Arriving Today: A New Look at Global Supply Chains

It seems like logistics is driving our world today.  It’s essential to our everyday purchases, and it plays a major role in driving both national and regional economic prosperity.  While supply chain snafus contribute to inflation, the boom in distribution and logistics is creating lots of interesting local economic development possibilities as well.  In an effort to better understand the new world of supply chains, I recently read an excellent new book from the Wall Street Journal’s Christopher Mims:  Arriving Today: From Factory to Front Door.  The book takes a deep dive into all parts of the supply chain equation:  from how goods are shipped around the world, what happens in an Amazon or FedEx warehouse, the future of the trucking industry, and challenges of last mile and middle mile delivery.  It’s a good read, and is structured around the delivery of a USB charger made in Vietnam on its way to Mims’ home in Baltimore. The charger’s journey allows Mims to structure his chapters around key parts of global supply chains.  The book is not a policy tome, but is instead a series of interesting stories on the many innovations and challenges surrounding this new way of doing business. If you’re seeking to better understand the implications of the supply chain revolution, this is a good introduction.