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

~ Paul Midler (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Most of the people in Mr. Midler’s position would not dream of disclosing what they see...” (The Economist)

“Midler has written a fascinating, funny and important book.” (Asia Times)

“..an invaluable book for anyone considering doing business in China or teaching a course in international  trade...a book for all consumers in countries that import products from China.” (Epoch Times)

“...a must-read for people engaged in mainland business.” (South China Morning Post)

“Poorly Made in China manages to be both instructive and entertaining, with lessons not only for businesspeople looking to China for profits, but also for our politicians seeking to promote honest trade and U.S. national interests.” (National Review)

“Poorly Made In China is not so much a hatchet job on Chinese manufacturers than a lively dissection of the cultural clash between Chinese and Western businessmen.” (The Star)

"By the time Midler finishes telling his tale, he has upended a lot of the assumptions about this factory for the world..." (Forbes)

"This book has plenty of laugh-out-loud moments." (Financial Times)

Product Description

Praise for Poorly Made in China

"This fast-paced travelogue through the world of Chinese manufacturing is scary, fascinating, and very funny. Midler is not only a knowledgeable guide to the invisible underbelly of the global economy, he is a sympathetic and astute observer of China, its challenges, and its people. A great read."
—PIETRA RIVOLI, author of The Travels of a T-Shirt in the Global Economy

"Paul Midler takes us for a ride through the fastest-growing economy in the world, revealing what can—and sometimes does—go wrong when U.S. companies shift production to China. Working in the heart of China's export hub, in the country's southern region, he has the advantage of a front-row seat to the no-holds-barred games played between manufacturers and importers. He introduces us to a cast of real-life characters and tells his story with a mix of affection and skepticism for what is taking place in China today. Midler delivers a revealing and often funny tale of life and commerce in a country whose exports touch nearly everyone on the planet."
—SARA BONGIORNI, author of A Year Without 'Made in China': One Family's True Life Adventure in the Global Economy

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Wiley (April 6, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0470405589
• ISBN-13: 978-0470405581
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #28,285 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #3 in	Books > Business & Investing > International > Global
  #6 in	Books > Business & Investing > Industries & Professions > Industrial Relations
  #32 in	Books > Professional & Technical > Engineering > Industrial, Manufacturing & Operational Systems > Manufacturing

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unfettered Chinese capitalism, April 27, 2009

By	Ronald D. Mccallister (Scottsdale, AZ USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Midler weaves his thoughtful and timely commentary in a provocative and thoroughly enjoyable format, using personal anecdotes and experiences to support significant conclusions regarding American business with China. As China rushes to expand trade, it is repeating many of the same mistakes made by U.S. manufacturers in our economic development. Midler's tales of aggressive cost reduction methods recalled the 'Muntz TV,' fabled in engineering circles for its approach to cost margin improvement: parts would simply be deleted until the TV barely functioned. The quality problem is less cultural than a reflection of intense cost competition. It demonstrates the need for China to develop consumer protection laws, OSHA-like rules, and stringent quality control if it intends to expand export trade with developed nations. Equally important, it demonstrates that American consumers need to insist that adequate standards and regulations be imposed on imported goods, from China and other `low-cost' sources.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very insightful book, May 26, 2009

By	Renaud ANJORAN (Shenzhen, China) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

I really enjoyed this book. I control the quality of shipments in China myself, so I recognized many situations that I previously encountered. The book is peppered with excellent insights about Chinese culture. It is also often funny, and it is very easy to read.
I would specifically recommend this book to people who are curious about the manufacturing environment in China. They will discover a whole new world.
The only downside is that the book only describes situations where importers are unprepared and fall in the traps of unscrupulous Chinese suppliers. It is not perfectly representative, but it does a great job explaining why so many quality issues originate from China.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars ON TARGET, September 23, 2009

By	KungFuzi (Gateway Arch Area) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

Doing business in China and visiting factories there, I have witnessed many of the tactics that the author describes. While reading this book, I thought to myself over and over - "How True!".

My business experience in China is limited to one type of industry that has nothing to do with any of the industries listed in this book. Finding out that the Chinese employ the same tactics in completely different manufacturing settings was a wake up call for me. I believe the manufacturing arena in China is a type of "business culture" that is not fully understood in the West.

My experience has been dealing with small factories. We were not ordering hundreds or thousands of containers. These larger operations may be different (but I doubt it).

After reading this book I started thinking about how I once bought an item that was made fairly well. I bought the same item a year or so later and noticed a few things seemed to be made of less quality. Then another purchase a year or so later showed the item was barely worth owning. The quality had degraded in such a way that I decided to never buy again. This book explains how this happens when dealing with manufactures in China.

I recommend this book to anyone involved with doing business in China or someone who just wants to be educated on the subject.