Klarinet Archive - Posting 000167.txt from 2003/01

From: "Patricia A. Smith" <patricia@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Poor Qlty. Instruments, Bigotry & Dreams
Date: Wed, 8 Jan 2003 12:59:39 -0500

R. Williams wrote:

> I cannot say if Chinese instruments contribute to this problem, Bundy
> certainly did in my case, so does that make me a bigot for pointing it
> out?

Why certainly not. It makes you honest in expressing your opinion of
the specific Bundy "screamer" that you had in your possession at that
time. Unfortunately, what you don't mention here is the poor quality of
a teacher who isn't willing to admit she couldn't recognize that an
instrument wasn't in good working order! :O (A beginning band teacher
should at LEAST be able to play a C scale on EVERY instrument and be
able to turn snares on and off and play several rudiments on a drum - at
LEAST! Being able to at least function on a student's instrument within
certain parameters and granted that disinfection is used when playing
other people's instruments, ensures that the instrument can indeed be
played!)

> Historically, I really see no difference in this and the situation which
> existed in Japan post WWII and through the fifties. Many younger
> readers of this list probably cannot remember a time when "Made in
> Japan" signified a cheap shoddy inferior product copied from a US or
> European product and it wasn't bigotry or racism, it was the truth.
> Interestingly enough, it was a US quality control expert. Dr. W.E.
> Denning, who introduced the Japanese to statistical quality control
> methods which revolutionized their manufacturing processes. In Japan,
> Dr. Denning is considered a living treasure and it wasn't until the late
> 70's and the influx of superior Japanese products, particularly cars
> that US manufacturers embraced QC.
>
> Based on my experience in living in Asia for two years and having done
> business with mainland China, the Chinese are capable of superb
> craftsmanship and one need look no further than their art to know this.
> Manufacturing processes can be learned, quality control taught and
> embraced and when, not if that occurs, if I were an instrument
> manufacturer I would be worried.
> Best
> RW

I'd say that to a great extent, this is the case. It is a matter of
what is affordable in manufacturing and what can be done at what price,
and certainly not a function of a particular people's race or
nationality! Racism/bigotry is ascribing qualities that are not
dependent upon physical characteristics to the presence or absence of
those physical characteristics of a particular group of people who
either do or do not possess said characteristics.

Somehow, I simply do not see how race can be an influencing factor on
how people manufacture anything, and I certainly don't see how Mr.
Williams' comments could be construed as being racist; they are not. He
is simply describing conditions that are presently lacking in the
current manufacturing situation today in mainland China. I would
suggest we look no further than the political/economic system for the
reason for quality control problems. The interesting aspect here is
that, as the political system in Mainland China loosens its stranglehold
on the economic system, and companies there spend more in order to
become more competitive in markets everywhere, I have to agree: products
from Mainland China will improve in quality.

Patricia A. Smith

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