I found this article today, based on a white paper from the American Chamber of Commerce in China. It provides an excellent summary of the key issues which should be considered when contemplating overseas sourcing. Click here to read the article.
It is surprising how many organisations do not consider all these points until problems arise, which often result in a combination of the following:
- Supply chain disruption
- Increased costs
- Lost sales
- Loss of customer confidence
It is also true that sourcing costs in China are rising. Their recent supremacy is being seriously challenged by India, Vietnam and, much closer to home, by Eastern Europe, which makes the task of finding the right country from which to source product more complex. Following these steps will enable true comparisons and robust sourcing decisions to be made.
