Scribner

The first time I heard the name "Homer Sarasohn," it was an ex-@Apple engineer telling me there should bronze statues of the guy in Apple Park, Cupertino. "These ideas didn't come out of nowhere," the source said, when I asked about Apple's supply chain strategy. "It all goes back to what Homer taught in occupied Japan." "Sorry, who?" I asked. I was intrigued but entirely baffled. Occupied Japan? All I really learned in that conversation was the spelling of his name. I had told the source I was researching a feature on how Apple manufactures its products. He wished me well but said he wouldn't help. All he said was that Apple's supply chain strategy was important, ill-understood, and wildly counterintuitive. And that the key was this 29-year old engineer summoned to war-devastated Tokyo in 1946. Finally, nearly three years later, I've written a double-feature for the @FinancialTimes telling Homer's story, connecting it with why a struggling Steve Jobs discovered the value of "process" in 1990, and then how these ideas helped shape Apple's supply chain strategy in the decade now remembered as the greatest corporate turnaround ever. Why wasn't this in *Apple in China*, you might ask? Well, in my book pitch, I wanted it to be the opening chapter. But, structurally, that was difficult to pull off, and I worried that spending a few precious weeks studying 1940s Japan was a bad way to spend my book leave. Once the book was published I kept reading the few obscure articles about Homer. I even got to check out the Library of Congress archives, which has the Japanese textbook he wrote for top corporate executives, black & white photos of Homer in Japan, and much else. Then, two months ago, I realized Apple's 50th anniversary was probably the last chance I'd get. I wasn't sure anyone else would care, but the feedback has been great -- and part two really packs some oomph. I'm thrilled to have it published. Hope you enjoy! as.ft.com/r/9695f3b7-53f… as.ft.com/r/cc78ee1d-6ec…