在中国兴旺的经济，供应商一个宽广的网络导致质量和竞争工业零件和设备上升。 源头在中国是机会为了西部工业公司能增加边际，创造或者维护竞争优势。
但有许多挑战在实施。 最大你是内部处理变动。 这变动名单根本做它发生。

越来越西部公司领导决定开始源头物品从中国和利用它的低生产成本。 但我们看许多这些中国源头主动性，不用一个强的变动管理零件： 他们通常低估需要的时间和努力解释，训练，展示和说服雇员转移到中国供应商。

变动的确是猛烈的： 购买，质量，工程学，后勤学，设计科在与他们的“传统”供应商的联系附近组织了他们的工作。 转移从“地方源头”与这传统供应来源“远的源头”与新的供应商在中国将显著影响他们运作的方式：

首先， 设计科 在设计必须集成新的技术和经济限制下一代产品。 3项主要原则是：
1. 当在中国， sourced部分以高净增值和组作是带来最佳的费用好处的那个。
2. 生产过程在中国是不同的： 自动生产被一定数量的手工步替换。 它减少资本投资和费用，增量生产灵活性，但容忍不是象为一个自动化的过程一样。
3. 部分与重要知识产权将被保留在中国境外。

第二， 工程部 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.