Research and reports

MR’s take on important issues

Toward A New Paradigm of Development

February 8, 2021

Dan Swinney’s paper describing MR’s Theory of Change for policy and development leaders. A history and framework of MR’s lessons learned as a blueprint for a new paradigm of development that can build communities.

Paper

Manufacturing Connect: A New Prototype for CTE

July 20, 2019

This essay outlines MR’s concept of a prototype in Career and Technical Education, Manufacturing Connect (MC). MC is guided by a framework seeking to expand Inclusion and Industry 4.0.   

Essay

Intervening with Aging Owners to Save Industrial Jobs

December 20, 2017

A National Survey of Literature and Practice and a Preliminary Assessment of the Successorship Needs and Plans of Chicago’s Aging Manufacturing Entrepreneurs

Article

Manufacturing, Race and Community

January 16, 2017

Dan Swinney calls for innovation in both manufacturing and social inclusion

Article

Building the Bridge as We Travel

2016

Erica Swinney’s case study on the origins, development, features and impact of the Manufacturing Connect program. Published in the Journal of School and Society’s issue on exploring the future of vocational education

Article

Advanced Manufacturing: The Foundation for a Sustainable Society

August 11, 2016

The authors wrote this paper as a contribution to The Next System Project to propose a concrete application of next system values and principles.

Essay

A Template for Scale: MR's 100 & Change Proposal

September 30, 2016

MR’s proposal to the MacArthur Foundation . We share this proposal to serve as a template for what scale of the kind of programming required to build an inclusive manufacturing ecosystem could look like. 

Paper

Alinsky v. Arizmendi

2007

In Chicago’ Austin community: Alinsky vs. Arizmendi Redistribution or Control of Wealth

Article

The State of Illinois Manufacturing

December, 2003

A Report for the
Illinois Manufacturers’ Association

Article

Early Warning Systems

May 20, 2002

Manufacturing Renaissance’s Early Warning Systems framework was developed in response to rapid deindustrialization throughout the US in the 1980s and 1990s

Article

Creating a Manufacturing Career Path System in Cook County

December 20, 2001

Shift Change. As the Economy Evolves, So Does the Hunt for A ‘Good’ Job

Article

Building the Bridge to the High Road

2000

Building the Bridge to the High Road is Manufacturing Renaissance executive director Dan Swinney’s ground-breaking book introducing the High Road, a new strategic development vision

Article

The Development Model of Organizing

1996

Distinctive from the Alinsky model, this is Dan Swinney’s approach to organizing. The “Development Model of Organizing” is about how to build a pool of leaders in context of pursuing a strategic vision for development, contending for leadership and influence in dynamic times. 

Paper

A Misadventure in Candy Land, Part 1

May, 1994

An economic and social analysis by the Midwest Center for Labor Research

Article

A Misadventure in Candy Land, Part 2

August, 1994

An economic and social analysis by the Midwest Center for Labor Research

Article

Towards a New Vision of Community Economic Development

April 15, 1991

An economic and social analysis by the Midwest Center for Labor Research

Article

Intervening with Aging Owners

August, 1989

Intervening with aging owners to save industrial jobs.

Article

Labor Research Review

1982 – 1996

Published under the Midwest Center for Labor Research and the Center for Labor and Community Research, LRR was a journal which published 24 issues serving as a forum for analysis, criticism, and strategic thinking on the American labor movement in the late 20th century.

Journal

Articles of Interest

Important articles and reports from sustainable development leaders

Industry and Inclusion: Community Colleges Collaborate to Advance Racial Equity in Manufacturing

May 2022

by Michelle Burris, Tanu Kumar, Andrew Stettner

Report

European ESOP: The Main Structural Features and Pilot Implementation in Slovenia

April 2022

by David Ellerman, Tej Gonza, Gregor Berkopec

Working Paper

A New Capital Tool for Revitalizing and Diversifying Manufacturing

February 2022

by The Century Foundation and Urban Manufacturing Alliance

Report

A Transformative Green New Deal Requires Inclusive Manufacturing

January 2022

by Carl Davidson, Bill Fletcher Jr., Nina Gregg

Article

Advancing Racial Equity and Community Wealth Building through a Sector-Based Approach to Capital Access

December 2021

by Urban Manufacturing Alliance

Report

New Bill Proposes Major Reinvestment in Manufacturing Communities

August 2021

by The Century Foundation

Commentary

Industry and Inclusion: Profile on Manufacturing Renaissance

June 2021

by Urban Manufacturing Alliance and The Century Foundation

Report

Industry and Inclusion: A Blueprint for Action

June 22, 2021

by Andrew Stettner and Ron Williams

Report

Industry and Inclusion: Manufacturing Workforce Strategies Building An Inclusive Future

June 2021

by Urban Manufacturing Alliance and The Century Foundation

Report

The Impact of Trade on Black Workers

June 2021

by Grace Western, Daniella Zessoules, Nyanya Browne, Bethel Cole-Smith, William Spriggs, PhD

Report

Manufacturing's Emerging Partners: Faith Informed Organizations Supporting Employment and Entrepreneurship

2021

by Urban Manufacturing Alliance

Report

Urgent Priorities of Suburban Cook County Manufacturers

2021

by IMEC, Cook County Bureau of Economic Development

Report

Advancing Workforce Equity in Chicago

2021

by Policy Link, USC Equity Research Institute, and Burning Glass Technologies

Report

Racial Equity and Advancing the Future of Manufacturing

2020

by Amanda Novello, Andrew Stettner, Dr. Ron Williams, Lee Wellington, Katy Stanton

Report

Succession Planning, Employee Ownership, and Baby Boomer Business Retirements

2020

by Pete Shuler, Michael Palmieri, and Chris Cooper

Article

Revitalizing Manufacturing and Expanding Opportunities for Chicago's Black and Latino Communities

2018

by Teresa Cordova, Matthew Wilson and Andrew Stettner

Article

Youth Job Creation and Employer Engagement in U.S. Manufacturing

2019

by

Nichola Lowe, Julianne Stern, John R. Bryson, Rachel Mulhall

Article

Layoff Aversion Guide

2018

by Robert Value, Deb Lutz, and Carrie Mihalko

Article

Mondragon through a Critical Lens

2017

by Jill Bamburg

Article

Revitalizing America's Manufacturing Communities

2017

by Joel S. Yudken, Thomas Croft, and Andrew Stettner

Report

U.S. Minority-Owned Manufacturers Fact Sheet

2014

by the Minority Business Development Agency, U.S. Department of Commerce

Fact Sheet

The Road Not Taken: Alternative Strategies for Black Economic Development in the United States

1996

by Sigmund C. Shipp

Article

Conference notes

Realizing Inclusion and Industry 4.0 Conference, April 30 2019, Chicago, IL

Presentation Tknika Sustainability and BioSciences

2019

by Mari Jose Barriola, Director of Basque Center of Sustainability and BioSciences

Powerpoint

Presentation Tknika Vocational Education Training

2019

by Jon Labaka, Director of Basque Center of Research and Applied Innovation

Article

 

Presentation Deputy Minister Jorge Arévalo

December 20, 2019

Shift Change. As the Economy Evolves, So Does the Hunt for A ‘Good’ Job

  • Video on Basque Country and its manufacturing sector​

  • Video on education and the classroom

Article

Framing the Conference Realizing Inclusion and Industry 4.0

April 30, 2019

by Dan Swinney, Executive Director of Manufacturing Renaissance

Article