It's also due to mismatched expectations. In the west, a supplier has teething troubles, and then masters the process so quality improves over time. In China, t

It's also due to mismatched expectations. In the west, a supplier has teething troubles, and then masters the process so quality improves over time. In China, the phenomenon of "quality fade" in a culture of "chabuduo" ("close enough") means over time the supplier will make unauthorized substitutions of inferior materials to pad their profit margins, and quality decreases over time. The only solution is to implement draconian quality control as Apple does, or not outsource and set up your own local affiliates as many Japanese companies do. https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/quality-fade-chinas-great-business-challenge/ https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/quality-fade-chi...