Foundations of Rural Resiliency: America during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

In recent decades, a culture of hopelessness has emerged among rural Americans, visible in epidemic levels of suicide, overdose, and other addiction-related illnesses. While the arrival of a novel coronavirus aggravated existing strains in rural economies, it also enabled positive transformations in some rural cities and towns. This research explores how businesses in rural America experienced and adapted to economic shocks caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and, in the process, changed the economic and social landscape. Applying a qualitative research methodology, the present research offers Pennsylvania's Central Susquehanna Valley as a case study, using data from 60 semi-structured interviews. The analyses demonstrate rural businesses' resiliency and adaptive responses, bolstered by embedded rural capitals and the unique characteristics of rural businesses themselves. Furthermore, the pandemic forced drastic changes for businesses in the rural landscape. On the one hand, Covid-19's losses and miseries take much material, human, and social resources from the rural community. On the other hand, changing relationships between businessowners and workers, and among partners in the supply chain could be long-lasting, creating extra rural capitals and better working relationships at the factory and beyond. Finally, adoption of new technologies and automation; new business directions, such as e-commerce and higher value-added production; and increases in mergers and acquisitions across industries were prevalent during 2020-2021. In many ways, the Covid-19 impacts could make rural America more dynamic and competitive. This research offers conceptual and empirical pathways to supporting economic and social development in rural America.

Covid-19 in America: Global supply chain reconsidered.

This research asks: To what extent has America's reliance on the global supply network aggravated the country's public health and economic crisis; and how did the American government respond to supply chain weaknesses during the early years of the Covid-19 pandemic? This study first assesses important conceptual considerations that explain the expansion of global value chains and the growth of trade interdependencies among nations. Next, an analytical case study observes (1) America's supply chain vulnerability through three major waves of infection, (2) the difficulty to mend weaknesses in the supply linkages once the novel coronavirus spread globally and (3) American government's failures to both anticipate and respond to supply shortages, especially in the health sector. Trump administration's policies failed to ensure a reliable supply of simple personal protective equipment (PPE) for healthcare professionals and hospitals throughout the first three waves of infection. Moreover, state and federal governments' substantial reliance on large manufacturers who have established procurement relationship with government led to continuous nationwide supply shortages throughout 2020. The federal government's inability to engage small and medium manufacturers in the production of critical supplies of PPE and diagnostic tests deepened and prolonged the devastating impacts of the pandemic. Our case study demonstrates that the American government needs to rethink the country's substantial reliance on the global supply chain, and the specific requirements to boost domestic manufacturing capacity. The revitalisation of America's manufacturing ability and the local supply networks will boost the productive power of the nation, strengthen resiliency, reduce vulnerability in disruptive times and prepare the nation for future crises.