Organization Transformation
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8 million in direct impact to Baltimore City annually
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9.9 million in direct impact to Maryland annually
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supporting 118 jobs -- 85 from member businesses and 33 staff
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55 member-owned business
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91% of staff living in Baltimore City
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1800 youth served onsite in 2018
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the largest incubator in Maryland as ranked by the Baltimore Business Journal
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This descriptive case study examines the launch, operation, and outcomes of Makers Unite, a collaborative emergency PPE production project spearheaded by Open Works. Open Works was able to use institutional trust, community collaboration, and Lean Manufacturing practices to produce 28,270 face shields in 56 days, averaging a production rate of 496 per day. The project included six full-time staff members, five temporary part-time staff members, a network of 388 volunteers and their printers, and two partner organizations until its conclusion on June 12, 2020. The study reveals best practices for establishing Lean small-scale manufacturing, developing institutional trust, building community collaboration, and developing a more agile supply chain in healthcare equipment production and other sectors of the economy.
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Media
I believe that common interest can be the seedbed for trust where historic distrust exists. Trust drives community-centric solutions.
Capitol Hill Maker Faire 2019
Urban / Rural Solutions to Common Economic Problems