Ernst G. Frankel has a B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Engineering, Ph.D. in Transport Economics, an MBA in Systems Management, and a DBA in Operations Research. He has been a member of the MIT engineering and management faculty from 1962 to his retirement in 1996. He has extensive management experience and served as Technical Director of Litton Industries, Director of Engineering of Sealand Corp., Operations Advisor for the Port of Singapore, Advisory Board of the Panama Canal Authority, Director of several major shipping and logistics companies, Director of Operations of Pascagoula Shipyard, Advisor to Hyundai Heavy Industries (Korea), Advisor to Mitsui Shipbuilding and Engineering (Japan), and numerous other industrial firms, as well as governments. He also served as an Executive of the World Bank from 1982 to 1989. He has published 13 books (see list) and over 220 refereed journal articles. He has worked and lived in over 67 countries on all five continents.

From the reviews: "In this wide-sweeping and copiously documented work, Frankel ... asserts that America is being challenged as the leader in the international community, especially with respect to economic strength, technology, and military power. ... Frankel offers an accessible, provocative work. Summing Up: Recommended. General readers, graduate students, and professionals." (H. I. Liebling, CHOICE, Vol. 44 (9), May, 2007)

• Preamble.- American Industrial Developments.- American Social and Economic Developments.- Claims to World Leadership.- Managing American Leadership.- The Future of World Leadership.- Leading into the Future.- Towards a Better, Fairer Globalized World.