International joint venture (IJV) manufacturing is important for both the C
hinese economy and a large number of foreign investors. A review of the lit
erature from both Western and Chinese researchers showed that although the
purpose and advantages of IJV manufacturing in China are known a vital aspe
ct - operations management - has largely been ignored Therefore, explorator
y interviews with managers at six companies were conducted to investigate t
he operations management issues faced by IJV manufacturers in China. Four m
ain problems were identified: the difficulty with recruiting and training s
uitable employees; all aspects of supplier management;problems with achievi
ng high-quality output; and achieving an effective IJV business culture. Th
e results have implications not only for researchers, in that they indicate
where more research is necessary, but also for practitioners, since they i
dentify the areas where IJV manufacturers are most likely to encounter prob
lems in China.