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An American Engineer in China

Not Boring by Packy McCormick

Aug 25, 2026

8/25/2026

Segment China By City And Cluster Instead Of Assuming A Uniform National Market

An American Engineer in China · Not Boring by Packy McCormick

Business, Finance & Industries · Aug 25, 2026

China, especially the Greater Bay Area, is a vast but highly heterogeneous industrial and urban system whose scale is often underestimated, requiring analysts and builders to segment markets by city, supply-chain cluster, policy exposure, and customer population rather than treat the country as uniform.


8/25/2026

Foreign Participation Faces Structural Disadvantages in Shenzhen Manufacturing and Should Prioritize Local Supplier Partnerships

An American Engineer in China · Not Boring by Packy McCormick

Business, Finance & Industries · Aug 25, 2026

Foreign participation in Shenzhen manufacturing faces structural disadvantages, especially limited access to government subsidies and persistent outsider status, making foreign-run ODMs difficult to sustain; collaborating with Chinese suppliers and supply chains is presented as a more viable strategy.


8/25/2026

Shenzhen's Advantage Depends On Operational Fluency And Local Expertise

An American Engineer in China · Not Boring by Packy McCormick

Business, Finance & Industries · Aug 25, 2026

Shenzhen’s edge lies in its exceptionally dense and specialized hardware ecosystem, but companies benefit from it only when they possess strong manufacturing-process expertise or trusted local technical support to assess suppliers, costs, and equipment quotes.