Dr. Iryna V. Lendel, Research Associate Professor and Director of the Center for Economic Development at the Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs, Dr. Merissa Piazza, and Madeline Frantz, Graduate Research Assistant at Levin, have authored a report, "The Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Ohio Manufacturing.” According to the abstract, the manufacturing sector is integral to Ohio's economy, employing about 698,000 workers and producing an estimated $106.9 billion in output in 2019 before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The report examines the subsequent effects of the pandemic on Ohio's manufacturing industry by analyzing changes in its workforce and productivity between 2019 and 2020, as well as the strategies used by manufacturing companies to adapt to pandemic circumstances.

The authors found that Ohio manufacturing employment decreased by 6.7% from 2019 to 2020, contrasting with an increase in GDP and productivity over the same period. The report explores possible explanations for these trends, including the shift to digitization in manufacturing and the pivot to PPE production during the COVID-19 pandemic. Looking to the future of manufacturing after COVID-19, the authors identify Ohio's unique opportunities and challenges for continued growth in the sector, as well as the effects of continued technological adoption. Read More »

Photo Credit: The photo on the College homepage referring to this publication is by Kumpan Electric on Unsplash.