Quality Control

Outcries over the exodus of technical jobs from the developed world to emerging nations have recently become fainter. India simply does not have enough qualified people to handle outsourced engineering demands, recent reports say, and career experts talk about the "boomerang" effect of outsourced jobs returning to home countries. High-priced energy, others note, dictates more production closer to home. Companies also tend to rely on local engineers to solve the toughest challenges, such as Navistar's plans to add 200 engineering jobs in Indiana to meet new environmental regulations for diesel engines. Has the steam gone out of outsourcing?

The preceding article is a "sneak peek" from Quality Control, a newsletter from GlobalSpec. To stay up-to-date and informed on industry trends, products, and technologies, subscribe to Quality Control today.

U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) has asked the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for a probe into outsourcing of pharmaceutical production, as well as ways to make drugmakers accountable for outsourced products that fail to meet quality standards. Following instances of contaminated heparin products from abroad, one FDA official charged during Congressional testimony that American drug companies are outsourcing operations to take advantage of weak drug safety standards abroad. Are new regulations really needed?

The preceding article is a "sneak peek" from Quality Control, a newsletter from GlobalSpec. To stay up-to-date and informed on industry trends, products, and technologies, subscribe to Quality Control today.

Chris Earnshaw, deputy president of UK's Institution for Engineering and Technology, argues that engineering needs to polish its image if it hopes to attract more young people to the profession. Others blame the pay or the tendency of companies to relegate engineers to background roles, while CEOs and finance execs grab the credit for corporate success. What do think? What can be done to demonstrate the excitement — and importance — of engineering?

The preceding article is a "sneak peek" from Quality Control, a newsletter from GlobalSpec. To stay up-to-date and informed on industry trends, products, and technologies, subscribe to Quality Control today.

The Federal Aviation Administration has been drowning in controversy this spring. After being embarrassed when whistle blowers said it had overlooked maintenance lapses at Southwest, the agency cracked the whip on American Airlines over inspection of wiring in its MD-80 jetliners. Result: an army of fuming passengers as more than 3000 AA flights were cancelled. The agency also recently admitted that it mishandled a whistle blower's complaints that air traffic control managers in North Texas routinely covered up errors. Is it time to revamp this air-travel guardian?

The preceding article is a "sneak peek" from Quality Control, a newsletter from GlobalSpec. To stay up-to-date and informed on industry trends, products, and technologies, subscribe to Quality Control today.

To help avoid tainted food products from China in the future, the FDA has announced plans to create eight positions at U.S. diplomatic missions in China. The new staff will work alongside Chinese inspectors at food plants whose products are destined for the U.S. market. This new action follows "memorandums of understanding," governing food, drugs and medical devices, agreed on by the U.S. and China late last year. With literally hundreds of Chinese plants turning out FDA-monitored products, what do you think of this new effort to ensure quality imports?

The preceding article is a "sneak peek" from Quality Control, a newsletter from GlobalSpec. To stay up-to-date and informed on industry trends, products, and technologies, subscribe to Quality Control today.