Product Overview

This case set describes the gale of creative destruction that came with the rise of refrigeration and the creation of a globalized food supply chain, examined through the life of Charles Tellier, a French entrepreneur and inventor of the refrigerated ship that completed the first successful transoceanic shipment of fresh meat. It takes place largely during the mid- to late 19th century, a time of increasing globalization and disruptive social change. Tellier was a visionary inventor who saw refrigeration’s potential to transform the world’s food supply and improve nutrition and quality of life for the growing middle classes through improved year-round access to high-quality, perishable animal protein. While he was a dedicated and ultimately successful inventor, he struggled to fund his pursuits and manage stakeholders in his endeavors. The A case rests on a pivotal moment when Tellier’s refrigerated transport technology showed early promise, but Tellier and the owners of the company disagreed on the appropriate next steps to verify and capitalize on this early success. This B case offers an epilogue.

Learning Objectives

(1) Assess the significance of an invention. Is Tellier’s new technology a radical or an incremental innovation. (2) Explore “proof of concept.” What does it mean to establish the viability of an invention? At the date of this case, some of Tellier’s investors deem his invention to have been “proved.” Tellier is not so sure. (3) Consider the necessary transformation from proof of concept to successful commercialization. What patent protections and ownership structures can help to ensure the conversion of an invention into a profitable business enterprise? At the date of this case, some opportunistic investors are selling their shares into what appears to be a bubble of stock market speculation. Are bubbles helpful or harmful to inventors? (4) Survey the short- and long-term impacts of an invention—both economically and socially.