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What caused all the supply chain bottlenecks?

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Re: What caused all the supply chain bottlenecks?

#341

Post by bangkoksbest »

xyzzyz wrote: post #290
wavefunction wrote: post #284

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>The point is that Amazon wouldn't have achieved what it has Sounds good to me.

Fortunately, you don’t get to decide that. Contrary to popular sentiment on HN, Amazon is one of the most favorably perceived brand by Americans, ranked top 4 in 2020. When you go against Amazon, you go against something that Americans like more than Netflix.

> When you go against Amazon, you go against something that Americans like more than Netflix.

That just gives more reason to go against, there's quite a few Western comforts that could use a bit more opposition, Amazon being one of them.

You're making the case that it is virtuous to be aligned with popular sentiments on issues, which is a position that dissolves any ethical or political principles in the name of conformity.

Re: What caused all the supply chain bottlenecks?

#342

Post by cto_of_antifa »

[deleted] wrote: post #299
ethbr0 wrote: post #287

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> He'd still be the richest man alive, and probably even more powerful than he already is right now thanks to how Amazon and AWS would get to take over more failing social institutions. Bezos isn't even the richest person alive today. That would be Musk. https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/elon-musk-is-now-n...

[deleted]

This guy probably thinks he'll be on the Mars rocket lmao

Re: What caused all the supply chain bottlenecks?

#343

Post by ankeshk »

dragontamer wrote: post #187
bhelkey wrote: post #177

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> People are saying "why didn't we buffer up more" ? Well, there we go. Play Factorio. You'll see just how bad buffers are in a simulated factory. A shortage in real life causes critical issues for real people. A shortage in Factorio does not.

> A shortage in real life causes critical issues for real people. A shortage in Factorio does not. An iron shortage in Factorio causes my iron plates to run out. My iron plates feed the steel furnaces. The steel furnaces build ammo. My ammo is automatically belted to my defensive garrisons. Then the bugs completely wipe out my base, because I was out of ammo. Going backwards: Understanding why I'm out of ammo require…

I've not played Factorio but love your argument. Very thought provoking.

What happens if something in the middle breaks and you don't have a buffer? What happens if there is no iron shortage but the steel furnace blows up? Aren't buffers important in such situations?

Re: What caused all the supply chain bottlenecks?

#344

Post by Ericson2314 »

Wow started decent and then went full stupid. We can't go back to earlier capitalism anymore than we can go back to feudalism.

Regulate minimum buffers, or create a state-run rail and warehousing system like industrial Amazon. It's a natural monopoly and much more efficient than a gazillion trucks.

Re: What caused all the supply chain bottlenecks?

#345

Post by kansface »

The_Beta wrote: post #146
015a wrote: post #118

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think his statement is that founder (and family) led businesses are the only businesses capable of building the shock absorbers necessary to weather hundred-year storms; not that they always will. By comparison, committee-appointed CEOs rarely, if ever, will, because they cannot.

It's not that they cannot. They don't have an incentive to do it. If I'm being paid for my performance while I'm a CEO, why would I spend money today (and hurt my performance today) to fix a problem that MIGHT affect the company in 20 years

Because you aren't actually being paid for your performance as CEO. You are being "paid" by increasing the value of the company you mostly own. Its up to you to play the long game or the short game. Ivy MBAs don't even have the option.

Re: What caused all the supply chain bottlenecks?

#346

Post by JaimeThompson »

darawk wrote: post #269
revolvingocelot wrote: post #255

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>it's still in his best interest to ensure that the economy doesn't crash Technically, yeah! Functionally, though, if the Even Greater Depression arrived tomorrow? He'd still be the richest man alive, and probably even more powerful than he already is right now thanks to how Amazon and AWS would get to take over more failing social institutions. Sure, a falling tide lowers all boats, but Bezos will still comfortably…

None of this is the point, though. The point is that Amazon wouldn't have achieved what it has if Bezos was forced to slowly divest control of his company over the last two decades. Bezos does not have his cash in hand, for the most part. To the extent that he does have cash in hand, he has already paid taxes on that cash. To the extent that he has not paid taxes on his wealth, he is fully incentivized by the share p…

In large portions of the united states people who own homes have their property taxes go up most every year based on the value of their home. Seems a bit strange to me to treat, in this respect, peoples homes differently.

Re: What caused all the supply chain bottlenecks?

#348

Post by intricatedetail »

rsj_hn wrote: post #234
intricatedetail wrote: post #229

In my country mostly legislation that taxes small business on revenue even over 50% effective rate and prevents from claiming legitimate business expenses. That wiped off thousands of HGV drivers working through their own small business. They got also smeared by the government as tax dodgers without showing any proof that this was ever the case. They of course blamed that on Brexit.

That's interesting -- do you have a link for some background information?

https://www.rha.uk.net/News/News-Blogs-and-Press-Releases/Bl...

More detail, but that's a propaganda article.

Re: What caused all the supply chain bottlenecks?

#349

Post by jet_32951 »

MR4D wrote: post #208
ladyattis wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yep, the capital owning class just doesn't care if their businesses go into shock because they already have their cash in hand. They'll never go back to pre-ROE days because they'd have to live with less money and worse less control. While they still have personal reserves in the billions they can decide the fate of their ventures but if say 20% of their current cash was on the balance sheets of corporations with boa…

> Switzerfy the economy Just off the top of my head, the Swiss: don't make airplanes (no Boeing, Embraer) don't make cars (no GM, Ford, Toyota, etc) have big consolidated banks (UBS & CS) have large trading firms (Glencore, Trafigura) etc.... My point is not to nitpick (I actually agree with your post) , but to show that even in a tiny country like Switzerland (smaller than Chicago), it is hard to do that.

Pilatus.[0]

.

UBS Switzerland. [1]

Glencore. [2]

[0]https://www.pilatus-aircraft.com/en

[1]https://swissfirma.com/largest-swiss-companies

[2]https://www.topmba.com/jobs/15-fortune-500-companies-headqua...

Re: What caused all the supply chain bottlenecks?

#350

Post by andrekandre »

Invictus0 wrote: post #159
philwelch wrote: post #125

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’m not sure this is the case. The problem is that RoE is a metric that can be gamed for short term gains while incurring long term risks. This is more likely to be an issue with short term career-oriented leadership. Founders are more likely to have a concern for the long-term success of the business. Simply put, founders are not the people sacrificing their own companies’ long term success in exchange for enhancing…

JIT works nicely in isolation--when everyone relies on it is when it starts to break down. It basically offloads the responsibility of forecasting your inventory needs to the supplier, who has absolutely no knowledge of your inventory needs.

  > the supplier, who has absolutely no knowledge of your inventory needs.
that would seem to assume a not close relationship with said supplier...

...doesnt jit work better if you have good relationships with them and they know well what your expectations are and can adjust accordingly?

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