This paper discusses the recent transfer of political power in China in September 2004, claiming that it represents an enormous
opportunity for the Chinese leadership and the country's growing economic base and potential for attracting future foreign investments. The paper contends that managing supply chains effectively in any environment is a complex and challenging task, due to the current business trends of expanding product variety, short product life cycle, increasing outsourcing, globalization of businesses and continuous advances in information technology. However, managing supply chains in this rapidly changing economic and political climate has been a challenging endeavor for both the Chinese and their foreign partners, many of whom must provide a number of redundant supply chain systems to ensure an adequate flow of goods. Consequently, the paper assesses that developing a comprehensive understanding of supply chain management practices in China today and around the globe will help identify opportunities for improvement in the future. This
dissertation employs a historical method for analytical purposes, followed by a summary and
recommendations in the conclusion. Table of Contents Chapter One - Introduction to the Research Background and Rationale for the Study Statement of Dissertation Objectives Overview of Research Strategy Structure Plan of the Dissertation Chapter Two - Literature Review Chapter Three - Industry or Market Overview Chapter Four - Methodology Research Problems to be Addressed Rationale for Methodology Rationale for Rejection of Other Methods Problems Encountered Limitations of Dissertation Chapter Five - Results and Analysis Chapter Six - Conclusions and Recommendations