In: Operations Management
Though the develoment of railroads began in the first half of the 189th century, their true impact was not experienced until the Gilded Age. Railroads broke down many barriers withtin the country. Physically, people and products could travel year-round further and faster. Before people rarely travel more than 100 miles from the place they were born. Culturally, ideas and differing people would influence the country. This is the first time that a truly American culture began to develop instead of just regional identities. Lastly, business opportunities expanded and a national market was developed. Now goods produced in one area of the country could easily be transportd to another without the need of a water route.
Railroads became the model for all the big businesses that followed. What was that model and give two examples how other businesses adopted it?
Railroads became the backbone of many businesses as it moved the materials, manufactured commodities and manpower at rapid pace from one place to other, that saw many new businesses coming up.
One example was industries based on the natural resources. For example, the metal and mineral based industries like iron, Aluminium and coal benefitted immensely owing to the complexity of the industry where raw materials, manpowers and markets were scattered in different areas and involved continuous movement of heavy commodities like raw materials and manufactured goods and the manpower that travelled from one place to the other for work. The railroad helped the business grow, first nationally then internationally where the rails ferried the products to the ports. This would never have been possible otherwise, at that time when infrastructure was not good enough to provide economy of scale to these businesses to be feasible.
Besides core businesses based on iron,coal, cotton, sugercane and other cash crops, the railroads boosted other small and big businesses that depended on these core businesses. These included suppliers, service providers, freight movers, brokers, warehousing agents, maritime industries,plantations, labor contractors and many others who facilitated the trade through their services.