Sponsored by Conexus Indiana and developed by Ball State University’s Center for Business and Economic Research, the Manufacturing and Logistics Report shows each state’s performance among its peers in several areas of the economy that underlie the success of manufacturing and logistics. The annual report and interactive website allow an audience of economic developers, business owners, policy makers, and informed citizens to identify the strengths and weaknesses of a state as relevant to the manufacturing industry and track state performance since 2009. Read the Case Study: http://universityeda.org/value-to-members/best-practice-sharing/awards-of-excellence/awards-of-excellence-2013-finalists/manufacturing-and-logistics-report/

1. Manufacturing and Logistics Report

2. Purpose
• To create an annual economic and workforce-centric report
on the manufacturing and logistics industries.
• To show each state’s performance among its peers in several
areas of the economy that underlie the success of
manufacturing and logistics.
• Prepare annual reports and develop interactive website
(http://conexus.cberdata.org) to identify the strengths and
weaknesses of a state as relevant to the manufacturing
industry and track state performance since 2009.

3. Background
• Project initiated in February 2008
• Conexus Indiana, the client, was a fledgling initiative designed to
advance the manufacturing and transportation/logistics industries
and the workforce within Indiana.
• Based on the findings in the first few years, Conexus Indiana
evolved its project needs to emphasize the importance of
technologically educated human capital, especially as the industries
adapt to a highly competitive and increasingly high-tech global
market.

4. Methodology
• Developed a unique scoring system that assigned grades to
categories or “subjects” very similar to a school report card.
• Data sets were collected for each state (for the June 2012
report, we evaluated data for 46 factors that contributed to 9
categories).

5. Categories and Variables
•
Manufacturing Industry Health
– Share of total income earned by
manufacturing employees, wage
premium, share of manufacturing
employment per-capita
•
Logistics Industry Health
– Share of logistics industry income,
logistics employment per-capita,
commodity flows data by rail and road,
infrastructure spending
•
Worker Benefit Costs
– Healthcare premiums, long-term
healthcare costs, workers’ compensation
costs per worker, fringe benefits
Tax Climate
– Corporate taxes, income taxes, sales
and use taxes, property taxes,
unemployment insurance tax
•
Expected Fiscal Liability Gap
– Unfunded liability, average benefits,
bond rankings
•
Global Reach
– Export growth, foreign direct
investment measures of amount of
manufacturing income received
annually from foreign-owned firms
Human Capital
– Educational attainment at high school
and collegiate level, first-year retention
rates of adults in community and
technical colleges, number of associates
degrees awarded, share of adults
enrolled in adult basic education
•
•
•
Sector Diversification
– Herfindahl-Hirschman Index
•
Productivity and Innovation
– Manufacturing productivity growth,
Industry R&D expenditures, number of
patents

6. Grades
• The states were ranked for each category factor. The scores
were then totaled and averaged for each category.
• Once ranked by value, the top 5 states received a grade of A.
The bottom 5 states received a grade of F, with the middle
states earning grades ranging from B+ to D-.

7. Screenshots

8. Web Statistics
The 2013 scorecard was released on June 12, 2013
Note: A technical glitch makes statistics unavailable for the 2012 release
2013 Statistics (mid-June through mid-July, 4 weeks following release)
• 1,239 total visits to website
• 1,046 unique visitors
• 3,368 total pages viewed
• 16.5% return rate
– 16.5% users of the site actively sought out the tool and returned to
use it several times

9. Highlights
• CBER organized the project, collected and analyzed data sets,
developed the display of the reports and website, adapted the
project to the custom needs of Conexus Indiana (the client),
presented the findings at an annual event with sponsorship
from a statewide news journal, and considered feedback when
reviewing the project and planning for the next year.
• The project has grown to serve as an awareness tool for
economic development initiatives across the nation.
• Understanding what the manufacturing and logistics industries
need to thrive is essential to economic developers,
policymakers, elected officials, and the businesses of tomorrow.

10. CBER/Ball State University
• CBER’s vision is to clearly communicate timely and
relevant analysis of important economic issues to
federal, state, and local policymakers.
• Mission:
– Conduct relevant and timely public policy research.
– Enhance the premier role Ball State University has in
performing policy research in Indiana.
– Partner with Building Better Communities and key
university faculty members.