Local Lessons During a Global Crisis: Inclusive Entrepreneurial Solutions to Supply Chain and Production Deficits

Introduction

Lack of preparedness is one of the greatest threats to the United States’ ability to mitigate the impact and recover from a public health crisis of the magnitude of the Covid-19 global pandemic. The high rates of uninsured, the high out-of-pocket costs of healthcare compared to other countries, having fewer doctors and hospital beds per capita than most other developed countries, and having a woefully inadequate stockpile of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), “specialized clothing or equipment worn by an employee for protection against infectious materials” (United States Department of Labor, 2020) are all vulnerabilities that have been exposed by the pandemic. Critical equipment such as gloves, gowns/aprons, masks, and respirators were nearly exhausted as of April 1, 2020.

The mobilization and “permissionless innovation” demonstrated by local, small-scale manufacturers was phenomenal. Acknowledging that their efforts would be insufficient to overcome the shortage of PPE, makerspace facilities and informal volunteer networks across the nation began self-organizing to produce and distribute whatever their equipment and human resources would allow. Often, the efforts have been performed despite the threat to the financial futures of all. Their collaborative energies also demonstrated an ability to infuse agility in the PPE supply chain that was shown to be severely vulnerable to existing approaches to manufacturing and offshore dependencies. Their ability to mobilize networks of volunteers and resources, provide coordination and guidance to suppliers and healthcare organizations, and implement production protocols that meet stringent sanitation standards will provide valuable insights regarding post-pandemic industry practices and the revitalization of domestic manufacturing.

The Open Works’ effort produced: 28,270 total face shields produced in56 working days, an average of 496 per day, for over 100 clients, utilizing 388 total volunteer printers.

Figure 1.

Open Works PPE Production

There are a lot of lessons to be learned from the global pandemic that may provide insight into how to advance the progress of entrepreneurs from underserved communities. As the means of production are made more accessible because of advancements in technology and additive manufacturing techniques such as 3D printing, there are more opportunities for participation because of cost reductions. Community-centric facilities and organizations such as makerspaces provide great potential to serve as access hubs for those who have been historically excluded from equitable, inclusive participation in the economic system.

This case study: 1. describes the relational elements present in production activities during a healthcare crisis, 2. explores the value of Lean manufacturing practices in small-scale manufacturing when experiencing supply-chain deficits, 3. examines community collaboration networks and volunteer mobilization as a means of meeting unexpected supply demands, and 4. and investigates the potential for makerspaces to serve as models of inclusion and opportunity for underserved populations.

Literature Review

The case Open Works response to the COVID-19 PPE shortage provides insight into small-scale, local manufacturing and the infusion of Agile practices into a product supply chain. Four streams of research literature provided the background for analyzing the case. Searches resulted in the literature on institutional trust and social cohesion, volunteerism during a societal crisis, community and placemaking, and Lean Manufacturing and supply chain management.