Poorly Made in China: An Insider's Account of the Tactics Behind China's Production Game

254 Pages·2009·1.98 MB·English

by  Paul Midler

$24.95 USA / $29.95 CAN
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up-close look at the rough-and-tumble environment
in which so many of our consumer products are
being made.
It was an upside-down world in which manu-
facturers thought nothing of manipulating
Poorly Made in China is the tale of a modern-day
product quality in order to save pennies,
gold rush and its consequences, the chronicle of a
where previously savvy foreign business lead-
rising economic power and its path along a steep
ers were taken for a ride by their partners, where
growth curve. Entertaining and enlightening, the
entire manufacturing facilities sometimes van-
“ This fast-paced travelogue through the world of Chinese manufacturing is scary,
book reveals the extent to which culture affects
ished into thin air. Welcome to Poorly Made in China!
fascinating, and very funny. Midler is not only a knowledgeable guide to the invisible
business dealings, and ultimately suggests that
we may have more to be concerned with than underbelly of the global economy, he is a sympathetic and astute observer of China,
When he arrived in South China as a recently
product failures alone. its challenges, and its people. A great read.”
minted, Mandarin-speaking Wharton MBA at
—PIETRA RIVOLI, author of The Travels of a T-Shirt in the Global Economy the height of the boom in export manufacturing,
Paul Midler was sought out by a number of
“P aul Midler takes us for a ride through the fastest-growing economy in the world, foreign companies—from American importers of
revealing what can—and sometimes does—go wrong when U.S. companies shift discount soap and shampoo to Belgian diamond
PAUL MIDLER graduated from college in 1992
production to China. Working in the heart of China’s export hub, in the country’s merchants to New York waste paper recyclers—
with a concentration in Chinese history and
all looking for help in the new economy. The
southern region, he has the advantage of a front-row seat to the no-holds-barred
language. After working for a number of years
adventures came fast, as did the business and
games played between manufacturers and importers. He introduces us to a cast of
in China, he returned to the United States to
cultural lessons.
complete a master’s in business administration real-life characters and tells his story with a mix of affection and skepticism for
at the Wharton School of the University of what is taking place in China today. Midler delivers a revealing and often funny
Poorly Made in China is a dramatic romp through
Pennsylvania. In the course of his manufacturing tale of life and commerce in a country whose exports touch nearly everyone on
China’s export manufacturing sector. The story
career, Midler has assisted dozens of American the planet.”
follows Midler from one project to the next,
and European companies and has worked with
— SARA BONGIORNI, author of A Year Without ‘Made in China’:
revealing business and cultural challenges and
hundreds of factories in China.
One Family’s True Life Adventure in the Global Economy
exposing the dangerous cat-and-mouse games
that take place between Chinese companies and
JACKET DESIGN: PAUL McCARTHY their foreign counterparts.
An engaging business narrative told with humor
and insight, this true story pulls back the curtain
on the rising Chinese economy, providing an
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POORLY
MADE IN
CHIN
A
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P O O R L Y
M A D E I N
C H I N
A
AN INSIDER’S ACCOUNT
OF THE TACTICS BEHIND
CHINA’S PRODUCTION GAME
PAUL MIDLER
John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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Copyright(cid:1)C 2009byPaulMidler.Allrightsreserved.
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LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData:
Midler,Paul,1968–
PoorlymadeinChina:aninsider’saccountofthetacticsbehindChina’sproduction
game/byPaulMidler.
p.cm.
ISBN978-0-470-40558-1(cloth)
1.Manufactures–China. 2.Workenvironment–China. 3.China–Economic
conditions–2000– I.Title.
HD9736.C62M532009
338.4(cid:2)7670951–dc22
2008054907
PrintedintheUnitedStatesofAmerica.
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
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Itisbettertoknowsomeofthequestionsthanalloftheanswers.
—JamesThurber
Allwarisbasedondeception:Whenabletoattack,wemustpretend
to be incapable; When employing forces, we must seem inactive;
When we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far;
Offerbaittolurehim;Ifheappearshumble,makehimarrogant;If
he is rested, wear him down; If his forces are united, divide them;
Takeactionwhenitisunexpected.
—Sunzi(thestrategistformerlyknownasSunTzu)
The first condition of right thought is right sensation—the first
conditionofunderstandingaforeigncountryistosmellit.
—T.S.Eliot
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CONTENTS
Chapter 1 Vanishing Act 1
Chapter 2 Trouble Is My Business 8
Chapter 3 “All We Need Is Your Sample” 16
Chapter 4 Vice President of Disadvantaged Neighborhoods 26
Chapter 5 “I Do Now” 38
Chapter 6 Lurid Carnival of Global Commerce 50
Chapter 7 And That’s a Good Thing 68
Chapter 8 Grains of Toil 77
Chapter 9 The China Game 86
Chapter 10 The Seven Steps of Problem Solving 99
Chapter 11 Counterfeit Culture 107
Chapter 12 No Animal Testing 123
Chapter 13 Joint Venture Panacea 129
Chapter 14 Take the Long Way Home 137
Chapter 15 Lucky Diamonds 146
Chapter 16 Trophy Trash 158
Chapter 17 “You Heard Me Wrong” 171
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viii Contents
Chapter 18 “Price Go Up!” 179
Chapter 19 You Wouldn’t Want to Be There 195
Chapter 20 Of Course, You Would Think So 207
Chapter 21 The New Factory 215
Chapter 22 Profit Zero 227
Acknowledgments 241