Chinese roulette.

Mattel's problems with lead paint on Chinese-made toys will cost the company millions of dollars in recall expenses and more in fighting lawsuits. Other products made in China, such as pet food and toothpaste, have had contamination problems. So the Business Journal asks:

If you were an executive at a company that manufactures in China, what would you do to make sure your products are safe?

Wayne Johnson

Partner

Valensi Rose PLC

When contracting with a Chinese producer it is usually specified what content should be used, such as what kind of paint. There are certificates you can get in international trade to ensure this, so it seems someone has dropped the ball in terms of quality inspection. We need a stronger presence in the Chinese market in terms of quality inspection, and it goes to show how loose the relationship is when you are 8,000 miles away. There is a lot of price pressure on the American companies to report a good quarter, which causes them to produce a less-than-quality product. If they don't inspect these things before they ship out millions of units they are essentially throwing away millions of dollars, as it appears Mattel has done.

Rick Wartzman

Director

Drucker Institute

Beyond just boosting inspections and other short term remedies I would try to transform Chinese society for the long term. Since China is a burgeoning capitalist society, large global companies need to help build a way to train managers and owners so they have a greater sense of social responsibility in addition to just making profits.

Keith Gillfillan

Transportation Manager

Moffatt & Nichol

In the case with the lead-based paint most companies have a certification process before these products go on the shelves, and if that system is already in place it needs to be more strictly enforced. It is the liability of the company putting their name on the product. Also, there should be random sampling on the assembly line to make sure there are no problems that are inherent in the machines.

Andrew Begun

Partner

Weston Benshoof Rocefort Rubalcava

MacCuish LLP 

I would make sure that product safety and corporate responsibility take precedence over bottom-line profits, and make sure that becomes part of the culture and mission of the corporation.

Glenn Ginsburg

Senior Vice President of Advertising Sales

Stardoll

If you are delivering a product to the marketplace you need to take every step to ensure quality. Processes within the company need to be followed to create a standard of safety and the product needs to be 100 percent safe, no matter where it's developed. No company intends for this to happen and it's awful when it does.

Lisa Hasenbalg

Director of Cultural Tourism Marketing

Pasadena Convention

& Visitors Bureau

I would make sure the company had systems in place to make sure our primary contractors, or any subcontractors they may be using, were following the same set of guidelines known to produce safe and healthy products.