The Map of U.S. Prosperity Is Changing. Here's Where Companies Should Invest.

"For much of the 20th century and well into the 21st, corporate strategy rested on stable assumptions about place. Populations would grow, talent would be replenished, and climate risk would be marginal and insurable. Technology diffused gradually, giving organizations time to adapt. Geography mattered, but in familiar ways: New York meant finance. Silicon Valley meant technology. The Midwest meant manufacturing."

For most of the 20th and early 21st centuries, corporate strategy operated under stable assumptions about place and geography. Companies expected consistent population growth, reliable talent replenishment, manageable climate risks, and gradual technological change that allowed time for organizational adaptation. Geographic location carried predictable significance: New York dominated finance, Silicon Valley led technology, and the Midwest anchored manufacturing. Economic growth followed population movements, and people migrated toward job opportunities. These foundational assumptions shaped how organizations planned, invested, and positioned themselves competitively across different regions.

Read at Harvard Business Review