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 enlarge | Author: Alexandra Harney
Publisher: Penguin Press HC, The
Category: Book
List Price: $25.95
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Avg. Customer Rating:  10 reviews
Sales Rank: 19486
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 352
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.2
Dimensions (in): 9.1 x 6 x 1.3
ISBN: 1594201579
Dewey Decimal Number: 337.51
EAN: 9781594201578
ASIN: 1594201579
Publication Date: March 27, 2008
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| Customer Reviews:
| Showing reviews 6-10 of 10 | | « PREV | | |
 Good contribution to the China debate May 6, 2008
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
It's simply impossible to keep track of all the China-related books that come out these days. I mean, they're all over the place. I have a strong interest, both personally and professionally, and I try and read what I can, but quite a few of the recently released books seem to rehash the by now well-known theme of China as a manufacturing powerhouse and the correlating threat China may (or may not) pose internationally. This book, however, takes a slightly different take on things.
In "The China Price: The True Cost of Chinese Competitive Advantage" (336 pages), former Finantical Times journalist Alexandra Harney delves into the ramifications, primarily for the Chinese, of the ever-growing demand for cheaper products. Harney focuses her research primarily on Shenshen (a city that has grown from half a million to about 12 million in a matter of 2 decades) and the surrounding Guangdong province. Harney demonstrates how a lot of Chinese companies escape the "social audits" many American companies nowadays insist on simply by keeping parallel/fake records on hours worked by/wages paid to Chinese employees. Indeed, the plight of many Chinese workers is deplorable, and not helped by the weak (if that) enforcement of Chinese labor laws by the Chinese government, and the absence of a strong labor union in China. How ironic is that, China being a (so-called) Communist country. Harney spices the book with lots and lots of personal stories of Chinese individuals she interviewed for the book, and that makes it for even more interesting reading.
Harney ends her book with this great observation: "In the end, as much as the responsability seems to lie with Beijing, it also lies with the global consumer. Our appetite for the $30 DVD player and the $3 T-shirt helps keep jewelry factories filled with dust, illegal mines open and 16-year olds working past midnight." How true! And doesn't it strike you that the people who shop at, say, Wal-Mart every day are the very same people who tend to lament the fact that US manufacturing jobs are off-shored to China every day. We all make a choice, every single day.
The other side of cheap imported goods from China May 4, 2008
This is an important book, for anyone who cares, about what exactly is going on in China regarding all those off shored jobs that are adding to US companies bottom lines.
Imagine a pay scale and working conditions around the turn of the century in the US, with no EPA, OSHA, enforceable work rules and I think you get the picture of what is going on in China today. All the parties involved-- Chinese workers, manufacturers, US Importers and the like--all benefit to some differing degree at least in the short term. The workers get some income, the manufacturers get cash flow and US importers get more margin--for a while.
Then the workers come down with all types of god-awful diseases because they work in terrible conditions, the manufacturers get caught in the never ending demand of pressure to reduce costs and the importers end up--in some cases--getting more than they bargaining for (menu foods,heparin).
It's not a pretty picture. The present short term benefits to consumer and Chinese workers seem destined to change dramatically in the not too distant future--balance of payments with China creating major problems with the US and the Chinese workers will eventually get tired not getting their share of the wealth.
The book zeros in on what's going on; I'd have appreciated a bit more forecasting on where this might end up.
 What's behind our consumer goods April 29, 2008
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
This book blends the underlying forces of globalization and economics with the touching anecdotes of Chinese workers. The writer does not come off as protectionist or alarmist (indeed, she suggests manufacturing will move from China as labor prices rise), but she does issue an important call to consumers that we should be more aware of our global supply chain. Fascinating trivia as well discussion where many of our favorite products come from.
Interesting and Objective! April 29, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
China's share of the world's manufacturing output by value-added was 2.4% in 1990, and 12.1% in 2006. In 2006 its biggest exports to the U.S. were electronic machines and equipment; that year the U.S. imported $288 billion from China, vs. $55 billion exported. The Economic Policy Institute estimates a loss of 1.8 million job opportunities since 1981 as a result of this trade deficit with China. Meanwhile, direct foreign investment in China from 2002-2005 totaled almost another $250 billion that didn't go to the U.S. either.
In 1980, American manufacturers produced 70% of apparel purchased in the U.S.; by 1990 it was down to 50%, and only 9% by 2006. America now only produces 1% of its citizens shoes; etc. for numerous other products.
"The China Price" points out that there is intense competition within China - its coastal export regions have over 1,000 clusters producing specific products such as ties, socks, microwaves, etc., and within those clusters manufacturers have hundreds of direct competitors. This is due to ease of entry - available start-up funds and assistance from Chinese officials eager to increase employment.
Chinese law limits overtime hours, requires a number of worker protections. Unfortunately, inspectors are typically overloaded, often corrupt, and frequently deceived by managers hiding factories that don't adhere to the rules. (These managers have also learned to deceive inspectors from American companies seeking to verify compliance with humane employment conditions.) At the same time, many workers will not stay if they don't get enough overtime to make the incomes they desire ("I didn't come here to sit!"), and fear of investing in government-mandated pension plans due to restrictions on their coverage.
And then there is the obvious pollution, especially from coal (producing a greater proportion of electricity than in the U.S.), and liquid effluents.
China's government is under enormous pressure from its citizens to provide jobs, particularly after the state-supplied sinecures have largely been eliminated. This, combined with even lower costs available in other nations (eg. Vietnam, India) do not bode well for America's "China problem" going away easily. (Common sens, plus Economic 101 tell us that it will continue until wage costs in China etc. roughly equal those in the U.S. In turn, that means we can look forward to eg. workers sleeping 12 to a room in factory-provided housing, and much reduced access to pensions and health-care - unless trade restrictions are imposed.)
The "bad news" about "The China Price" is that it often offers questionable or impossible statistics - eg. ". . . saved 80% to 100% . . ." (impossible to cut costs 100% - unless the product is delivered scot-free), "nearly one-third of the air over L.A. and S.F. can be linked to Asia" (what does that mean?) that damage the credibility of the book.
Bottom Line: "The China Price" explains why they are so price-conscious, and warns us that they're next move is likely to be into R&D, branding, and U.S. marketing (the "soft three" dollars of every four dollars spent in the U.S. for Chinese-manufactured products).
The China Price April 23, 2008
2 out of 4 found this review helpful
Readable account of the manufacturing revolution in China and the stories of worker's lives that made it possible. The first person account of a FT correspondent who has years of experience in China, many documented references, and an excellent story telling style make for a 5 star read.
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