Poorly made in China : an insider's account of the tactics behind China's production game

Review Awards Best Book 2009 (_The Economist_) Best Book for Business Owners (_Inc._) Great Finance Book of 2009 (_Forbes_) Best of 2009 Business Book (_Library Journal_) "Midler has upended a lot of the assumptions about this factory for the world." (_Forbes_) “A must-read for people engaged in mainland business.” (_South China Morning Post_) “Important, timely and entertaining.” (_Taipei Times_) “Most of the people in Mr. Midler’s position would not dream of disclosing what they see.” (_The Economist_) “Manages to be both instructive and entertaining.” (_National Review_) “A fascinating, funny and important book.” (_Asia Times_) “An invaluable book for anyone considering doing business in China.” (_Epoch Times_) “A lively dissection of the cultural clash.” (_Malaysia’s The Star_) “You won’t look at the label ‘Made in China’ the same way.” (_Toronto Now_) “His warning is worth heeding – is China listening?” (_Business Times_) "Plenty of laugh-out-loud moments." (_Financial Times_) “Strongly recommended.” (_Bangkok Post_) 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' Review Awards Best Book 2009 (_The Economist_) Best Book for Business Owners (_Inc._) Great Finance Book of 2009 (_Forbes_) Best of 2009 Business Book (_Library Journal_) "Midler has upended a lot of the assumptions about this factory for the world." (_Forbes_) “A must-read for people engaged in mainland business.” (_South China Morning Post_) “Important, timely and entertaining.” (_Taipei Times_) “Most of the people in Mr. Midler’s position would not dream of disclosing what they see.” (_The Economist_) “Manages to be both instructive and entertaining.” (_National Review_) “A fascinating, funny and important book.” (_Asia Times_) “An invaluable book for anyone considering doing business in China.” (_Epoch Times_) “A lively dissection of the cultural clash.” (_Malaysia’s The Star_) “You won’t look at the label ‘Made in China’ the same way.” (_Toronto Now_) “His warning is worth heeding – is China listening?” (_Business Times_) "Plenty of laugh-out-loud moments." (_Financial Times_) “Strongly recommended.” (_Bangkok Post_) 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' Review Awards Best Book 2009 (_The Economist_) Best Book for Business Owners (_Inc._) Great Finance Book of 2009 (_Forbes_) Best of 2009 Business Book (_Library Journal_) "Midler has upended a lot of the assumptions about this factory for the world." (_Forbes_) “A must-read for people engaged in mainland business.” (_South China Morning Post_) “Important, timely and entertaining.” (_Taipei Times_) “Most of the people in Mr. Midler’s position would not dream of disclosing what they see.” (_The Economist_) “Manages to be both instructive and entertaining.” (_National Review_) “A fascinating, funny and important book.” (_Asia Times_) “An invaluable book for anyone considering doing business in China.” (_Epoch Times_) “A lively dissection of the cultural clash.” (_Malaysia’s The Star_) “You won’t look at the label ‘Made in China’ the same way.” (_Toronto Now_) “His warning is worth heeding – is China listening?” (_Business Times_) "Plenty of laugh-out-loud moments." (_Financial Times_) “Strongly recommended.” (_Bangkok Post_) 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'

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'

An insider reveals what can & mdash;and does & mdash;go wrong when companies shift production to ChinaIn this entertaining behind-the-scenes account, Paul Midler tells us all that is wrong with our effort to shift manufacturing to China. Now updated and expanded, Poorly Made in China reveals industry secrets, including the dangerous practice of quality fade & mdash;the deliberate and secret habit of Chinese manufacturers to widen profit margins through the reduction of quality inputs. U.S. importers don & rsquo;t stand a chance, Midler explains, against savvy Chinese suppliers who feel they have littl This true story follows Paul Midler from one project to the next, revealing business and cultural challenges and exposing the dangerous cat-and-mouse games that take place between Chinese companies and their foreign counterparts. It gives an up-close look at the rough-and-tumble environment in which so many of our consumer products are being made.--[book jacket].