Becton, Dickinson and Company (BD), a global medical technology leader, entered China in 1994. In its early years, BD China primarily introduced mature products developed at headquarters. This strategy began to shift in 2011, when James Deng became General Manager for Greater China. Under his leadership, the subsidiary pivoted toward localized innovation, tailoring products for the Chinese market. As these capabilities matured, BD China began feeding locally developed products back into the global portfolio. By blending global resources with local innovation, BD China delivered several notable offerings—such as indwelling needles adapted for local use and high-value consumables like the Liverty TIPS.

These product launches boosted short-term performance and marked a shift from "In China for China" to "In China for China and the world". Strategic acquisitions and enhanced local R&D accelerated this dual-track model, deepening global-local innovation integration. Despite this progress, BD China faced increasing cost controls from national insurance policies and intensified competition from domestic firms. The company now needed to sustain innovation without compromising short-term results. Coordinating resources between China and headquarters also remained a key strategic challenge.