College Students to Study Orthopedic Supply Chain

Ball State University students participating in the Economic Development Studio recently began a two-year research project to analyze two key components of Kosciusko County, Indiana. The first will analyze the orthopedic industry’s supply chain, and the second will evaluate and create an urban design for Warsaw’s Winona Avenue Corridor.

The project aims to equip students with extensive research skills while producing valuable insights for local economic development professionals and community leaders. 

The supply chain study will shed light on the orthopedic industry’s current ecosystem, its socioeconomic impacts on employment and the local economy, and the ways in which these elements guide economic development strategies. The research will inform future decisions on funding and support the mechanisms necessary to navigate industry changes driven by emerging technological trends and global market dynamics. 

Students will examine the historical background and current state of the healthcare industry, evaluating the ways Kosciusko County’s orthopedic sector fits within this framework. Additionally, they will identify emerging trends in innovation and technology that could impact the orthopedic industry and provide recommendations for their implementation in Kosciusko County.  

Related: Grant Bestowed Upon OrthoWorx for Manufacturing, Entrepreneurship Education

The objective of the Winona Avenue Corridor research is to provide recommendations for improving the area and enhance the corridor’s talent attraction capabilities. Students will address key issues such as enhancing place-based amenities, supporting small local businesses, improving multi-modal transportation options, and developing attainable housing options. This research will provide valuable insights into critical parts of both the Orthopedic Industry Retention Initiative (OIRI) and Grace College Catalyst Corridor initiatives focusing on Winona Avenue’s future redevelopment plans.

“Through this project, the Ball State Urban Planning program continues its history of engaging with communities throughout the state of Indiana,” said Dr. John West, chair of the Department of Urban Planning, Ball State University. “Students have benefited enormously from the generosity of our partners in Kosciusko County. We hope our students and faculty can provide OrthoWorx and its partners with useful insights to build on the success of the Orthopedic Capital of the World.” 

The visit was coordinated by OrthoWorx, the Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce, City of Warsaw and KEDCO. During their visit students heard from a panel of community leaders, presented a Kosciusko County-Warsaw Economic profile, and listened to a panel discussion involving orthopedic industry leaders. To wrap up the day they toured Zimmer Biomet Holdings Inc. and participated in a walking tour of the Winona Avenue Corridor where they met with business owners. Throughout the duration two-year of the project, students will intermittently visit the community to conduct research and present their findings. 

OrthoWorx is an initiative formed in 2009 through initial funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. to fill a critical void in the orthopedic industry—namely serving as a connector for industry, education, and the local community and leveraging resources to drive positive change. OrthoWorx was specifically designed to make the Warsaw, Ind., region the best place for orthopedic industry talent to grow and thrive. OrthoWorx is a catalyst that aims to deepen connections among the various interrelated moving parts of the orthopedic industry.