Factory Man
By Beth Macy
How One Furniture Maker Battled Offshoring, Stayed Local—and Helped Save an American Town. Little, Brown and Company, 2014.
Summary of Factory Man book by Beth Macy
The compelling narrative of how one man in the furniture manufacturing industry endeavored to take on low-cost, overseas competition, revealing some of the worst aspects of globalization and why we need to revise our philosophies about local economy.
Chapters in Factory Man book summary
What do you get from this book? The story of an American company that fought against harmful globalization
A booming American industry and ancestral land birthed the Bassett family dynasty
J.D. Bassett’s grandson was born into the family empire that his forebears created and grew
As Bassett Furniture continued to expand, globalization was hot on its heels doing the same thing
Cheap labor from Asian countries overhauled American-based manufacturing and divided the Bassett family
Asian markets quickly monopolized the demand for mass-produced furniture, putting many Americans out of work
John Bassett III took drastic measures to protect his employees and keep them producing furniture in America as globalization increased
Though it seemed daunting, JBIII didn’t back down when he discovered that China was engaging in illegal trade practices
A victory for one industry could lead to others, but American businesses keep falling prey to globalization
Summary of the key insights
Selected critiques in brief
Final word
Unlock all 12 chapters of Factory Man — Get full access to this book summary and thousands more on Lobab.
Factory Man — Book Summary Snapshot
Who should read Factory Man book
- Business executives
- Manufacturers
- Anyone impacted by outsourcing and offshoring
- Anyone interested in globalization and geopolitics
About the author of Factory Man
Beth Macy
Beth Macy is a bestselling author and journalist known for her hard-hitting and extensively researched nonfiction texts, which include Truevine and Dopesick. Her work has been published in The New York Times and she has earned Harvard’s Nieman Fellowship for Journalism as well as a nod for the 2019 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction.
Books similar to Factory Man
Related books that explore themes found in Factory Man
Antonio Garcia Martinez
Obscene Fortune and Random Failure in Silicon Valley. Harper, 2016.
Vivek Wadhwa & Farai Chid
The Changing Face of Technology. Diversion Books, 2014.
Charles Fishman
The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race. William Morrow, 2016.
Walter Isaacson
His Life and Universe. Simon & Schuster, 2007.
Jeffrey E. Garten
The Story of Globalization Through Ten Extraordinary Lives. Harper, 2016.
Robert Reich
What Has Gone Wrong with Our Economy and Our Democracy, and How to Fix It. Alfred A. Knopf, 2012.
John Lewis
A Vision for Change and the Future of America. Hachette Books, 2017
Ellen Ruppel Shell
The High Cost of Discount Culture. Penguin Press, 2009.
Topics related to Factory Man book
Explore topics that share themes with Factory Man across Lobab's library
Categories Factory Man book belongs to
Discover other book summaries in the same categories as Factory Man
If you liked Factory Man, you might also enjoy
Books on different topics that Lobab readers often explore alongside Factory Man
Mark Pendergrast
The History of Coffee and How It Transformed the World. Basic Books, 2019.
Jason Fried
It Doesn’t Have to Be Crazy at Work. Harper Business, 2018.
Daniel Lubetzky
Think Boundlessly, Work Purposefully, Live Passionately. Ballantine Books, 2015.
Durreen Shahnaz
Daring to Fight Global Inequality, Reinvent Finance, and Invest in Women. Broadleaf Books, 2023.
Blake Masters
Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future. Currency, 2014.
Daron Acemoglu
The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty. Currency, 2012.
Simon Sinek
How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action. Portfolio/Penguin, 2009.
Raghuram Rajan
How Hidden Fractures Still Threaten the World Economy. Princeton University Press, 2010.
Kate Moore
The Dark Story of America’s Shining Women. Sourcebooks, 2017.
Anthony Tjan
The Only Leadership Decision that Really Matters. Portfolio, 2017.
Can't decide where to start?
With thousands of book summaries across multiple categories and topics, there's always something new to discover. Browse the full library to find your next great read.
Your library
All-you-can-read
Categories
15 categories
Topics
120+ topics
Today's free book summary
Every day, one book summary is completely free to read. Subscribe to unlock the entire library — or just enjoy today's pick on us.
How to Love
Thich Nhat Hanh
An easy-to-read collection of insightful, wise, and inspirational reminders about how to live a life full of love by engaging with every aspect of one’s world, using mindfulness to care for oneself and others, and redefining what it means to truly love.
Library
All-you-can-read
Formats
Text & audio
Free daily
1 book / day
What Lobab readers are saying
Not sure if Lobab book summaries are for you? Here's what our community thinks.
“Lobab is a standout in the world of book summary apps, offering concise, insightful summaries of a wide range of books. Its user-friendly interface and well-crafted summaries allow users to quickly grasp the essence of complex works, making it an invaluable tool for those looking to learn more in less time. Whether for personal growth or professional development, Lobab is a game changer for anyone wanting to expand their knowledge efficiently. Highly recommended!”
Ramogh
Lobab Reader
“Top quality app with plenty of brilliant summaries!”
Benjamin Roche
Lobab Reader
“I found a really great book app that has made reading even more enjoyable ⭐️📚. It is super easy to use, has a lot of books to choose from, gives personalized recommendations, works well with e-readers, has an active community, and is accessible to everyone. I highly recommend it to all book enthusiasts!”
Nedal Ahmed
Lobab Reader