China’s dominance increasingly based on quality
18th September 2006
According to the OECD, quality is less and less an issue for Chinese manufacturers. China now produces 55% of the world’s laptop computers; 60% of air conditioners and 70% of DVD players. It also produces 30% of all flat-screen televisions and 20% of microprocessors.
More than USD1 trillion worth of manufacturing output has moved from Japan to China, with even large Japanese consumer electronic companies, renowned for brand quality, shifting the bulk of their manufacturing to mainland China.
For global manufacturers, this means seeing local manufacturers as strategic partners and integrating operational systems, not just information systems.
Standardised management systems will have a critical role to play.