It sounds like the proper place to target would be improving what a corporation can do for the player to replace some of the "criminal" resources that get locked out when you Incorporate. This fix will take a bit longer - it's not just fixing some buggy code, it's (as you said) addressing a deep balance issue, but I really appreciate your feedback in this.
Viewing post in Update 1.3.0 - Major Cleanup comments
Potential low hanging fruit in that regard might be having a market flooded with particular types of goods reduce the price of those goods. Or, alternately, allow the player to steal from their own Corp in the form of converting goods in storage to equip able kit. That would kill two birds with one stone - it'd add distinction between the different types of factory workers, maybe compel diversification which is currently not incentivize.
Yeah, you're onto something with a supply/demand/usability cycle. It'd need a new supply/demand system running in the background at a minimum, but that also introduces trying to induce demand through projects or advertisement, and I do like having more levers to pull. It'll take me a bit to implement even a simple version of this, but I can do it in stages (supply/demand, then add projects, then start mixing in other uses for the supplies.. maybe as resources to complete projects?)
At some point I'll sit down with the volunteer project manager I've been working with and put together an actual development plan so I don't get lost in the sauce on this.