree view and
comparative advantages analysis of the Market, Business Environment and Talent supply.
To learn more about how Global-Arena.com’s can support your site selection processes, visit our
website www.global-arena.com or contact:
Peter Storm CEO
info@global-arena.com
www.global-arena.com
July 10, 2012 www.global-arena.com 17

18. Data Sources used per Location Factor
Growth
Factors
Sources
Talent
Factors
Sources
Governance
Sources
Factors
Economic
Growth
US
Census
Bureau
Talent
Supply
US
Census
Corrup8on
State
Integrity
• Popula8on
Size
• %
popula8on
under
age
Inves8ga8on
Corrup8on
• Popula8on
change
of
18
Risk
2012-­‐2030
US
Ins8tute
of
Educa8on
• GDP
per
capita
• %
of
popula8on
over
25
with
a
graduate
or
professional
degree
Entrepreneurial
Ac8vity
Kauffman
Founda8on
Educa8on
Quality
Times
Higher
Educa8on
Tax
Climate
Tax
Founda8on
• Entrepreneurial
Index
• Nr
of
top
200
listed
• Corporate
Tax
Rate
US
Department
of
Trade
universi8es
• Sales
Tax
Rate
• Nr
of
patents
granted
per
• Total
score
of
listed
• Property
Tax
Rate
capita
universi8es
• Employee
Tax
Rate
American
Ins8tute
of
• Unemployment
Physics
Insurance
Tax
• Score
of
students
on
math,
science
and
readings
tests
Interna8onal
Accessibility
Pandonetworks
Quality
of
Life
Gallup
Health
Well
Being
Labour
Costs
US
Department
of
• Internet
download
speed
Index
Commerce
(kilobytes
per
second)
• Average
wage
per
• US
Department
of
job
Transporta8on
• %
change
in
wage
• Total
nr
of
interna8onal
and
salary
from
interna8onal
disbursements
airports
July 10, 2012 www.global-arena.com 18