12017-10-16T21:23:10-07:00Georgia Jiang484e86f277e6383ce53990695e28addc3b49f34c242022This is a woodcut image BUSN3A-00254 from North Wind Picture Archives, circa 1900.plain2017-10-17T09:21:43-07:00Georgia Jiang484e86f277e6383ce53990695e28addc3b49f34c
Here in this image, a large gnarled octopus stands guard over essential goods such as oil, sugar, flour, paper, tin, lumber and pork. Its long, twining tentacles drape over these items as if resolutely marking its territory. In contrast, a woman and her infant are obviously frightened of this encroaching octopus, which is even reaching for the bread in the woman's basket with one of its appendages.
The image in its entirety represents the expansion of powerful corporations into spheres beyond their original purposes. This may also be a metaphorical perspective of what may occur once a corporation integrates vertically – which is when a firm may engage in different parts of production in order to maximize efficiency and minimize costs while eliminating price competition, as illustrated by the octopus’ control over lumber, paper, and school supplies and its attempts to keep the resources out of reach.
