11–20 of 249 posts
Wasn't US Steel who commissioned the books from a SciFi illustrator to ensure that lots of reference drawing illustrations would have steel in the future and got these books for free available to anyone who called, and they ended up getting famous in the film industry so people ended up always designing futuristic movies with things made of steel like ships and vehicles?
It seems crazy to me that any first world nation would let it's steel production fall into foreign hands. As a machinist for 5 years in my country I would have been excempt from military service even in total war.
If US steel is unable to innovate and foreign ownership is somehow not a problem, this development is probably a good thing. The Zaibatsu system is a good fit for what steel is.
My grandfather worked in a metal shop for 30 years after he served in Korea. I remember him telling me they switched to Chinese made steel in the 70s because of the quality problems they were having with American made steel. Being out West, they were somewhat more free from the political/social/union pressure to use American commodities.
Reminiscent of the business school joke - What does US Steel make? The answer is not "steel", but "money", that being the point of any company.
Although it's true, that's a hazardous way of thinking. If they had put more of their focus on making steel, keeping up with the technological advances rather than being dragged along grudgingly, perhaps they'd be making more money these days.
When things go pear shaped do not be found holding the bag. If later questioned: "it was all great when I was there, it's so sad that it went south - it was a great place and there was a lot of value on the table."
Strangely the big investors don't seem to ever cotton on to this - the big pension funds and sovereign wealth seem to respond by getting out of the equity markets and investing in things like property.
Reminiscent of the business school joke - What does US Steel make? The answer is not "steel", but "money", that being the point of any company.
Although it's true, that's a hazardous way of thinking. If they had put more of their focus on making steel, keeping up with the technological advances rather than being dragged along grudgingly, perhaps they'd be making more money these days.
It's not the innovators dilemma, it's the c-suite lines their pockets while the company burns dilemma.
Reminiscent of the business school joke - What does US Steel make? The answer is not "steel", but "money", that being the point of any company.
Although it's true, that's a hazardous way of thinking. If they had put more of their focus on making steel, keeping up with the technological advances rather than being dragged along grudgingly, perhaps they'd be making more money these days.
People of the same trade seldom meet together, even for merriment and diversion, but the conversation ends in a conspiracy against the public, or in some contrivance to raise prices.
Wasn't US Steel who commissioned the books from a SciFi illustrator to ensure that lots of reference drawing illustrations would have steel in the future and got these books for free available to anyone who called, and they ended up getting famous in the film industry so people ended up always designing futuristic movies with things made of steel like ships and vehicles?
Yes you are thinking of Syd Mead - here’s the series https://sydmead.com/category/gallery/us-steel/
It’s fascinating how so many business mistakes from the last 100 years continue to be relevant and continue to be repeated.