Containers have been more important for globalisation than freer trade
1–10 of 55 posts
Re: Containers have been more important for globalisation than freer trade
#2It's not mentioned here, but I think it's in the book they mention (and the BBC documentary based on it): containers were "open source" in the sense that they allowed anyone to use the patents, which was vital in kickstarting the network effects.
Re: Containers have been more important for globalisation than freer trade
#3It's not mentioned here, but I think it's in the book they mention (and the BBC documentary based on it): containers were "open source" in the sense that they allowed anyone to use the patents, which was vital in kickstarting the network effects.
Thanks for mentioning there's a BBC documentary. Here's a link:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/business/2008/the_box/de...
Re: Containers have been more important for globalisation than freer trade
#4containers, planes, fax/email/chat/videocalls, computers/smartphones
Re: Containers have been more important for globalisation than freer trade
#5It's not mentioned here, but I think it's in the book they mention (and the BBC documentary based on it): containers were "open source" in the sense that they allowed anyone to use the patents, which was vital in kickstarting the network effects.
Thanks for mentioning there's a BBC documentary. Here's a link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/business/2008/the_box/de...
That was a year long project by the BBC, where they fitted a container with a GPS and then followed it around the world.
But the also had a more traditional documentary called "The box that changed Britain":
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00scpzn
You can watch the first five minutes here:
Re: Containers have been more important for globalisation than freer trade
#6It's not mentioned here, but I think it's in the book they mention (and the BBC documentary based on it): containers were "open source" in the sense that they allowed anyone to use the patents, which was vital in kickstarting the network effects.
The book is a fascinating read: http://www.amazon.com/Box-Shipping-Container-Smaller-Economy...
It chronicles competing standards, proprietary efforts, attempts at sea-rail-road integration, with some lively characters thrown in. It captures the entrepreneurial vibe of the heady postwar decades. I loved it.
Re: Containers have been more important for globalisation than freer trade
#7Containers & international shipping are pretty cool. In undergrad I interned for a barbecue grill company and worked on a project with the VP's of engineering and manufacturing to increase container yield.
As simple as putting boxes in bigger boxes is, it was fascinating stuff, more so figuring out how to minimize the packaging of large hollow objects like bbq grills. In one case we were able to more than double the number of smokers we could fit into a container (which helped our margins big time.) That being said, shipping containers of tiny ipods has to be the most boring logistics task ever!
Finally, it's pretty interesting that you can look at a container ship and have no idea what is in every single container. It can be filled with clothes, bikes, food, electronics, toys, you name it.
Re: Containers have been more important for globalisation than freer trade
#8It's really cool to read about how a "simple" metal box could change this industry and many others so dramatically, talk about ripple effect...
Re: Containers have been more important for globalisation than freer trade
#9It's not mentioned here, but I think it's in the book they mention (and the BBC documentary based on it): containers were "open source" in the sense that they allowed anyone to use the patents, which was vital in kickstarting the network effects.
The book is a fascinating read: http://www.amazon.com/Box-Shipping-Container-Smaller-Economy... It chronicles competing standards, proprietary efforts, attempts at sea-rail-road integration, with some lively characters thrown in. It captures the entrepreneurial vibe of the heady postwar decades. I loved it.
Indeed, it'll teach you a lot about how the recent "modern" world developed; containers became important for the Vietnam War, but its mostly pure business and economic history, with sufficient detail---well, enough for me---on the technical side. Also the interplay of government laws and regulation, and shipping cartels, on the path this all took. And tells you why most of the historic ports of old faded away.
Absolutely fascinating.
Re: Containers have been more important for globalisation than freer trade
#10It's not mentioned here, but I think it's in the book they mention (and the BBC documentary based on it): containers were "open source" in the sense that they allowed anyone to use the patents, which was vital in kickstarting the network effects.