International Marketing 10th Edition by Michael Czinkota, Michael Brumbach, Ilkka Ronkainen

تمرين 1

Should Customers Care About Apple's Treatement of Chinese Workers?
Apple is admired by consumers worldwide for its consumer-friendly products, its innovative ideas, its stylish approach, and its management. It is regularly listed as one of the strongest brands in international marketing. At the same time, Apple has been criticized for its treatment of workers in its Chinese production facilities, most of which are owned by suppliers outside of the company. The New York Times reported in 2012 that
the workers assembling ¡Phones, ¡Pads and other devices often labor in harsh conditions, according to employees inside those plants, worker advocates and documents published by companies themselves. Problems are as varied as onerous work environments and serious-sometimes deadly-safety problems. Employees work excessive overtime, in some cases seven days a week, and live in crowded dorms. Some say they stand so long that their legs swell until they can hardly walk.
One of Apple's most important suppliers is Foxconn. From 2009 to 2011, 19 Foxconn employees attempted suicide or fell from buildings in possible suicides. Foxconn has been singled out for criticism of its working conditions and crowded dormitories. In 2011, riots broke out in the company's Chengdu dormitories over workers issues. The New York Times reported about Foxconn's official response, which said, "Conditions at Foxconn are anything but harsh…. All assembly line employees are given regular breaks, including one-hour lunch breaks … Foxconn has a very good safety record.. Foxconn has come a long way in our efforts to lead our industry in China in areas such as workplace conditions and the care and treatment of our employees."
It is important to understand cultural issues when judging Apple's and Foxconn's conduct. Many of the Chinese workers, who often live in dormitories, migrate from rural areas to make as much money as possible to send home to their families. These workers may view their jobs as opportunities to maximize income during a short period of time before returning to their villages to live. Some of these workers are willing to work long hours and may not view the conditions as being as harsh as Westerners would. Still, Apple has a formal code of conduct for its suppliers to follow and regularly conducts audits of facilities. The company actively works to prevent child labor. It trains factory owners and management as well as millions of workers in proper working practices. Apple is increasing its transparency and regularly publishes supplier responsibility progress reports. Under pressure from various nongovernmental organizations and the media, Apple released a list of its suppliers in 2012. Also, Apple has limited control over these independent companies, and good suppliers are hard to find. Strict compliance measures along with ongoing pressures to reduce costs may lead to deceptions and abuses by the suppliers and may inhibit real change. But continued problems may lead to greater concerns among Apple's customers and put the brand at risk.
The New York Times summarized the issue by quoting a current Apple executive as follows: "You can either manufacture in comfortable, worker-friendly factories, or you can reinvent the product every year, and make it better and faster and cheaper, which requires factories that seem harsh by American standards. And right now, customers care more about a new iPhone than working conditions in China."
What can Apple do more than it is currently doing to improve worker conditions?