Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike Harte
Isn't that somewhat similar to what happened post-war with items from Japan. That is until they found ways to start producing electronics, cameras and cars, etc. far better than anyone else could do, and also far cheaper.
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That's true Mike but the Japanese seem to have a different approach to quality matters than can be found in other places.
Plus they listened to some of the manufacturing gurus from the USA - like Deming - and improved on the suggestions made over time.
Things eventually became more expensive of course ... to they shifted some manufacturing to cheaper countries. That may also have been influenced by lack of space to build factories and the risks of catastrophic earthquakes, etc.
I'm not sure that other places have the same attitudes or ever will.
Moreover the world, for now, seems to have moved to rampant disposeability principles. That's probably partly driven by tech at the moment followed by desperate attempts to find ways to keep the economy "growing" during an impending period of energy supply constraint.
As far as I can tell China has been a rapid development basket case over the past 2 or 3 decades and right the way through the manufacturing and delivery chain every possible corner is being cut without anyone believing that there will be significant, avoidable consequences coming back from their decisions and actions.
Whether the same is true for other emerging manufacturing centres only time will confirm.