Mexico vs. China. Which is the Better Plant Location?

Posted by on October 14, 2011 · Leave a Comment 

The question of whether Mexico is a better place to manufacture a product versus China seems to come up frequently.  A recent Los Angeles Times article combined with my experiences in closing a USA plant and building a new plant in Shanghai are the sources for the following: Since 2000, the 3,700 Mexican Maquiladoras have […]

Category Blog, China, Manufacturing, Mexico · Tags , , , ,

Outsourcing from China – Avoiding this Horror Story

Posted by on October 12, 2011 · Leave a Comment 

A recent article in Manufacturing News described the outsourcing horror story that has engulfed Fellowes Inc. The large paper shredder manufacturer has suffered a significant loss in China. A Chinese joint venture partner stole Fellowes Inc.’s proprietary assets and forced the operation into bankruptcy. The estimated cost is valued at a $100 million. Now the […]

Category Bankruptcy, Business failure, CEOs, China, India, Manufacturing, Mexico, Uncategorized, USA · Tags , , , , , , , , , , ,

Can Manufacturing Return to the USA?

Posted by on September 6, 2010 · Leave a Comment 

The need to move USA manufacturing operations to competitive economic climates, has been essential for a Company’s survival.  This exodus to a number of foreign countries, mainly to China and Mexico, has had a negative impact on the USA – its economy, median incomes, standards of living. Today, New Balance Inc. is a rather unique […]

Category Blog, Business failure, CEOs, China, Manufacturing, Mexico, USA · Tags , , , , , , , , , , , ,

China to surpass USA as World Leader in manufacturing?

Posted by on July 2, 2010 · Leave a Comment 

The headline in a June 2010 Financial Times article was bothersome. It chronicled “US Manufacturing Crown Slips”. In summary, the article reported: “The US remained the world’s biggest manufacturing nation by output last year, but is poised to relinquish this slot in 2011 to China – thus ending a 110-year run as the number one country […]

Category Blog, CEOs, China, India, Manufacturing, Mexico, Peter Drucker, The Art of War, USA · Tags , , , , , , , , , ,

Where is China Heading?

Posted by on June 15, 2009 · Leave a Comment 

Mark Leonard’s book “What Does China Think?” presents China’s challenges and struggles with some surprising priorities its leaders have set to correct them. For the first time in China’s history its 11th five-year plan does not list economic growth as its first priority. The plan: “put people first”…“respecting the natural environment”…introduces a Scandinavian model of social welfare […]

Category Blog, Books, China, India, Manufacturing, Mexico, Peter Drucker, The Art of War · Tags , , , , , , , , , ,

China’s Achilles’ heel – Obstacles to Low Cost

Posted by on May 9, 2006 · Leave a Comment 

Several issues negative to China as a solid, long-term base for low-cost manufacturing are becoming apparent: Efficiency & Productivity: A company I’m working on is in the process of acquiring a China based digital electronics manufacturing company.  In the search for an acquisition candidate, I visited twenty-four manufacturing companies.  A large number of them were […]

Category Blog, China, India, Manufacturing, Mexico · Tags , , , , ,

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Chief Executive Officer

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Develop strategic and operating plans - including Court required plans of reorganization

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Reason I wrote my book “Learn to Whisper”

Click on this link for a more complete description of “Learn to Whisper”

The reason I wrote “Learn to Whisper”:

My conclusion after operating as a Turnaround Chief Executive Officer for more than twenty-five years is that the majority of this country’s top management is far from first-rate. In fact top management, particularly at the chief executive officer level, is at best average with a large number that can be rated mediocre. This lack of management competence has seen this country’s market leaders lose sizeable market share to foreign manufacturers able to export better quality and lower cost products to the USA. It has seen manufacturing and service operations unnecessarily moved to foreign countries. All of which has negatively affected the economy, severely damaged former blue-chip corporations and seen quality jobs lost.

It is quite common to discover that companies struggling with this inability to compete with foreign companies have been simply mismanaged. The once successful business deteriorated because of an incompetent chief executive officer and weak senior management

Why doesn’t this nation have first-rate management? Inadequate training. Chief executive officers and vice presidents learn “on the job”. A number get promoted based on personality, political connections and drive – not merit. They are not carefully screened for the potential to become successful at managing. For some all that is needed is a well-written resume, the right interviewing style and the inability of a new employer to accurately assess skills, performance and potential.

Compare this to the process doctors go through. From medical school to internship to residency to a senior role after years of education, experience and continuous training their progress and capabilities are constantly monitored even after they become senior in the profession. Generals and Admirals go through a similar protocol. They must prove themselves in low-level assignments before they are judged qualified for senior positions. Unqualified applicants in both professions are culled out. What can be done to improve management competence? Education, on-the-job training and job performance monitoring. My book will educate people on the subject of managing. Its 101 management lessons are separated into the 17 subjects managers need to know.