Dr. Allen J. Morrison & Dr. J. Stewart Black are two American leadership, strategy, business and manufacturing experts who have recently written a new book "Enterprise China: Adopting a Competitive Strategy for Business Success" which was released on December 1st 2022. The book provides a great overview of how China runs itself like a business and the strategies that it uses for economic success. This is helpful knowledge for foreign businesses because it also provides approaches on how … [Read more...]
Pay me now, or pay me later: Your choice when it comes to product quality and reliability.
What is the real cost of poor product quality and reliability and what can be done to lower your risks and costs? You'll learn why the phrase âPay Me Now, or Pay Me Later" is particularly relevant because the costs of good quality and reliability (while requiring a decent-sized investment for sure) are surely lower than the cost of poor quality and reliability and reputational damage that it causes to your business. Prefer listening to reading? Just hit play below: đ§Â Cost … [Read more...]
How to deal with the Chinese New Year Disruption in 2023
Did you know that Chinese New Year 2023 is coming particularly early this year in January 2023? If you have suppliers in China, you need to be aware that this holiday period is likely to lead to a disruption in supply while their factories are closed down for weeks during the holiday. But the challenges don't end with just a shutdown, the time periods surrounding CNY also have certain risks as manufacturers start to slow down or fight to ramp production back up. Luckily there are actions … [Read more...]
Is there a Relationship between Factory Audits and Better Quality Products? [Real Data Analysis]
![Is there a Relationship between Factory Audits and Better Quality Products? [Real Data Analysis]](https://qualityinspection.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/IsthereaRelationshipbetweenFactoryAuditsandBetterQualityProductsRealDataAnalysis-1140x445.jpeg)
Prof. Neale OâConnor, a China business and accounting expert and international keynote speaker, recently analyzed some of our own factory audit data and other third-party data about customer complaints and came up with some really interesting findings that will help you to source better suppliers in Asia, specifically ones who are going to provide you with better quality products and/or be less likely to scam you. If you're wondering if performing factory audits has a tangible … [Read more...]
Not Assessing the Environmental Impact of Made-In-China Productions? Big Mistake.
Today's manufacturers need to start assessing the environmental impact of their productions in China (or elsewhere), because of the impending EU Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) coming in May 2023 that will demand that products become more sustainable and that supply chains are transparent for market surveillance. Simply put, you need to comply with this regulation or you will not be able to sell your products in the EU at all...and complying may mean redesigning existing … [Read more...]
Zero-China Supply Chain: Should Importers pursue it?
Following October 2022's 20th Communist Party Congress in which Xi Jinping made various statements about the state of China and its future plans, some of which spooked Western observers, let's investigate what China's current politics might mean for manufacturers with a supply chain there and if trying to build a 'Zero-China' supply chain is warranted for anyone who's worried about the stability of the region. You'll also learn about how to minimize supply chain disruption by following a China … [Read more...]
9 Ways For Importers To Cut Costs
If you ask any importer if they'd like to reduce their operating costs they're almost certainly going to say yes! But what are the options? Renaud has 9 cost-cutting options for you here regardless of where you're manufacturing. Some, like using competition among suppliers to drive them to offer better pricing, are relatively low-hanging fruits, whereas others like moving production to a lower-cost country are much larger projects. Listen to the content here: đ§Â 9 Ways … [Read more...]
The Concept of Quality: Little q VS Big Q.
Take a deep dive into the concept of quality. A lot of importers focus narrowly on if the products they're getting from their manufacturers/suppliers are within tolerance (little q). But without a wider view that looks at the entire manufacturing process from design to production (Big Q), can the mistakes that lead to each batch containing defective pieces be found and fixed, or do we end up in a cycle of inspecting finished batches, removing 'bad' pieces, and then reworking them or scrapping … [Read more...]
The Blind Spot That Turns Investors Off Your New Hardware Product Idea
Founders with a new hardware product idea often keep it under wraps as much as possible, pushing to get to market as early as possible driven by the fear of being copied. That's a valid concern, but it can lead to a serious blind spot that can kill their new business venture and prevent them from attracting much-needed investment (and working with the best possible manufacturers). So, what do founders do wrong, and what are investors really looking for? Let's explore that so you don't make … [Read more...]
Which Communication Mediums For Dealing With Chinese Suppliers?
What are the different mediums importers might use to communicate with their Chinese suppliers? Select the wrong one and you'll find it more difficult to control your project, manage your suppliers, and get the outcomes that you expect...so even if, WeChat instant messages seem like an easy way to communicate, for example, after reading this you may think again before you fire off your next message there. It may seem harmless to communicate in whatever way seems easiest, but it can lead to … [Read more...]
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