I will admit that I am not up-to-speed on labor unions in China. What I do know is that (generally speaking) the attitudes of the Chinese and American workers I’ve interacted with in my career are very different. Additionally, the unionized American workers take that difference to a whole new level.

Back to the point of this blog, I agree there is a general lack of Quality controls in China. It is the responsibility of the US company to oversee this and most US-based Quality systems rely in part on good operators. If you have zero confidence in your manual labor force, then you need a more robust Japanese-style Quality system. Most American manufacturers still don’t understand how these work however.

BUT, I still think we need to temper our anxiety by understanding that the media blows these things out of proportion and it’s not really that bad.

Anyhow, if we want to protect North American manufacturing jobs, or small-town economies, the health of our pets and children and the environment, we must start valuing something other than lowest price, and we must stop thinking that we should own any piece of crap that flashes on your TV screen.

So, distressed by the weak US economy? That is because you are so cheap!

It’s no joke, is it? Certain retailers’ insatiable pursuit of low cost goods definitely translates into tremendous pressure on factories to cut costs/corners. By the time the goods get to the retailer, though, it is too late to fix things. The U.S. companies responsible for outsourcing the manufacturing seem to be in the best position to make sure products meet standards.

It sounds as if you provide the kind of oversight that I was suggesting. I wasn’t talking about bringing manufacturing back to the U.S. I was talking about the Nigels we need to get it right. Clear standards and inspection are critical.

Kindly,
Lori H.

That said, I think any engineer involved would dot every ‘i’ and cross every ‘t’ to protect against lead paint if it was a very real danger. I’m no doctor, but I’d guess that the government regulation is ultra-conservative and even the ‘bad’ toys are not really dangerous. Not to mention there still remains controversy over the real dangers posed by lead. Of course these rational arguments are lost on frightened parents with the media fanning the flames of fear.

Sidenote: If Americans don’t want their manufacturing jobs sent to China then they need to abolish their unions, work harder, and appreciate their jobs like the Chinese people.

I am sure your dad has the right intentions, but there is really no stopping the flow of manufacturing to China. MindTribe has worked with terrific manufacturers there. There are techniques being used in Asia that no one in the U.S. can do these days. (Maybe that’s a topic for another blog!) The key is making sure we have great communication and interaction to ensure the product turns out as we want it!

Good luck with your manufacturing career! How’s your Mandarin?

Kindly,
Lori H.

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