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                                  Christoph Bliss
                                  Ronald Haddock
                                  haddock_ronald@bah.com

                                  Conrad Winkler
                                  winkler_conrad@bah.com

                                  Kaj Grichnik
                                  grichnik_kaj@bah.com




China’s Shifting Competitive
Equation
How Multinational Manufacturers Must Respond
1




    China’s Shifting Competitive Equation
    How Multinational Manufacturers Must Respond

    By now, the world’s largest corporations have
    poured billions of dollars, yen, and euros into                About the Survey
    China in pursuit of two basic objectives. One
                                                                   Of the 66 companies belonging to AmCham
    has been to create a low-cost manufacturing                    Shanghai’s Manufacturing Business Council
    platform that could make and export products to                that were surveyed in October and November
    other markets. The second objective has been                   2007, 81 percent were wholly owned by
    to create sales and distribution networks that                 foreigners, 10 percent were joint ventures
    can reach China’s 1.3 billion people, sometimes                between multinationals and Chinese partners,
                                                                   and 9 percent were categorized as “other.”
    with products that are made in China but also
                                                                   The manufacturers’ industries included con-
    with goods imported into the country. In the
                                                                   sumer, industrial, healthcare, and materials,
    mind of far too many corporate strategists at                  with countries of origin including the United
    headquarters, China should be treated much like                States, Japan, and several in Western Europe.
    any other emerging market.                                     About one-third of the respondents had an
                                                                   additional major presence in China beyond
    But these old sourcing and sales models are coming             their manufacturing footprints: More than
    under pressure, according to a study conducted by              50 percent had representative offices, while
    the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham)                      roughly one-third had regional or global head-
    in Shanghai and Booz Allen Hamilton. The “China                quarters in China (because some companies
    Manufacturing Competitiveness 2007−2008” study,                surveyed were joint ventures with Chinese enti-
    conducted for the first time in 2007 and planned               ties, their headquarters were considered to be
    annually thereafter, surveyed 66 manufacturers among           in China). Other companies also maintained
    the members of AmCham Shanghai’s Manufacturing                 regional or global procurement centers, or
    Business Council (see “About the Survey”). It found            research and development centers, in China.
    that, due to low labor costs and high expectations
    regarding a market of 1.3 billion people, multinationals
    have tended to build export-oriented factories with        operations elsewhere in the world. Nor have most of
    operating strategies based on abundant, cheap labor        them managed to integrate the dual functions of export
    and distribution channels aimed at rapid increases in      platforms and domestic market penetration. The study
    annual sales. In neither case have multinationals, as      showed that three out of four companies today lack
    a whole, imported the very best practices from their       fundamental best practices in their China operations.
2


Companies that do rise to the next management                                                      we will discuss the research results in some depth
level by integrating their export-oriented activities for                                          before offering our own conclusions about the strategic
global markets with their domestic market operations                                               implications of this research for chief executive officers
are achieving higher levels of profitability. The study                                            and other corporate decision makers.
showed that companies that successfully integrate
their China operations enjoy profitability of 29.6                                                 The State of China and Its Industry
percent, on average, compared with 17.8 percent                                                    It is clear that China’s manufacturing competitiveness
profitability for those that do not. But only one out of                                           is coming under fire: More than half of the surveyed
four companies is able to integrate the dual halves of                                             companies—54 percent—either strongly agree or agree
their China operations this way.                                                                   with the statement “China is losing its competitive
                                                                                                   edge to other low-cost countries in manufacturing.”
Multinationals will need to bring their best operations
to China and fully integrate their sales and sourc-                                                Fortunately, the survey also revealed good news:
ing functions if they hope to retain an advantage as                                               Even if China has lost some of its edge, it is still
China’s operating environment becomes more competi-                                                very much in the game. Operating in China still
tive and costs increase. One of every two multination-                                             offers huge advantages, which is why 83 percent of
als surveyed agrees that India, Thailand, and Vietnam                                              the respondents say they have no concrete plans to
are challenging China’s position because, among other                                              move capacity from China, compared with 17 percent
factors, the Middle Kingdom’s wages and other costs                                                who say they do. Reflecting changing perceptions,
are rising and the increasing value of China’s currency                                            manufacturers say the biggest reason to remain in
is eroding its cost advantage. Nearly one in five (17                                              China is access to its vast domestic market (see
percent) of these companies already has made the                                                   Exhibit 1). Manufacturers also say they are reluctant to
decision to move at least some China-based opera-                                                  spend the money to build new supply chains or other
tions to other low-cost countries in Asia and elsewhere.                                           infrastructure in other countries.

Because we believe this is the first study to produce                                              In fact, access to the Chinese market is now a key
a statistical portrait of how manufacturers perceive                                               reason why many companies are coming to China in
their China operations and how they are structured,                                                the first place: Access to the local market is important


Exhibit 1
Respondents’ Top Reasons for Not Relocating Out of China


                     80%
                              78

                              14

                     60%      13
  Percent of Votes




                                           39                                                                             40
                     40%
                                           14             29                                                                                  29
                                                           3                                                              22
                              51                                           21
                                                                                                                                              14
                     20%                   13             16                6             16
                                                                                                          14                                                     13             13
                                                                                          3
                                                                            5                              6
                                                                                          8                               16                  13                  6              8
                                           12             10               10
                                                                           10                              3                                                      55
                      0%                                                                   5               5        2                 2                  2                       5

                             Vast      Unwilling to    Constraint       Unfamiliar      Country-        Ongoing          Better           Better labor          Ongoing        Stable
                           domestic    establish a     on capital       with new        speci c        favorable     infrastructure       productivity       attractive tax   political
                           market in   new supply     expenditure       business         risks        government                                                bene ts       situation
                            China         chain                        environment                       policy

                                                          Third Most Important Factor      Second Most Important Factor        Most Important Factor

Sources: China Manufacturing Competitiveness 2007−2008; Booz Allen Hamilton
3



     Exhibit 2                                                                                                               most prominent in this shift are the appreciation of the
     Respondents’ Key Motives for Establishing a Manufacturing Base
                                                                                                                             renminbi (RMB) and inflation in prices of components
     in China
                                                                                                                             and materials (see Exhibit 3). Other factors they cite
                              80%
                                          70.8                                                                               are wage increases and poor employee retention.
    Percent of Respondents




                              70%                     64.0
                              60%                                 51.7                                                       Companies are feeling much of the cost pressure
                              50%                                          42.7        40.4                                  in the realm of white-collar managerial staff. The
                              40%
                              30%                                                                                            respondents report that they are paying management
                              20%                                                                                            staff 9.1 percent more every year and paying white-
                                                                                                     7.9      6.7
                              10%                                                                                            collar support staff 10.3 percent more. In contrast,
                               0%
                                         Access      Labor       Access Strategic Material       Access       Utility        blue-collar staff costs increased by 7.6 percent and
                                         to local     cost      to Asian    move     cost           to        cost
                                         Chinese    savings     markets against savings         talents/     savings         raw material costs by 7.1 percent. On balance, most
                                         market                           key global             quality
                                                                         competitors              labor                      companies are facing annual cost increases of more
                                                                                                                             than 5 percent in wages and more than 3 percent in
     Source: China Manufacturing Competitiveness 2007−2008; Booz Allen Hamilton
                                                                                                                             materials (see Exhibit 4).

                                                                                                                             At the same time that costs are increasing, China is
     to more respondents (70.8 percent) than is the mere                                                                     lagging behind global standards in many operational
     use of China as an export platform, whether for world                                                                   dimensions. Compared with companies’ existing
     or Asian markets. This contrasts with 64 percent of                                                                     global operations, China scored below standards on
     respondents who cite labor cost savings as their major                                                                  such important measures as logistics infrastructure,
     motive for locating operations in China and 51.7 per-                                                                   trade environment, access to technology, management
     cent who cite access to Asian markets (see Exhibit 2).                                                                  capabilities, and protection of intellectual property (see
     To the degree that some executives believe China is                                                                     Exhibit 5).
     losing some competitive edge, the two factors that are


     Exhibit 3
     Top Concerns of Companies that Believe China is Losing Manufacturing Competitiveness

                                75%
                                               70.3             70.3



                                60%                             18.5
                                               25.9
                                                                                              51.8

                                                                                              11.1
           Percent of Votes




                                45%

                                                                25.9
                                               14.8                          33.3
                                30%                                           3.7
                                                                                              25.9
                                                                             11.1
                                                                                                             18.5                                           18.5
                                15%            29.6                                                                                         11.1             7.4            11.1
                                                                25.9                                         11.1
                                                                             18.5                                            7.4
                                                                                              14.8           3.7             3.7             7.4             11.1            7.4            3.7            3.7
                                                                                                             3.7             3.7             3.7                             3.7
                                    0%
                                               RMB             In ation/     Poor          Wage             Sluggish      Recall of       Hostile trade     Ongoing     Poor delivery      Potential      Social
                                            appreciation         price     employee      increases          product       Chinese        policies of the concerns        reliability of     nancial     compliance
                                                              increases    retention                         launch       products       U.S. and E.U.        over      local supply        market      (e.g., child
                                                                                                           readiness    due to quality       against      intellectual       base         instability      labor)
                                                                                                                          problem             China     property rights

                                                                           Issue with Third Highest Impact          Issue with Second Highest Impact           Issue with Highest Impact


       Sources: China Manufacturing Competitiveness 2007−2008; Booz Allen Hamilton
4



Exhibit 4                                                                                                                 China is slightly closer to global standards when it
Range of Cost CAGR Experienced by Survey Respondents
                                                                                                                          comes to logistics capabilities but is still behind in
                         70%                                                                 67                           most industries. The sector where it is most behind
                                                                                                                          appears to be energy equipment. When it comes to
                         60%
Percent of Respondents




                                       54                                                                                 electrical equipment, however, China is on par with
                                                            50
                         50%                                                   45                                         more advanced economies (see Exhibit 7, page 5).
                                                                 44
                         40%                37
                                                                                                                          When respondents were asked to compare China with
                         30%                                              27                                              other countries as a venue for relocation, it was highly
                         20%                                                        18            17
                                                                                                                          significant that they cited lower labor costs in those
                                                                                         9                 11             other countries as the largest differentiator, at 3.7
                         10%       6                    6                                              6                  on a scale of 1 to 5 (see Exhibit 8, page 6).
                                                 3
                                                                      0
                          0%
                                   White-collar         White-collar        Blue-collar      Raw material
                                                                                                                          Clearly, the days of China’s being considered a
                                  management             supporting            staff           unit cost                  cheap labor manufacturing platform are numbered.
                                      staff                 staff         compensation
                                  compensation         compensation                                                       Other major factors in the attractiveness of those
                                                 CAGR = 0% – <5%               CAGR = 5% – <9%                            other countries were tax benefits, the competitive
                                                 CAGR = 9% – 12%               CAGR = >12%                                landscape, intellectual property protection, and utility
                                                                                                                          costs. However, there were a number of areas in which
Source: China Manufacturing Competitiveness 2007−2008; Booz Allen Hamilton
                                                                                                                          China was superior to the alternatives, including the
                                                                                                                          size of the market, availability of supply base, and
The supply base is a crucial issue, and it’s clear that                                                                   IT infrastructure. The countries most often cited as
Chinese suppliers are significantly less well developed                                                                   possible alternatives to China were India, Vietnam,
than suppliers in the United States, Europe, and other                                                                    Thailand, Malaysia, and Brazil, in that order.
parts of developed Asia. That’s especially true in the
automotive and energy equipment industries, and                                                                           If companies have failed to thrive in China, however,
slightly less so in electrical equipment (see Exhibit 6,                                                                  the competitive environment is not solely to blame.
page 5).

Exhibit 5
China’s Scores on Various Parameters Compared to Companies’ Existing Global Footprints


                               Intellectual property protection           2.05
                                                                                                                                                    5 = Significantly Above Standards
                                       Government efficiency                                           2.46                                         4 = Above Standards
                                       Logistics infrastructure                                         2.49                                        3 = Neutral
                                                                                                                                                    2 = Below Standards
                                             Legal compliance                                               2.54                                    1 = Significantly Below Standards
                                   Environment sustainability                                                 2.56
                                            Trade environment                                                   2.58
                                        Access to technology                                                       2.63
                         International logistics Infrastructure                                                        2.71
                                                 IT infrastructure                                                     2.71
                                             Currency stability                                                           2.74
                                    Management capabilities                                                               2.74
                                             Ease of financing                                                             2.78
                                                     Labor quality                                                               2.84
                                   Availability of supply base                                                                      2.93
                                  Readiness to best practice                                                                            3.00
                                                                    Below                                                           Neutral                                   Above
                                                                  Standards                                                                                                 Standards
                                                                                                                                 Average Score

Source: China Manufacturing Competitiveness 2007−2008; Booz Allen Hamilton
5


    Exhibit 6
    Comparison of Supply Base Quality across Geographies

                            5.0                                                                                                                                               5 = Strongly Positive
                                                                                                                                                                              4 = Positive
                                                                                                                                                                              3 = Neutral
                                                                                                                                                                              2 = Negative
                            4.5                                                                                                                                               1 = Strongly Negative
            Average Score




                                                                              4.1
                                                                        4.0                                                                                       4.0
                            4.0               3.9 3.9                                                                                                                                               3.9
                                                                                                                                             3.8                        3.8                   3.8
                                                                                                   3.7
                                                                                                                               3.6
                                        3.5                       3.5                                          3.5
                            3.5                                                                                          3.4           3.4                  3.4                         3.4
                                                                                                         3.3
                                  3.1                                                                                                                                             3.1
                                                                                             3.0
                            3.0                           2.9                                                                                         2.9


                            0.0
                                         Overall                 Automotive                 Computer & peripheral        Electrical equipment          Energy equipment          Industrial machinery


                                                                                    China           Asia except China          Europe          U.S.


    Source: China Manufacturing Competitiveness 2007−2008; Booz Allen Hamilton




    Exhibit 7
    Comparison of Logistics Capability across Geographies

                            5.0
                                                                                                                                                                              5 = Strongly Positive
                                                                                                                                                                              4 = Positive
                                                                                                                                                                              3 = Neutral
                            4.5                                                                                                                                               2 = Negative
                                                                                                                                                                              1 = Strongly Negative
                                                                                                                                                                  4.0 4.0
        Average Score




                            4.0
                                                    3.8
                                              3.7                             3.7                  3.7                  3.7                  3.7                                                    3.7
                                                                        3.6                                    3.6             3.6 3.6
                                                                                                         3.5                                                                    3.5
                            3.5         3.4                                                 3.4                                                                                         3.4 3.4
                                  3.3
                                                                3.1
                            3.0                           2.9
                                                                                                                                                            2.8
                                                                                                                                                      2.6


                            0.0
                                        Overall                 Automotive              Computer & peripheral           Electrical equipment          Energy equipment          Industrial machinery


                                                                                China              Asia except China          Europe          U.S.


    Source: China Manufacturing Competitiveness 2007−2008; Booz Allen Hamilton



    We asked respondents about how they are deploying                                                                product flows. But they are significantly behind in
    best practices in their manufacturing, supply chain,                                                             network modeling and optimization, postponement
    and logistics operations—and found that none of the                                                              of assembly, segmenting and tailoring supply chains
    best practices, whether supply chain risk management                                                             by product characteristics, and statistical forecasting
    or lean Six Sigma, was being applied by more than 50                                                             (see Exhibit 9). There does not appear to be a wide
    percent of the respondents. Their Chinese operations                                                             variation across industries in this regard: The computer,
    have done best in integrating their enterprise resource                                                          automotive, electrical equipment, industrial machinery,
    planning or manufacturing resource planning (ERP/MRP)                                                            and chemical sectors are roughly equivalent.
    systems, calculating their inventories, and optimizing
6


    Exhibit 8
    Comparison of China with Respondents’ Most Favorable Candidates for Foreign Relocation

                                                                                               Average Score of Top Five and Bottom Five Parameters
                           Significantly Better
                                                      5
                                    than China
                                                           Five factors in which alternatives are superior to China

                               Somewhat Better
                                               4          3.74                                                                         Five factors in which China are superior to alternatives
                                    than China
                                                                       3.48             3.36           3.32           3.26
                                 Similar to China
                                                      3                                                                                2.70         2.68         2.65
                                                                                                                                                                               2.45
                                Somewhat Worse                                                                                                                                               1.96
                                                2
                                     than China


                               Significantly Worse
                                                   1
                                        than China


                                                      0
                                                          Labor        Tax          Competitive   Intellectual        Utility        Availability     IT         Market       Logistics     Size of
                                                          costs      benefits        landscape      property          costs           of supply infrastructure   growth    infrastructure   market
                                                                                                   protection                           base



     Source: China Manufacturing Competitiveness 2007−2008; Booz Allen Hamilton



     Exhibit 9
     Extent to Which Respondents Apply Best Practice Levers to Existing Operations in China

                     100%
                                   11           11          9          11             12          13             12
                         90%                                                                                                                20          18
                                                                                                                                27                                             30           27
                                                            15                                                                                                                                        33
                         80%       22           18                     20                                                                                         40
                                                                                      30          22             26
Percent of Respondents




                         70%                                                                                                                23          25
                                                                                                                                                                                            18
                         60%       18                       35                                                                  30                                             19
                                                27                                                                                                                11                                  22
                         50%
                                                                       33
                                                                                      28          40             40
                         40%                                                                                                                34          34
                                                                                                                                20                                28           35           40
                         30%       38                                                                                                                                                                 31
                                                36          35
                         20%                                           29
                                                                                      28          20             16                         16          16
                                                                                                                                18
                         10%                                                                                                                                      21           16
                                   11                                                                                                                                                       16        11
                                                  7         7           7       2                 4              7              5             7         7                                         2
                         0%
                                Integrated    Analytical Optimized Advanced         Push vs.  Supply    Optimized Supplier               Lean Six Design for  Network       Postpone- Segmented Statistical
                                ERP/MRP       inventory   product  demand &           pull   chain risk   cycle   integration             Sigma manufacturing modeling        ment    production forecast
                                             calculation    ows     capacity        balance management              on shop                                                           & logistics
                                                                    planning                                           oor

                                                                  Not Applied Yet           Minimally Applied             Somewhat Applied             Applied       Fully Applied


     Source: China Manufacturing Competitiveness 2007−2008; Booz Allen Hamilton



    A large percentage of the companies surveyed—43                                                                    The survey paints a complex portrait: These
    percent—are consciously pursuing the dual objectives                                                               manufacturers have a large presence but either have
    of selling products in China and taking advantage of                                                               not been able to or have not chosen to implement
    labor cost savings, presumably for goods for export                                                                global best practices across their operations, and
    (see Exhibit 10, page 7). Indeed, that appears to                                                                  they are concerned about the changing cost structure
    be the path toward greater profitability in China.                                                                 they see unfolding around them. It is clearly a critical
    Companies that report pursuing dual objectives enjoy                                                               moment for manufacturers who want to make the most
    profit margins of 29.6 percent while others report only                                                            of their existing investments in China as well as those
    17.8 percent margins.
7


    Exhibit 10                                                                     web of capabilities, including manufacturing,
    Respondents’ Perspectives on Whether Local Market Access or
                                                                                   innovation, new business model incubation, and
    Labor Cost Savings is the Primary Motive for Operating in China
                                                                                   talent development. It’s not just another emerging
                                Neither motive                                     market. Because of its size and its dynamism, these
                                                                                   companies recognize that China must be a core part
                                                                                   of their global strategies. They integrate their sourcing
                                           10%
                                                                                   and sales operations in China, rather than focusing
                                                                         Both      on developing some operations aimed at the world
          Local market                                                   motives
            access as             27%                       43%
                                                                                   while other systems concentrate on China. That’s why
           major motive
                                                                                   we call the companies operating in this zone “global
                                                                                   supply chain integrators”: They integrate their sourcing-
                                            20%
                                                                                   centric models and their sales-centric models in China
                                                                                   and deeply embed their Chinese operations in their
                                   Labor cost savings                              planning and thinking about global markets. They treat
                                    as major motive
                                                                                   China as a linchpin of their global operations, rather
    Source: China Manufacturing Competitiveness 2007−2008; Booz Allen Hamilton     than as just another market.

                                                                                   Postponement/Late Customization. One of the keys to
    who are just beginning to recognize the possibilities                          making an integrated presence work, and the next level
    inherent in one of the world’s largest markets.                                of the pyramid, is the ability to create manufacturing
                                                                                   systems that produce large volumes of products, but
    Building a Strong Platform for Growth in China                                 postpone the moment at which those products have to
    We believe that the manufacturing philosophy employed                          be customized for specific Chinese and non-Chinese
    in recent decades by foreign multinationals in China is                        markets. (This is an area where the research showed
    in need of an overhaul. Far too many companies built                           that Chinese operations are particularly weak.) There
    factories and distribution systems with low levels of                          may be an infinite number of ways to assemble a
    technology and without widespread adoption of best                             personal computer, for example, but few of them make
    practices from more sophisticated markets, assuming                            economic sense unless the company knows who the
    that the low costs associated with operating in China                          final customer is. In an export context, rather than
    would offset these omissions. But the changing cost
    and currency structure have shifted the equation.
    Now those pressures are beginning to force a rethink
                                                                                   Exhibit 11
    of how these companies structure their Chinese                                 Defining and Implementing a Globally Integrated Operations Strategy
    operations and how they position China in their overall
    global strategy.                                                                                        Management Summary


    The best manufacturers are employing a thought pro-                                                                 F
                                                                                                                       F         Streamline through
                                                                                                                       Lean
    cess that may be likened to a pyramid (see Exhibit 11).                                                            Lean
                                                                                                                     Practices   Operations Levers
                                                                                                                 E
                                                                                                                 F
    Global Integration. The base of the pyramid, and                                                                  S&OP

    therefore the starting point, is almost philosophical                                                    D Footprint &
                                                                                                                         and
                                                                                                             network Modeling
                                                                                                             Network modeling
    in nature and poses a question to chief executive
                                                                                                        C      Tailored Business
                                                                                                                        business
    officers: What are the fundamental guiding principles                                                   streams/segmentation
                                                                                                            Streams/Segmentation            Define Your
                                                                                                                                            Operations Strategy
    for organizing your Chinese operations? We have found                                          B           Postponement/
                                                                                                             late Customization
                                                                                                             Late customization
    that the most global companies—IBM, General Motors,
                                                                                               A
    and General Electric, for example—view China in a                                                  Global Integration/
                                                                                                              integration/“The Zone”

    global context and see it as part of an international
                                                                                   Source: Booz Allen Hamilton
8


building up a huge inventory of commoditized PCs in         sary for rapid, last-minute configuration are available at
China, it may make more sense to use China for the          the right point in its supply chain. Yet Dell has varying
early and middle stages of assembly, but not apply          approaches to its supply chain for notebooks, desktop
culture-specific, customer-driven touches until the         computers, servers, and other products. Although this
components get near the ultimate customer, whether in       innovation is not exclusive to China, it provides an
the United States or elsewhere.                             example of how a company can master the application
                                                            of this concept in other markets.
There are at least three varieties of postponement:
                                                            Tailored business streams can be challenging to
n   Light. Hewlett-Packard, for example, postpones
                                                            develop, but they can bring enormous benefits if
    commitment of a printer to a market by making
                                                            companies embrace the best practices that are
    universal printers and then applying power supplies
                                                            available in other markets today. Companies can
    and language-specific manuals at the last moment
                                                            start the process by having a set of clear policies for
n   Medium. The National Hockey League has replica jer-     managing trade-offs in these systems and by creating a
    seys made in bulk, but then customized in the final     unified decision-making system.
    stage with the player names and numbers, in quanti-
                                                            Footprint and Network Modeling. Manufacturers will
    ties depending on the popularity of specific players
                                                            need to understand how postponement and tailored
n   Advanced. When Motorola makes radio products, it        business streams can best work for them in order
    places the most expensive parts in a housing set;       to take the next critical step: determining how many
    labeling and packaging are undertaken only after a      plants they should have, where they should be
    specific order is received in a postponement center.    located, and what their focus and mission should be.
                                                            Understanding China’s role in global operations is a
Tailored Business Streams/Segmentation. The net
                                                            key element in determining how to best construct a
effect of successful postponement is what we call
                                                            global manufacturing footprint.
a tailored business stream1. By definition, a tailored
business stream takes advantage of China’s capacity         There are four key elements to designing a
for large-scale, cost-efficient manufacturing yet retains   manufacturing network:
high levels of differentiation for both Chinese and         n   Let the product and the customer guide the process.
global markets.
                                                                Consider market requirements, including lead times,
To understand what a tailored business stream is,               delivery, and services; if customers require short lead
let’s return to the example of PC assembly. It’s not            times, it may rule out the construction of plants in
uncommon for companies to respond to customer                   distant, low-cost countries
demand by offering various levels of customization,         n   Identify economics and challenge constraints. These
which increases operating expenses without neces-
                                                                may include contractual obligations, regulatory
sarily adding value. Tailored business streams allow
                                                                requirements, and labor agreements
a manufacturer to identify the common elements that
unite 80 percent of its output and thus put the majority    n   Evaluate alternatives. In evaluating different network
of its capacity into a single stream, while reserving 15        scenarios, the total production and supply network,
percent of capacity for somewhat predictable demand             which is generally much broader than the manufac-
conditions and 5 percent for opportunities that arise           turing footprint, needs to be optimized. Take into
suddenly and therefore cannot be forecast. Dell Inc. is         account the costs of complexity and the economics of
an example of a company that applies the postpone-              manufacturing in-house versus outsourcing
ment and tailored business streams concepts to its          n   Develop the business case. The implementation
product: It customizes computers in response to a
                                                                plan for the new footprint should consider
specific order, ensuring that the components neces-
9


     organizational changes and potential risks, such         To be sure, there are clearly huge opportunities to
     as supply interruptions, transportation delays, and      use lean practices to improve existing operations and
     currency movements.                                      unlock latent productivity. Too few companies are well
                                                              integrated with their suppliers—and point-of-usage deliv-
    Sales & Operations Planning. The next level of the
                                                              eries, which are commonplace in the developed world,
    pyramid, S&OP enables coordination and joint planning
                   ,
                                                              are not widespread in China. In some cases, there have
    between departments, by ensuring that marketing
                                                              been poor localization levels in manufacturers’ supply
    teams alert operations and IT when they plan a
                                                              bases. Quality problems in Chinese supply chains have
    promotion; by increasing communication between
                                                              been widely reported, and they are of obvious concern.
    product managers, sales executives, and processing
                                                              But they are just one part of a broader problem.
    center leaders; and by establishing a regular forum to
    resolve cross-functional issues. Smart manufacturers      Shop-floor operations also are not integrated enough.
    have found that better coordination between the sales     Logistics, both inbound and outbound, are inefficient,
    and operations departments, as well as planned rather     and information systems are not producing the right
    than ad-hoc decision making, can make the difference      caliber of information. One problem is that companies
    between profit and loss. To continue the PC example,      have built ERP/MRP systems for sourcing and then
    a strong S&OP system would allow a company to more        other systems for their distribution channels. If they
    easily determine if a major customer wants a shipment     are going to be able to integrate their complete opera-
    of very specific computers in two days or a more          tions, the information systems also need to be linked.
    generic order delivered a week or 10 days later. With
                                                              But the goal of achieving lean practices should not
    better communication between the sales force and
                                                              drive the entire decision-making process in China.
    the manufacturing team, the S&OP system would drive
                                                              Building full-fledged manufacturing and distribution
    decisions about where last-minute customization is
                                                              capabilities on the mainland is becoming more com-
    performed and where inventory is held.
                                                              plex than it once was, and decisions have accordingly
    Lean Practices. Many manufacturers start at precisely     become more complicated.
    the wrong point in China by trying to create lean
                                                              In previous decades, it seemed that virtually any
    operations without understanding their fundamental
                                                              plant built in China could become profitable because
    mission and all the building blocks of the pyramid. We
                                                              costs were so low. And virtually any kind of sales
    have found that it is wrong to tackle the challenge of
                                                              channel could reap double-digit gains in growth
    lean practices, originally pioneered by Toyota, if the
                                                              every year. But now the challenge for companies is
    fundamental operating philosophy is misguided or not
                                                              to take a more systematic and global view of their
    adequately developed. We estimate that fewer than 5
                                                              Chinese operations and integrate the duality of those
    percent of the companies in the world are able to fully
                                                              operations, thereby becoming global supply chain
    deploy lean practices, and the percentage is much
                                                              integrators. Even more fundamental, perhaps, is
    lower in China.
                                                              adjusting the philosophical premises that shape and
                                                              guide all decision making in China.




    Also contributing to this article were Ken Zhong, Raymond Yeung and Ashish Ranjan.
10



What Booz Allen Brings
Booz Allen Hamilton has been at the forefront of                        been recognized as a consultant and an employer of
management consulting for businesses and                                choice. In 2007, for the third consecutive year, Fortune
governments for more than 90 years. Providing                           magazine named Booz Allen one of “The 100 Best
consulting services in strategy, operations, organization               Companies to Work For,” and for the past eight years,
and change, and information technology, Booz Allen                      Working Mother has ranked the firm among its “100
is the one firm that helps clients solve their toughest                 Best Companies for Working Mothers.”
problems, working by their side to help them achieve
                                                                        To learn more about the firm, visit the Booz Allen Web
their missions. Booz Allen is committed to delivering
                                                                        site at www.boozallen.com. To learn more about the
results that endure.
                                                                        best ideas in business, visit www.strategy-business.com,
With 19,000 employees on six continents, the firm                       the Web site for strategy+business, a quarterly journal
generates annual sales of $4 billion. Booz Allen has                    sponsored by Booz Allen.




Ronald Haddock is a vice president and director of                      transformations and is the lead author of Manufacturing
Booz Allen Hamilton in Greater China. He has been                       Realities: Breaking the Boundaries of Conventional Practice
with Booz Allen since 1994 and in Asia since 1997,                      (strategy+business books, 2006). He can be reached at
serving multinational corporations and local clients in                 +49 89 54525 553 or grichnik_kaj@bah.com.
the automotive and industrials sectors from Booz Allen’s
                                                                        Conrad Winkler is a vice president of Booz Allen Hamilton,
offices in China, Korea, and India. He can be reached at
                                                                        based in Chicago. His expertise lies in manufacturing
+8621 63406633 or haddock_ronald@bah.com.
                                                                        strategy, manufacturing transformation, and supply chain
Kaj Grichnik is a vice president of Booz Allen Hamilton                 management. He can be reached at 312-578-4692 or
based in Munich. He specializes in manufacturing                        winkler_conrad@bah.com.




Dr. Christoph Alexander Bliss passed away prior to the final publication of this article. Booz Allen Hamilton
recognizes with gratitude his numerous and significant contributions to the advancement of the topics of
operations strategy and globalization.




Downloadable digital versions of this article and other Booz Allen Hamilton publications are available from www.boozallen.com.
Worldwide Offices

Asia
Australia
New Zealand                      North America
Bangkok                          Aberdeen, MD             San Antonio
Beijing                          Annapolis Junction, MD   San Diego
Brisbane                         Arlington, VA            San Francisco
Canberra                         Atlanta                  Stafford, VA
Hong Kong                        Boston                   Tampa, FL
Melbourne                        Chantilly, VA            Washington, D.C.
Seoul*                           Charleston, SC
Shanghai                         Chicago
Sydney                           Cleveland
Tokyo                            Colorado Springs         Latin America
Wellington                       Dallas                   Bogotá
                                 Dayton, OH               Buenos Aires
                                 Detroit                  Caracas
                                 Eatontown, NJ
Europe                           Falls Church, VA
                                                          Mexico City
                                                          Rio de Janeiro
Amsterdam                        Herndon, VA              Santiago
Berlin                           Honolulu                 São Paulo
Copenhagen                       Houston
Dublin                           Huntsville, AL
Düsseldorf                       Leavenworth, KS
Frankfurt                        Lexington Park, MD       Middle East
Helsinki                         Linthicum, MD            Abu Dhabi
Istanbul*                        Los Angeles              Beirut
London                           McLean, VA               Cairo
Madrid                           Newark                   Dubai
Milan                            New York City            Riyadh
Moscow                           Norfolk, VA
Munich                           O’Fallon, IL
Oslo                             Omaha
Paris                            Parsippany, NJ
Rome                             Pensacola, FL
Stockholm                        Philadelphia
Vienna                           Rockville, MD
Warsaw                           Rome, NY
Zurich                           Salt Lake City




* An associated firm



The most recent list of our office addresses and telephone numbers can be found by
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3/08 PRINTED IN USA
©2008 Booz Allen Hamilton Inc.

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Chinas Shifting Competitive Equation

  • 1. by Christoph Bliss Ronald Haddock haddock_ronald@bah.com Conrad Winkler winkler_conrad@bah.com Kaj Grichnik grichnik_kaj@bah.com China’s Shifting Competitive Equation How Multinational Manufacturers Must Respond
  • 2. 1 China’s Shifting Competitive Equation How Multinational Manufacturers Must Respond By now, the world’s largest corporations have poured billions of dollars, yen, and euros into About the Survey China in pursuit of two basic objectives. One Of the 66 companies belonging to AmCham has been to create a low-cost manufacturing Shanghai’s Manufacturing Business Council platform that could make and export products to that were surveyed in October and November other markets. The second objective has been 2007, 81 percent were wholly owned by to create sales and distribution networks that foreigners, 10 percent were joint ventures can reach China’s 1.3 billion people, sometimes between multinationals and Chinese partners, and 9 percent were categorized as “other.” with products that are made in China but also The manufacturers’ industries included con- with goods imported into the country. In the sumer, industrial, healthcare, and materials, mind of far too many corporate strategists at with countries of origin including the United headquarters, China should be treated much like States, Japan, and several in Western Europe. any other emerging market. About one-third of the respondents had an additional major presence in China beyond But these old sourcing and sales models are coming their manufacturing footprints: More than under pressure, according to a study conducted by 50 percent had representative offices, while the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) roughly one-third had regional or global head- in Shanghai and Booz Allen Hamilton. The “China quarters in China (because some companies Manufacturing Competitiveness 2007−2008” study, surveyed were joint ventures with Chinese enti- conducted for the first time in 2007 and planned ties, their headquarters were considered to be annually thereafter, surveyed 66 manufacturers among in China). Other companies also maintained the members of AmCham Shanghai’s Manufacturing regional or global procurement centers, or Business Council (see “About the Survey”). It found research and development centers, in China. that, due to low labor costs and high expectations regarding a market of 1.3 billion people, multinationals have tended to build export-oriented factories with operations elsewhere in the world. Nor have most of operating strategies based on abundant, cheap labor them managed to integrate the dual functions of export and distribution channels aimed at rapid increases in platforms and domestic market penetration. The study annual sales. In neither case have multinationals, as showed that three out of four companies today lack a whole, imported the very best practices from their fundamental best practices in their China operations.
  • 3. 2 Companies that do rise to the next management we will discuss the research results in some depth level by integrating their export-oriented activities for before offering our own conclusions about the strategic global markets with their domestic market operations implications of this research for chief executive officers are achieving higher levels of profitability. The study and other corporate decision makers. showed that companies that successfully integrate their China operations enjoy profitability of 29.6 The State of China and Its Industry percent, on average, compared with 17.8 percent It is clear that China’s manufacturing competitiveness profitability for those that do not. But only one out of is coming under fire: More than half of the surveyed four companies is able to integrate the dual halves of companies—54 percent—either strongly agree or agree their China operations this way. with the statement “China is losing its competitive edge to other low-cost countries in manufacturing.” Multinationals will need to bring their best operations to China and fully integrate their sales and sourc- Fortunately, the survey also revealed good news: ing functions if they hope to retain an advantage as Even if China has lost some of its edge, it is still China’s operating environment becomes more competi- very much in the game. Operating in China still tive and costs increase. One of every two multination- offers huge advantages, which is why 83 percent of als surveyed agrees that India, Thailand, and Vietnam the respondents say they have no concrete plans to are challenging China’s position because, among other move capacity from China, compared with 17 percent factors, the Middle Kingdom’s wages and other costs who say they do. Reflecting changing perceptions, are rising and the increasing value of China’s currency manufacturers say the biggest reason to remain in is eroding its cost advantage. Nearly one in five (17 China is access to its vast domestic market (see percent) of these companies already has made the Exhibit 1). Manufacturers also say they are reluctant to decision to move at least some China-based opera- spend the money to build new supply chains or other tions to other low-cost countries in Asia and elsewhere. infrastructure in other countries. Because we believe this is the first study to produce In fact, access to the Chinese market is now a key a statistical portrait of how manufacturers perceive reason why many companies are coming to China in their China operations and how they are structured, the first place: Access to the local market is important Exhibit 1 Respondents’ Top Reasons for Not Relocating Out of China 80% 78 14 60% 13 Percent of Votes 39 40 40% 14 29 29 3 22 51 21 14 20% 13 16 6 16 14 13 13 3 5 6 8 16 13 6 8 12 10 10 10 3 55 0% 5 5 2 2 2 5 Vast Unwilling to Constraint Unfamiliar Country- Ongoing Better Better labor Ongoing Stable domestic establish a on capital with new speci c favorable infrastructure productivity attractive tax political market in new supply expenditure business risks government bene ts situation China chain environment policy Third Most Important Factor Second Most Important Factor Most Important Factor Sources: China Manufacturing Competitiveness 2007−2008; Booz Allen Hamilton
  • 4. 3 Exhibit 2 most prominent in this shift are the appreciation of the Respondents’ Key Motives for Establishing a Manufacturing Base renminbi (RMB) and inflation in prices of components in China and materials (see Exhibit 3). Other factors they cite 80% 70.8 are wage increases and poor employee retention. Percent of Respondents 70% 64.0 60% 51.7 Companies are feeling much of the cost pressure 50% 42.7 40.4 in the realm of white-collar managerial staff. The 40% 30% respondents report that they are paying management 20% staff 9.1 percent more every year and paying white- 7.9 6.7 10% collar support staff 10.3 percent more. In contrast, 0% Access Labor Access Strategic Material Access Utility blue-collar staff costs increased by 7.6 percent and to local cost to Asian move cost to cost Chinese savings markets against savings talents/ savings raw material costs by 7.1 percent. On balance, most market key global quality competitors labor companies are facing annual cost increases of more than 5 percent in wages and more than 3 percent in Source: China Manufacturing Competitiveness 2007−2008; Booz Allen Hamilton materials (see Exhibit 4). At the same time that costs are increasing, China is to more respondents (70.8 percent) than is the mere lagging behind global standards in many operational use of China as an export platform, whether for world dimensions. Compared with companies’ existing or Asian markets. This contrasts with 64 percent of global operations, China scored below standards on respondents who cite labor cost savings as their major such important measures as logistics infrastructure, motive for locating operations in China and 51.7 per- trade environment, access to technology, management cent who cite access to Asian markets (see Exhibit 2). capabilities, and protection of intellectual property (see To the degree that some executives believe China is Exhibit 5). losing some competitive edge, the two factors that are Exhibit 3 Top Concerns of Companies that Believe China is Losing Manufacturing Competitiveness 75% 70.3 70.3 60% 18.5 25.9 51.8 11.1 Percent of Votes 45% 25.9 14.8 33.3 30% 3.7 25.9 11.1 18.5 18.5 15% 29.6 11.1 7.4 11.1 25.9 11.1 18.5 7.4 14.8 3.7 3.7 7.4 11.1 7.4 3.7 3.7 3.7 3.7 3.7 3.7 0% RMB In ation/ Poor Wage Sluggish Recall of Hostile trade Ongoing Poor delivery Potential Social appreciation price employee increases product Chinese policies of the concerns reliability of nancial compliance increases retention launch products U.S. and E.U. over local supply market (e.g., child readiness due to quality against intellectual base instability labor) problem China property rights Issue with Third Highest Impact Issue with Second Highest Impact Issue with Highest Impact Sources: China Manufacturing Competitiveness 2007−2008; Booz Allen Hamilton
  • 5. 4 Exhibit 4 China is slightly closer to global standards when it Range of Cost CAGR Experienced by Survey Respondents comes to logistics capabilities but is still behind in 70% 67 most industries. The sector where it is most behind appears to be energy equipment. When it comes to 60% Percent of Respondents 54 electrical equipment, however, China is on par with 50 50% 45 more advanced economies (see Exhibit 7, page 5). 44 40% 37 When respondents were asked to compare China with 30% 27 other countries as a venue for relocation, it was highly 20% 18 17 significant that they cited lower labor costs in those 9 11 other countries as the largest differentiator, at 3.7 10% 6 6 6 on a scale of 1 to 5 (see Exhibit 8, page 6). 3 0 0% White-collar White-collar Blue-collar Raw material Clearly, the days of China’s being considered a management supporting staff unit cost cheap labor manufacturing platform are numbered. staff staff compensation compensation compensation Other major factors in the attractiveness of those CAGR = 0% – <5% CAGR = 5% – <9% other countries were tax benefits, the competitive CAGR = 9% – 12% CAGR = >12% landscape, intellectual property protection, and utility costs. However, there were a number of areas in which Source: China Manufacturing Competitiveness 2007−2008; Booz Allen Hamilton China was superior to the alternatives, including the size of the market, availability of supply base, and The supply base is a crucial issue, and it’s clear that IT infrastructure. The countries most often cited as Chinese suppliers are significantly less well developed possible alternatives to China were India, Vietnam, than suppliers in the United States, Europe, and other Thailand, Malaysia, and Brazil, in that order. parts of developed Asia. That’s especially true in the automotive and energy equipment industries, and If companies have failed to thrive in China, however, slightly less so in electrical equipment (see Exhibit 6, the competitive environment is not solely to blame. page 5). Exhibit 5 China’s Scores on Various Parameters Compared to Companies’ Existing Global Footprints Intellectual property protection 2.05 5 = Significantly Above Standards Government efficiency 2.46 4 = Above Standards Logistics infrastructure 2.49 3 = Neutral 2 = Below Standards Legal compliance 2.54 1 = Significantly Below Standards Environment sustainability 2.56 Trade environment 2.58 Access to technology 2.63 International logistics Infrastructure 2.71 IT infrastructure 2.71 Currency stability 2.74 Management capabilities 2.74 Ease of financing 2.78 Labor quality 2.84 Availability of supply base 2.93 Readiness to best practice 3.00 Below Neutral Above Standards Standards Average Score Source: China Manufacturing Competitiveness 2007−2008; Booz Allen Hamilton
  • 6. 5 Exhibit 6 Comparison of Supply Base Quality across Geographies 5.0 5 = Strongly Positive 4 = Positive 3 = Neutral 2 = Negative 4.5 1 = Strongly Negative Average Score 4.1 4.0 4.0 4.0 3.9 3.9 3.9 3.8 3.8 3.8 3.7 3.6 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.4 3.4 3.4 3.4 3.3 3.1 3.1 3.0 3.0 2.9 2.9 0.0 Overall Automotive Computer & peripheral Electrical equipment Energy equipment Industrial machinery China Asia except China Europe U.S. Source: China Manufacturing Competitiveness 2007−2008; Booz Allen Hamilton Exhibit 7 Comparison of Logistics Capability across Geographies 5.0 5 = Strongly Positive 4 = Positive 3 = Neutral 4.5 2 = Negative 1 = Strongly Negative 4.0 4.0 Average Score 4.0 3.8 3.7 3.7 3.7 3.7 3.7 3.7 3.6 3.6 3.6 3.6 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.4 3.4 3.4 3.4 3.3 3.1 3.0 2.9 2.8 2.6 0.0 Overall Automotive Computer & peripheral Electrical equipment Energy equipment Industrial machinery China Asia except China Europe U.S. Source: China Manufacturing Competitiveness 2007−2008; Booz Allen Hamilton We asked respondents about how they are deploying product flows. But they are significantly behind in best practices in their manufacturing, supply chain, network modeling and optimization, postponement and logistics operations—and found that none of the of assembly, segmenting and tailoring supply chains best practices, whether supply chain risk management by product characteristics, and statistical forecasting or lean Six Sigma, was being applied by more than 50 (see Exhibit 9). There does not appear to be a wide percent of the respondents. Their Chinese operations variation across industries in this regard: The computer, have done best in integrating their enterprise resource automotive, electrical equipment, industrial machinery, planning or manufacturing resource planning (ERP/MRP) and chemical sectors are roughly equivalent. systems, calculating their inventories, and optimizing
  • 7. 6 Exhibit 8 Comparison of China with Respondents’ Most Favorable Candidates for Foreign Relocation Average Score of Top Five and Bottom Five Parameters Significantly Better 5 than China Five factors in which alternatives are superior to China Somewhat Better 4 3.74 Five factors in which China are superior to alternatives than China 3.48 3.36 3.32 3.26 Similar to China 3 2.70 2.68 2.65 2.45 Somewhat Worse 1.96 2 than China Significantly Worse 1 than China 0 Labor Tax Competitive Intellectual Utility Availability IT Market Logistics Size of costs benefits landscape property costs of supply infrastructure growth infrastructure market protection base Source: China Manufacturing Competitiveness 2007−2008; Booz Allen Hamilton Exhibit 9 Extent to Which Respondents Apply Best Practice Levers to Existing Operations in China 100% 11 11 9 11 12 13 12 90% 20 18 27 30 27 15 33 80% 22 18 20 40 30 22 26 Percent of Respondents 70% 23 25 18 60% 18 35 30 19 27 11 22 50% 33 28 40 40 40% 34 34 20 28 35 40 30% 38 31 36 35 20% 29 28 20 16 16 16 18 10% 21 16 11 16 11 7 7 7 2 4 7 5 7 7 2 0% Integrated Analytical Optimized Advanced Push vs. Supply Optimized Supplier Lean Six Design for Network Postpone- Segmented Statistical ERP/MRP inventory product demand & pull chain risk cycle integration Sigma manufacturing modeling ment production forecast calculation ows capacity balance management on shop & logistics planning oor Not Applied Yet Minimally Applied Somewhat Applied Applied Fully Applied Source: China Manufacturing Competitiveness 2007−2008; Booz Allen Hamilton A large percentage of the companies surveyed—43 The survey paints a complex portrait: These percent—are consciously pursuing the dual objectives manufacturers have a large presence but either have of selling products in China and taking advantage of not been able to or have not chosen to implement labor cost savings, presumably for goods for export global best practices across their operations, and (see Exhibit 10, page 7). Indeed, that appears to they are concerned about the changing cost structure be the path toward greater profitability in China. they see unfolding around them. It is clearly a critical Companies that report pursuing dual objectives enjoy moment for manufacturers who want to make the most profit margins of 29.6 percent while others report only of their existing investments in China as well as those 17.8 percent margins.
  • 8. 7 Exhibit 10 web of capabilities, including manufacturing, Respondents’ Perspectives on Whether Local Market Access or innovation, new business model incubation, and Labor Cost Savings is the Primary Motive for Operating in China talent development. It’s not just another emerging Neither motive market. Because of its size and its dynamism, these companies recognize that China must be a core part of their global strategies. They integrate their sourcing 10% and sales operations in China, rather than focusing Both on developing some operations aimed at the world Local market motives access as 27% 43% while other systems concentrate on China. That’s why major motive we call the companies operating in this zone “global supply chain integrators”: They integrate their sourcing- 20% centric models and their sales-centric models in China and deeply embed their Chinese operations in their Labor cost savings planning and thinking about global markets. They treat as major motive China as a linchpin of their global operations, rather Source: China Manufacturing Competitiveness 2007−2008; Booz Allen Hamilton than as just another market. Postponement/Late Customization. One of the keys to who are just beginning to recognize the possibilities making an integrated presence work, and the next level inherent in one of the world’s largest markets. of the pyramid, is the ability to create manufacturing systems that produce large volumes of products, but Building a Strong Platform for Growth in China postpone the moment at which those products have to We believe that the manufacturing philosophy employed be customized for specific Chinese and non-Chinese in recent decades by foreign multinationals in China is markets. (This is an area where the research showed in need of an overhaul. Far too many companies built that Chinese operations are particularly weak.) There factories and distribution systems with low levels of may be an infinite number of ways to assemble a technology and without widespread adoption of best personal computer, for example, but few of them make practices from more sophisticated markets, assuming economic sense unless the company knows who the that the low costs associated with operating in China final customer is. In an export context, rather than would offset these omissions. But the changing cost and currency structure have shifted the equation. Now those pressures are beginning to force a rethink Exhibit 11 of how these companies structure their Chinese Defining and Implementing a Globally Integrated Operations Strategy operations and how they position China in their overall global strategy. Management Summary The best manufacturers are employing a thought pro- F F Streamline through Lean cess that may be likened to a pyramid (see Exhibit 11). Lean Practices Operations Levers E F Global Integration. The base of the pyramid, and S&OP therefore the starting point, is almost philosophical D Footprint & and network Modeling Network modeling in nature and poses a question to chief executive C Tailored Business business officers: What are the fundamental guiding principles streams/segmentation Streams/Segmentation Define Your Operations Strategy for organizing your Chinese operations? We have found B Postponement/ late Customization Late customization that the most global companies—IBM, General Motors, A and General Electric, for example—view China in a Global Integration/ integration/“The Zone” global context and see it as part of an international Source: Booz Allen Hamilton
  • 9. 8 building up a huge inventory of commoditized PCs in sary for rapid, last-minute configuration are available at China, it may make more sense to use China for the the right point in its supply chain. Yet Dell has varying early and middle stages of assembly, but not apply approaches to its supply chain for notebooks, desktop culture-specific, customer-driven touches until the computers, servers, and other products. Although this components get near the ultimate customer, whether in innovation is not exclusive to China, it provides an the United States or elsewhere. example of how a company can master the application of this concept in other markets. There are at least three varieties of postponement: Tailored business streams can be challenging to n Light. Hewlett-Packard, for example, postpones develop, but they can bring enormous benefits if commitment of a printer to a market by making companies embrace the best practices that are universal printers and then applying power supplies available in other markets today. Companies can and language-specific manuals at the last moment start the process by having a set of clear policies for n Medium. The National Hockey League has replica jer- managing trade-offs in these systems and by creating a seys made in bulk, but then customized in the final unified decision-making system. stage with the player names and numbers, in quanti- Footprint and Network Modeling. Manufacturers will ties depending on the popularity of specific players need to understand how postponement and tailored n Advanced. When Motorola makes radio products, it business streams can best work for them in order places the most expensive parts in a housing set; to take the next critical step: determining how many labeling and packaging are undertaken only after a plants they should have, where they should be specific order is received in a postponement center. located, and what their focus and mission should be. Understanding China’s role in global operations is a Tailored Business Streams/Segmentation. The net key element in determining how to best construct a effect of successful postponement is what we call global manufacturing footprint. a tailored business stream1. By definition, a tailored business stream takes advantage of China’s capacity There are four key elements to designing a for large-scale, cost-efficient manufacturing yet retains manufacturing network: high levels of differentiation for both Chinese and n Let the product and the customer guide the process. global markets. Consider market requirements, including lead times, To understand what a tailored business stream is, delivery, and services; if customers require short lead let’s return to the example of PC assembly. It’s not times, it may rule out the construction of plants in uncommon for companies to respond to customer distant, low-cost countries demand by offering various levels of customization, n Identify economics and challenge constraints. These which increases operating expenses without neces- may include contractual obligations, regulatory sarily adding value. Tailored business streams allow requirements, and labor agreements a manufacturer to identify the common elements that unite 80 percent of its output and thus put the majority n Evaluate alternatives. In evaluating different network of its capacity into a single stream, while reserving 15 scenarios, the total production and supply network, percent of capacity for somewhat predictable demand which is generally much broader than the manufac- conditions and 5 percent for opportunities that arise turing footprint, needs to be optimized. Take into suddenly and therefore cannot be forecast. Dell Inc. is account the costs of complexity and the economics of an example of a company that applies the postpone- manufacturing in-house versus outsourcing ment and tailored business streams concepts to its n Develop the business case. The implementation product: It customizes computers in response to a plan for the new footprint should consider specific order, ensuring that the components neces-
  • 10. 9 organizational changes and potential risks, such To be sure, there are clearly huge opportunities to as supply interruptions, transportation delays, and use lean practices to improve existing operations and currency movements. unlock latent productivity. Too few companies are well integrated with their suppliers—and point-of-usage deliv- Sales & Operations Planning. The next level of the eries, which are commonplace in the developed world, pyramid, S&OP enables coordination and joint planning , are not widespread in China. In some cases, there have between departments, by ensuring that marketing been poor localization levels in manufacturers’ supply teams alert operations and IT when they plan a bases. Quality problems in Chinese supply chains have promotion; by increasing communication between been widely reported, and they are of obvious concern. product managers, sales executives, and processing But they are just one part of a broader problem. center leaders; and by establishing a regular forum to resolve cross-functional issues. Smart manufacturers Shop-floor operations also are not integrated enough. have found that better coordination between the sales Logistics, both inbound and outbound, are inefficient, and operations departments, as well as planned rather and information systems are not producing the right than ad-hoc decision making, can make the difference caliber of information. One problem is that companies between profit and loss. To continue the PC example, have built ERP/MRP systems for sourcing and then a strong S&OP system would allow a company to more other systems for their distribution channels. If they easily determine if a major customer wants a shipment are going to be able to integrate their complete opera- of very specific computers in two days or a more tions, the information systems also need to be linked. generic order delivered a week or 10 days later. With But the goal of achieving lean practices should not better communication between the sales force and drive the entire decision-making process in China. the manufacturing team, the S&OP system would drive Building full-fledged manufacturing and distribution decisions about where last-minute customization is capabilities on the mainland is becoming more com- performed and where inventory is held. plex than it once was, and decisions have accordingly Lean Practices. Many manufacturers start at precisely become more complicated. the wrong point in China by trying to create lean In previous decades, it seemed that virtually any operations without understanding their fundamental plant built in China could become profitable because mission and all the building blocks of the pyramid. We costs were so low. And virtually any kind of sales have found that it is wrong to tackle the challenge of channel could reap double-digit gains in growth lean practices, originally pioneered by Toyota, if the every year. But now the challenge for companies is fundamental operating philosophy is misguided or not to take a more systematic and global view of their adequately developed. We estimate that fewer than 5 Chinese operations and integrate the duality of those percent of the companies in the world are able to fully operations, thereby becoming global supply chain deploy lean practices, and the percentage is much integrators. Even more fundamental, perhaps, is lower in China. adjusting the philosophical premises that shape and guide all decision making in China. Also contributing to this article were Ken Zhong, Raymond Yeung and Ashish Ranjan.
  • 11. 10 What Booz Allen Brings Booz Allen Hamilton has been at the forefront of been recognized as a consultant and an employer of management consulting for businesses and choice. In 2007, for the third consecutive year, Fortune governments for more than 90 years. Providing magazine named Booz Allen one of “The 100 Best consulting services in strategy, operations, organization Companies to Work For,” and for the past eight years, and change, and information technology, Booz Allen Working Mother has ranked the firm among its “100 is the one firm that helps clients solve their toughest Best Companies for Working Mothers.” problems, working by their side to help them achieve To learn more about the firm, visit the Booz Allen Web their missions. Booz Allen is committed to delivering site at www.boozallen.com. To learn more about the results that endure. best ideas in business, visit www.strategy-business.com, With 19,000 employees on six continents, the firm the Web site for strategy+business, a quarterly journal generates annual sales of $4 billion. Booz Allen has sponsored by Booz Allen. Ronald Haddock is a vice president and director of transformations and is the lead author of Manufacturing Booz Allen Hamilton in Greater China. He has been Realities: Breaking the Boundaries of Conventional Practice with Booz Allen since 1994 and in Asia since 1997, (strategy+business books, 2006). He can be reached at serving multinational corporations and local clients in +49 89 54525 553 or grichnik_kaj@bah.com. the automotive and industrials sectors from Booz Allen’s Conrad Winkler is a vice president of Booz Allen Hamilton, offices in China, Korea, and India. He can be reached at based in Chicago. His expertise lies in manufacturing +8621 63406633 or haddock_ronald@bah.com. strategy, manufacturing transformation, and supply chain Kaj Grichnik is a vice president of Booz Allen Hamilton management. He can be reached at 312-578-4692 or based in Munich. He specializes in manufacturing winkler_conrad@bah.com. Dr. Christoph Alexander Bliss passed away prior to the final publication of this article. Booz Allen Hamilton recognizes with gratitude his numerous and significant contributions to the advancement of the topics of operations strategy and globalization. Downloadable digital versions of this article and other Booz Allen Hamilton publications are available from www.boozallen.com.
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