The North Carolina in the Global Economy project seeks to understand how globalization affects key traditional and rising industries in North Carolina, and where the state fits in to the rapidly changing economies of both the nation and the world. In recent years, white-collar job loss in the IT industry has spurred debate within the state about the impact of globalization – but this is far from a new trend to those in the apparel, textile and furniture industries in North Carolina, who have felt the consequences of global outsourcing for at least a decade.

North Carolina is a microcosm of nationwide trends, with its unique mix of industries – from traditional sectors like textiles, apparel, furniture, and hog farming, to innovative industries like information technology and biotechnology. These industries play prominent roles in North Carolina's economy, and the study sheds light on how global economic forces affect local development and employment.

The North Carolina in the Global Economy project intensively studies seven industries in the state in order to understand key issues and trends, including industrial structure and its relation to the activities of industry and public actors, local economic development, the impacts of globalization at the community level, and the available strategies to promote the positive effects of participation in global industries.