Made With Equity: Inclusive Innovation in Urban Manufacturing

Publication Date

1-1-2026

Document Type

Contribution to a Book

Publication Title

Planning the Productive City Rethinking Urban Industrial Spaces

DOI

10.4324/9781003599708-19

First Page

187

Last Page

196

Abstract

As US manufacturing confronts a dual challenge – rapid technological transformation and persistent labor shortages – questions of equity and inclusion remain central to the sector's future. Despite predictions of millions of new jobs, frontline roles often go unfilled, while workers from historically disinvested communities, particularly Black, Hispanic, and Asian workers, remain underrepresented in higher-wage, senior manufacturing positions. This chapter examines how place-based institutional strategies can bridge the gap between innovation and inclusion, using a case study from Buffalo, New York. This initiative shows how coordinated efforts across workforce development programs, educational institutions, community organizations, and industry actors can promote equitable access to quality jobs while supporting firm-level upgrading. Moving beyond conventional “skills-gap” frameworks, the chapter argues for a planning approach that treats workforce development and technological innovation as mutually reinforcing. By centering institutional alignment and community voice, this case illustrates how urban and regional planning institutions can play a critical role in reshaping the social and spatial dynamics of industrial revitalization. The findings offer new insights into how cities can foster inclusive innovation and more just economic transitions in the face of structural inequality and post-industrial transitions.

Department

Urban and Regional Planning

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