50 Things That Made the Modern Economy - Billy Bookcase

Download Billy Bookcase

Low cost, functional and brilliantly efficient, an Ikea Billy bookcase rolls off the production line every three seconds. There are thought to be over 60 million of them already in service. Few could find the Billy bookcase beautiful. They are successful because they work and they are cheap. And – as Tim Harford explains in this fascinating story – brilliantly boring efficiency is essential to the modern economy. The humble Billy bookcase epitomises the relentless pursuit of lower costs and acceptable functionality.

Producer: Ben Crighton Editors: Richard Knight and Richard Vadon

Published on Saturday, 14th January 2017.

Available Podcasts from 50 Things That Made the Modern Economy

Subscribe to 50 Things That Made the Modern Economy

We are not the BBC, we only list available podcasts. To find out more about the programme including episodes available on BBC iPlayer, go to the 50 Things That Made the Modern Economy webpage.