The Global Supply Chain Is Not Top Down

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The global supply chain is a lot like the network of micorse that are underneath our feet, and which 90 % of all plants depend on. In that am yacht, it's not topped down. The different segments kind of communicate with each other at the point of a port or a warehouse or a truck as goods are moved from one to the other. And it is also a distinct market place. Like thereis nobody who's cornered the market on ocean shipping or trucking, or even o no commerce as big as amazon is. Every single one of these is very complicated market place where the price of everything is constantly changing.

As the holidays approach, we are being reminded of the fragility of the global supply chain. But at the same time, the supply chain itself is a truly impressive and fascinating structure, made as it is from multiple components that must work together in synchrony. From building an item in a factory and shipping it worldwide to transporting it locally, processing it in a distribution center, and finally delivering it to an address, the system is simultaneously awe-inspiring and deeply dehumanizing. I talk with Christopher Mims about how things are made, how they get to us, and what it all means for the present and future of our work and our lives.

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Christopher Mims received a bachelor’s degree in neuroscience and behavioral biology from Emory University. He is currently a technology columnist at The Wall Street Journal. He has previously written for publications such as Wired, Scientific American, The Atlantic, and Smithsonian. His new book is Arriving Today: From Factory to Front Door — Why Everything Has Changed About How and What We Buy.

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