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There seems to be broad agreement about the top priority for Gov. Scott Walker: build a stronger economy. The time-honored political shorthand for a stronger economy is "more jobs." The shorthand is misleading.

China has far more jobs than America, but we remain a much stronger and healthier economy in terms of living standards and quality of life. China has more jobs for the simple reason that it has more people. America has a healthier economy because it has "better jobs," at least for now.

While it is true Wisconsin "needs more jobs" in the sense that unemployment remains too high, it is equally true that Wisconsin needs better jobs. We must make Wisconsin a more attractive location for companies that can tap the full potential of a talented workforce. We do a better job of producing college graduates than we do of creating opportunities for them here.

It is also misleading and unhealthy to think that the economy is the governor's responsibility. By linking the economy to a single elected official, whether a president or a governor, we politicize the issue and make our challenges harder. The responsibility for building a healthy economy lives with government, business and labor leaders and trickles down to almost everyone.

So how do Wisconsinites work together to build a healthier economy? We are more likely to find common strategic ground when we operate with common information. While there are an endless number of facts and propositions one could offer about the economic context, I would propose the following to be quite important:

• The state fiscal imbalance is real and substantial.

• Globalization has increased competition in many sectors of the economy, especially manufacturing and agriculture. This has limited the growth in employment and wages in these sectors, which are disproportionately large in Wisconsin.

• Globalization and technology change have greatly benefited technology-intensive industries and college-educated workers, leading to a skewing of income distribution. These winning sectors are small in Wisconsin.

• Wisconsin remains relatively strong in education, producing more than its "share" of college graduates.

• Wisconsin has unusual balance between industry, agriculture, tourism and services.

These facts pose challenges. The lack of a dominant sector means our economic identity is blurred. In a world that increasingly rewards focus, we are quite diverse. The economic and regulatory policies that make sense for southeastern Wisconsin and the Fox Valley may not be as good for Dane County or northern Wisconsin.

These facts also suggest the way forward. A successful strategy must build on strengths. We need economic and regulatory policies tailored to our diverse regions.

A successful strategy must address our deficit in technology-intensive industries and college-educated workers. We will only catch up economically if we can employ more of those college graduates we already produce. Because the competition is stiff, we must focus on developing that sector where it has the best chance of success - in close proximity to major research institutions and population centers.

Much has been written in the past election year about the specific policies that might boost growth. My fellow contributors offer much more detail. But most successful business operators are quick to acknowledge that execution, not strategy, is the hard part. Wisconsin's challenge is to better align behind any strategy.

Our chances of success increase if we can agree on the most important facts of our situation, recognize the diverse strengths and interests across our state and capitalize on the opportunity that a great university system presents in a technology-driven world. I hope our leaders of all stripes are up to the challenge. We need them all to succeed.

Michael M. Knetter is president and chief executive of the University of Wisconsin Foundation and former dean of the Wisconsin School of Business at UW-Madison.