Speaker: Dr. Dennis A, Rondinelli, Director of the Center for Global Business Research at the Frank Hawkins Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

The economies of metropolitan regions are being reshaped by relentless globalization, driven by expanding international trade and investment and rapid changes in transportation, telecommunications, and digital technologies. Globalization will change the way business compete and metropolitan areas must nurture, retain and attract competitive economic activities in the 21st century. The economic growth of metropolitan regions will depend on the ability of business and governments to create the infrastructure and institutions capable of responding to the needs of competitive organizations in an increasingly global and digital marketplace. New forms of transportation, telecommunications and their logistics infrastructure will be needed in the 21st century to allow metropolitan regions to continue to play their historically crucial role as hubs of economic interaction. New and revitalized social and political institution will be needed to enable their residents to participate effectively in and benefit from globalization in the future.

Dr. Rondinelli described the forces driving globalization and analyzed the trends affecting the competitiveness of metropolitan economies. He assessed the factors that contribute to the ability of metropolitan regions to develop the conditions needed to remain competitive in the "new economy" and the types of transportation and physical infrastructure and social institutions that are likely to contribute to making regions more competitive in an era of globalization.

Dr. Rondinelli is the Glaxo Distinguished International Professor of Management, Kenan-Flagler Business School, and Director of the Center for Global Business Research, at the Frank Hawkins Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Dr. Rondinelli does research on international business, economic development policy, corporate environmental management, and private enterprise development. He has carried out research in North America, Asia, Central Europe, Latin America, and Africa. He has authored or edited 16 books and published more than 200 book chapters and articles in scholarly and professional journals.

In addition, he has served as an advisor, consultant, or expert to the U.S. State Department Bank, the Canadian International Development Program, and to private corporations. During the 1970s, Dr. Rondinelli was decorated by the Government of the Republic of Vietnam for service as an advisor to the Ministry of Rural Development and for the ethnic minorities development program. In 1989, he received the Julio Llaras Order of Merit for outstanding service to the Central Mortgage Bank of the Republic of Columbia. He received the Warner Bloomberg Award for Excellence in Futures Studies in 1997, and the Weatherspoon Distinguished Research Award from the Kenan-Flagler Business School in the same year. Prior to joining the University of North Carolina, Rondinelli was Principal Research Scientist and Senior Policy Analyst in the Office of International Programs at the Research Triangle Institute.