In der chinesischen dröhnenden Wirtschaft steigt ein ausgedehntes Netz der Lieferanten, Qualität und konkurrierende industrielle Teile und Ausrüstungen produzierend. Auftreten in China ist die Gelegenheit, damit westliche Industrieunternehmen Seitenränder erhöhen verursachen oder beibehalten, einen Wettbewerbsvorteil.
Aber es gibt viele Herausforderungen in der Implementierung. Das größte man ist, ÄNDERUNG innerlich zu handhaben. Ist hier eine Liste der änderungen, die wesentlich sind, es geschehen zu lassen.

Immer mehr westliche Firmaführer entscheiden, Auftretenwaren von China zu beginnen und seine niedrigen Produktion Kosten zu nutzen. Aber wir sehen viele dieser China Auftreteninitiativen ohne ein starkes änderung Managementteil: Sie unterschätzen normalerweise die Zeit und die Bemühungen, die Angestellte, zu erklären, auszubilden, zu demonstrieren benötigt werden und zu überzeugen, sich auf chinesische Lieferanten zu verschieben.

Die änderung ist in der Tat drastisch: Kaufend, organisierte Qualität, Technik, Logistik, Konstruktionsabteilungen ihre Arbeit um die Relationen mit ihren „traditionellen“ Lieferanten. Die Verschiebung „vom lokalen Auftreten“ mit dieser traditionellen Versorgungsmaterial-Unterseite „weites Auftreten“ mit neuen Lieferanten in China beeinflußt drastisch die Weise, die sie bearbeiten:

Erstens Konstruktionsabteilung muß neue technische und ökonomische Begrenzungen im Design des folgenden Erzeugung der Produkte integrieren. Die 3 Hauptgrundregeln sind:
1. Die Teile mit hohem addiertem Wert und die Unterbaugruppen sind die, welche die besten Kostenvorteile holen, als in China sourced.
2. Produktion Prozesse in China sind unterschiedlich: Automatische Produktion wird durch eine Anzahl von manuellen Schritten ersetzt. Es verringert Investition und Kosten, Zunahmeproduktion Flexibilität, aber Toleranzen sind nicht so gut wie für einen automatisierten Prozeß.
3. Die Teile mit kritischem geistigem Eigentum werden außerhalb Chinas gehalten.

Zweitens Technische Abteilung used to rely on their traditional suppliers’ superior engineering capabilities, expertise and capacity to innovate. Switching to a supplier which expertise is not as good means:
1. More work: New technical validations and support to the new Chinese suppliers
2. Due diligence: Thorough checks of all safety standards

Thirdly, in the Logistics Department, employees will have to start setting-up new flows coming from China and adapt to a new set of principles. Long transport time by containers may be a new constraint. Factory logistics teams deal with hundreds of issues a day, and new constraints are never welcome. For example, daily deliveries in returnable boxes are not an option when the producing factory is 10,000 kilometers away. The delivery cycle is obviously too long and the investment in boxes would be too large. But if this is the preferred delivery method, the Logistics Department will have to change its habits and adapt to new objectives.

Also, the Quality Department must re-examine its approach of supplier’s quality:
The Quality of the purchased parts used to be sub-contracted to the suppliers: Quality objectives are included in the purchasing contracts and defective parts are sent back to where they come from. The buyers have nothing to do with the quality management of their suppliers. This approach does not work with far sourcing. Waiting for the parts to be delivered to check their quality would be too risky and costly. It takes time and resources, but buyers have no choice but to retake control of the quality management.

"You get what you inspect, not what you expect".

As an example, Shanghai General Motors has developed an army of Advanced Supplier Quality (ASQs) engineers, traveling 4 days a week to their suppliers’ factories. Their role is to directly and constantly manage quality improvement plans.
However, for a Western company without a dedicated organization established locally, managing supplier’s Quality on a regular basis can become problematic: Many of our customers come to us initially to solve Quality problems. Outsourced in-factory quality control and pre-delivery inspections is a common solution.

Finally, directly on the battle front, in the Purchasing Department, the buyers must also adapt their negotiation style and attitude.
One cannot go aggressive on price reduction targets to Chinese suppliers without giving anything in return. It is not only because of the Chinese business culture (you have to become good friends before signing a deal). If the outcome of the negotiation is not a win-win deal, the Chinese supplier might start finding ways to cut his production costs and regain his margin: Swap raw material to cheaper ones or sub-contract to another company. An unprofitable deal for the supplier usually damages the quality of the parts.

If confrontation seldom works, a supportive attitude towards a Chinese supplier generally pays off. Give practical advices, deliver simple trainings, and show your support where it is needed: Suppliers will keep a positive attitude and this will bring mutual benefits.

This is the founding concept of Supplier Development: A Supplier Development project usually starts when the owner of a Chinese company accepts the active support of his potential client over a period of time and engages his company in the implementation of all the best practices brought to him and his staff. In return, the buyer creates a tailor-made production facility for its parts, and a loyal supplier. After 6 months of weekly visits and workshops with the different departments, the Chinese factory dramatically improves and the production starts. This is certainly a large time and effort investment, but it pays off in sustainable cost advantage. Success stories such as BOSCH’s or VALEO’s tend to prove this is a good way to do Industrial Sourcing in China.

All these changes will be effective only if they happen concomitantly and as the China sourcing project makes progress. Such a challenge must be addressed by a company-wide Change Management project.