Does the threat of China mobilizing into manufacturing and packaging arenas worry you? If not, it should, according to Keith Campbell's posting at Ontheedgeblog.com (www.ontheedgeblog.com) on July 1. In part, Campbell writes: Our mature Western societies just aren't scared enough yet about the threat to our standard of living as the result of a rapidly developing China. If we really understood China's potential impact, we would be embarked upon crash programs of education, infrastructure building, and revitalization of our manufacturing base.
In conclusion, after relating a watershed experience during a Chinese presentation at a recent packaging forum, Campbell writes: The time to begin is now. Denial won't work. What we need is a good old-fashioned sense of fear!
The topic and Campbell's words struck a chord with a number of respondents, including these excerpted examples:
"Having been to China twice in the last year to visit mold shops, molders, and assembly plants, I would say that the article even understates the threat. The skills level in China is increasing almost as fast as they are eroding in the U.S."
"I have been worried [since the 1960s] about the continuing slide downward of our educational system. Certainly a comparison of results for students in American primary schools versus other countries suggests that teaching of math and science has slipped to Third World status. We will end up with our economy like that if we don't do some massive changes to our education system as you suggest."
"I agree that denial won't work and that fear is a good motivator, but we need investors who are willing to put the investment back into U.S. manufacturing and not outsource everything to China. There's too much emphasis on short-term gain—some companies are now seeing the folly of this and bringing work back to the U.S. due to high shipping and fuel costs and locating mfg. closer to the end customers. It can be done with patience, innovation, good investments in capital and people, and hard work."
To read the entire blog and responses, click here.
In conclusion, after relating a watershed experience during a Chinese presentation at a recent packaging forum, Campbell writes: The time to begin is now. Denial won't work. What we need is a good old-fashioned sense of fear!
The topic and Campbell's words struck a chord with a number of respondents, including these excerpted examples:
"Having been to China twice in the last year to visit mold shops, molders, and assembly plants, I would say that the article even understates the threat. The skills level in China is increasing almost as fast as they are eroding in the U.S."
"I have been worried [since the 1960s] about the continuing slide downward of our educational system. Certainly a comparison of results for students in American primary schools versus other countries suggests that teaching of math and science has slipped to Third World status. We will end up with our economy like that if we don't do some massive changes to our education system as you suggest."
"I agree that denial won't work and that fear is a good motivator, but we need investors who are willing to put the investment back into U.S. manufacturing and not outsource everything to China. There's too much emphasis on short-term gain—some companies are now seeing the folly of this and bringing work back to the U.S. due to high shipping and fuel costs and locating mfg. closer to the end customers. It can be done with patience, innovation, good investments in capital and people, and hard work."
To read the entire blog and responses, click here.
