The need to identify and develop suppliers able to supply products or services according with western quality standars represents an added complexity to the already difficult task of operating in China.

Besides overcoming the barriers derived from a different Business culture, a difficult language and the initial unavoidable mistrust, it's necessary to fight the “low cost-low quality” mentality. This is one of the main reason for some companies to abandon their initiatives to source from China.

However, the huge Chinese industrial base continues its development at breakneck pace, and it is getting integrated progressively in the global value chain, through the numerous international companies that operate successfully in this country. These companies know that the required initial effort is rewarded with solid productivity gains.