Is China the Centre of the Supply Chain?

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China is trying to sort of a upgrade. There there a job force to go from mindless labor to other kinds of things. But even as wages rise in china, there is a stickiness to things still being made there. Even if manufacturers would like to move the manufacture of consumer electronics from china to southeast asia, or even south asia, they they have to do it one piece at a time. It requires expertis to make many things. In our modern world, they are very, very complicated.

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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