
231Production and Service Processes
transportation times and uncertainties from foreign suppliers. The effect on product qual-
ity is mixed. While some suppliers maintain acceptable levels of quality, the general per-
ception is that product quality is lower than when manufactured in the United States.
Extreme examples of disasters from poor product quality show up as lead paint in toys
(Palmeri 2007) or salmonella in food products (Reinberg 2008).
In addition to the problems associated with their supply chains, some companies are
now beginning to reconsider the cost aspects of offshore outsourcing. As they begin to
assess the total cost of ownersh ...