...Nike - Social and Ethical Issues http://www.writework.com/essay/nike-social-and-ethical-issues Nike has become one of those global companies targeted by a broad range of campaigning pressure groups and journalists as a symbolic representation of the business in society. In Nikes case, the issues are those of human rights and conditions for workers in factories in developing countries. In the face of constant accusations, Nike has developed a considered response but the criticism of Nike still continues. Nike produces footwear, clothing, equipment and accessory products for the sports and athletic market. It is the largest seller of such garments in the world. It sells to approximately 19,000 retail accounts in the US, and then in approximately 140 countries around the world. Just about all of its products are manufactured by independent contractors with footwear products in particular being manufactured in developing countries. The company manufactures in China, Taiwan, Korea, and Mexico as well as in the US and in Italy. The Global Alliance report on the factories in Indonesia gave the following workforce profile: 58% of them are young adults between 20 and 24 years old, and 83% are women. Few have work-related skills when they arrive at the factory. Nike has around 700 contract factories, within which around 20% of the workers are creating Nike products. Conditions for these workers have been a source of heated debate, with allegations made by campaigns of poor conditions...
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...impulse to see it tried on him personally.” In many countries worldwide, people are being exploited on a daily basis by factories around the world known as sweatshops. A sweatshop is a term used to describe a working environment, commonly factories manufacturing textile goods that are deemed dangerous due to poor working conditions. Workers who work at these sweatshops often endure sexual, physical and mental abuse, who work long unreasonable hours with no leave, lacking any health care benefits whatsoever for meager wage. These sweatshops often employ the usage of child labor and women, as they are easier to control. Today, my research essay will be on sweatshops and how the benefits of Fair trade and anti-sweatshop activism in the long run, can be beneficial. I will explore the poor and harsh working conditions of these workers, how working in a sweatshop can affect their health both mentally and physically, how child labor is being employed in these sweatshops and how women and children are mainly the ones being exploited in these sweatshops. More often than not, many Americans assume that these acts are not ongoing today, and are oblivious to the ways we as consumers, are actually supporting these organizations unknowingly. Authorities should further enforce laws and rules as well to prohibit such travesties from occurring. Many do not know of the poor and harsh working conditions these workers’ are subjected to on a daily basis. War on Want, is an anti-poverty charity...
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...Child Labor: Threatening the economy and well-being of children Child labor has existed throughout American history and throughout the world for many years. A quote from Lewis Hine in 1980 states: "There is work that profits children, and there is work that brings profits only to employers. The object of employing children is not to train them, but to get high profits from their work.” As factories started to assemble, most owners preferred children as their workers because the owners thought them as “more manageable, cheaper and less likely to strike.” The industries children usually worked for were mines, glass factories, textiles, agriculture, canneries, home industries, newsboys, messengers, bootblack and peddlers. During the Industrial Revolution, children at four years old were employed and dealing with dangerous and sometimes fatal working conditions. Now, because of new child labor laws in the United States, industries are going overseas to produce their product in countries that still use child labor. Developed countries consider these actions to be human rights violations and are illegal, while some undeveloped countries will allow or tolerate child labor. These children who are in these factories in different countries are costing the company less because of their wages, when they could have their factories in the States, producing jobs and cash flow in our economy. Child labor violates the common good by threatening the long-term growth of the economy and the well-being...
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...successful as NIKE, Inc. It all started with two men, two men with a passion for track and field and the desire to innovate running shoes. Bill Bowerman, a track and field coach at Oregon University, and Phil Knight, a track and field athlete at Oregon University, teamed together to form “Blue Ribbon Sports” in 1964 which later became “Nike” in 1971. Since they began, they have expanded their products from solely running shoes into athletic shoes for a variety of sports as well as fan gear, workout gear, athletic equipment, and athletic gear for sports teams. Nike has grown from their World Headquarters in Oregon to several branches located in the Netherlands, Shanghai, and Japan. Each headquarter is focused on innovating their products to fit the consumers’ needs in their respected demographic and ultimately grow in those markets. With Nike’s success comes a high demand for their products. As a result of the high demand there are 774 factories located in 42 different countries in North and South America, Australia, Europe, and Asia. A large percentage of the factories are based in the emerging markets like Korea, Indonesia, Vietnam, Brazil, and Argentina. China claims a large percentage of the factories with over 213 compared to the United States with only 65. With the theme of inspiration and innovation, Nike has been able to significantly expand across the globe and affect every country it touches. Nike made headlines after several instances of documented child labor violations...
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...1.0 Introduction Globalization is usually defined as an ongoing operation where social, economic, political has been combined and there are mutual reliant between people, firms and governments globally. It compels businesses to adapt several of strategies according to new ideological trends that try to balance rights and interests of both individual and community as a whole. Also, globalization has increased the risk of new entrants influencing the consumer but has also increased the market for the domestic companies. When we talk about globalization, there are always some main drivers to drive the market. One of the main drivers will be the free trade in global market, where a worldwide movement of global interaction has taken place to enable countries to develop their economies. Rate of trade within the countries have increased with the removal of trade barriers. Trade protection policy is made which protect the trade. Another force that drives globalization will be the enhanced technology in this new era. Digitalisation and invention of technology at a lower cost have massively integrated national markets. No doubt that it has opened new and better area of expansion to the multinational companies. For example, Mc Donald has seized the chance to expand itself and establish its name in the entire world by using the influence of social media. 2.0 Other Causes of Sweatshop Countries such as China and India are commonly known for their high poverty rate compared to other countries...
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...The Fight against Child Labor International Business Tamara Ramsey May 9, 2012 Abstract Child labor has recently become a very touchy subject throughout the world. Well known corporations and clothing and sporting goods distributors that have for decades been taking advantage of cheap labor in third world countries are seeing their names and images tarnished by allegations of child labor practices and obscene working conditions. Child labor is nothing new to the world. It has been a part of almost every society in recorded history. From ancient times, children have been a part of the economic survival of their families, particularly in industries like the farming and crafting industries. Child labor is meant to define unfair, abusive work whereas work is an important part of the sculpting of most children. There is no question in society that some forms of labor are acceptable and some are not. Children may work without being abused and in many countries and even some American cultures; it is both necessary and integral that children perform some laborious duties. The line between work and child labor is most commonly drawn where normal tasks are replaced with exploitative tasks and children are expected to do things that go well beyond the borders of inhumane. When you think about children, chances are you think of them getting up in the morning, going to school, then coming home and going outside to play. Sadly this isn't always the case. In many countries...
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...Home › Social Awareness › Facts About Sweatshops Facts About Sweatshops BY ENDMODERNSLAVERY - PUBLISHED: 11/24/2013 - SECTION: SOCIAL AWARENESS One of the most galling things about Western culture at the moment is the sense of entitlement. Many of us have government funding for support or hold down full-time jobs. The majority of Western countries have modern human rights laws and will help anybody who is in trouble or distress, within reason. The sense of entitlement leads many of us who have perfectly healthy, enjoyable lives to feel that we are the ones on the end of a hard time from fate. However, have you ever considered the conditions in other parts of the world? You may think you are having a hard time, but when is the last time you were forced to work two or three days in a row? When was the last time you considered how lucky you are to be able to splurge on apair of expensive shoes? One thing you should be thinking about in this situation is where these expensive extras you have are actually coming from. Your clothes tend to be made, wrongly, by sweatshops owned by the huge corporations that you buy from. Those who work in sweatshops are desperately unlucky to have to do so – the rate of pay is pathetic, working conditions tend to be poor, and human rights violations are almost constant. Here are just some facts that you should understand about working in a sweatshop. It may help you create some gratitude for your own lifestyle, or realize just how hard some people...
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...popular capitalism. The case discusses one of the world’s most powerful conglomerates in the world which is Glencore. As it was recently introduced in London Stock Exchange, Glencore was questioned about its international practices. It is a commodity giant specialized in raw materials. The multi-billion dollar commodity giant is accused of profiting from child labor in several mining exploitation in the Congo, moreover, claims say that it is paying the associates of paramilitary killers in Colombia. An investigation proves that children as young as ten are working in the Glencore-owned mining concession and some confidential documents show a Glencore subsidiary made payments to the suspected associates of paramilitary in Colombia. In the Congo, while international law prohibits anyone under 18 working in a mine, many of the miners were under the legal age. Although Glencore says it stopped operating in the mine since 2008, because of the collapse in the price of copper, it still owns the concession. Glencore chief executive Ivan Glasenberg said the mine had been taken over by local workers without its permission. He said the child miners were part of a group of freelance miners who "raided our land in 2010… against all of our authorization. We are pleading with the government to remove the artisanal miners from our concession." In Colombia, At least 10 people were murdered when paramilitaries seized a patch of land called El Prado next door to Glencore's Calenturitas coal mining...
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...| | CHILD LABOUR INTRODUCTION Child labour (U.S. child labor) refers to the employment of children at regular and sustained labour. This practice is considered exploitative by many international organizations and is illegal in many countries. Child labour was utilized to varying extents through most of history, but entered public dispute with the advent of universal schooling, with changes in working conditions during the industrial revolution, and with the emergence of the concepts of workers' and children's rights. In many developed countries, it is considered inappropriate or exploitative if a child below a certain age works (excluding household chores or school-related work). An employer is usually not permitted to hire a child below a certain minimum age. This minimum age depends on the country and the type of work involved. States ratifying the Minimum Age Convention adopted by the International Labour Organization in 1973, have adopted minimum ages varying from 14 to 16. Child labor laws in the United States set the minimum age to work in an establishment without restrictions and without parents' consent at age 16. * | Historical During the Industrial Revolution, children as young as four were employed in production factories with dangerous, and often fatal, working conditions. Based on this understanding of the use of children as labourers, it is now considered by wealthy countries to be a human rights violation, and is outlawed, while...
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...What is ‘globalisation’ and is it good for society? This essay explores the concept of globalisation and whether it is beneficial to society. The essay will consist of the introduction, conclusion and three sections. Section one will define the main terms. Section two will explore the advantages of globalisation and section three considers the criticisms of globalisation. The main thrust is presented, as globalisation is good for society even though it does have some significant and dire consequences. This section looks to explore what globalisation is and define the main terms within the question. Globalisation is an abstract and complex idea; therefore it is difficult to have one general definition of the term. For some people globalisation refers to Americanization whereas to others it refers to integration of the world’s economies into one central global economy. (Pavcnik N. , 2011)The Oxford Dictionary defines it as ‘the process by which businesses or other organizations develop international influence or start operating on an international scale.’ (Dictionary, 2012)There are however various factors, which are influenced by globalisation and each of these would provide different definitions of globalisation. These factors are political, economic, social, cultural and technological factors all of which help establish links between nations. (Webster, 2009)Furthermore it is also difficult to categorise the globe as one general society. Each society differs from one another...
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...CHILD LABOR IN INDIA The position of India in terms of child labor is not an appreciable one; with a credible estimates ranging from 60 to 115 million, India has the largest number of working children in the world. Whether they are sweating in the heat of stone quarries, working in the fields 16 hours a day, picking rags in the city streets, or hidden away as domestic servants, these children endure miserable and difficult lives. They earn little and are made to work more. They struggle to make enough to eat and perhaps to help feed their families as well. They do not go to school. Many of them have been working since the age of four or five, and by the time they attain adulthood they may be irrevocably sick and deformed they will certainly be exhausted, and in this way they are debarred from enjoying the basic human rights, which are essential for the advancement of one’s personality. According to the statistics given by Indian government there are 20 million child laborers in the country, while other agencies claim that it is 50 million. Child labor is a conspicuous problem in India. Its prevalence is evident in the child work participation rate, which is more than that of other developing countries. Poverty is the reason for child labor in India. The meager income of child laborers is also absorbed by their families. The paucity of organized banking in the rural areas creates a void in taking facilities, forcing poor families to push their children in harsh labor, the harshest...
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...Child Labor Today, Child Labor laws exist to ensure children are able to get an education and be employed under safe conditions. History tells a different story to the meaning of child labor. History explains how the industrial revolution changed the lives of young children during this time. Children as young as four years old were put to work, some worked under very hazardous conditions and were treated cruely. According to the Unicef website,” many children are put to work in ways that often interfere with their education, drains their childhood of joy, and crushes their right to normal physical and mental development”. This paper examines the history of child labor, the hazardous jobs these children endured, and the medical conditions resulting from such conditions. In addition, this paper examines meetings held within communities, and among organizational leaders on both the state at national levels addressing child labor issues and how to combat them. In the United States company owners use to hire children to work in factories because they were not hard to work with. The children would listen and do what they had to. By 1900 the factories moved south. Lots of children were hired in factories that dealt with textiles, agriculture and many others. During the twentieth century the number of child labor increased. The National Child Labor Organization worked to end child labor. They also worked to get children free education. In 1938 the government took control...
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...Introduction Nike is the world leading manufacturer of athletic shoes, apparel and equipment. Nike is one of the most popular companies all over the globe. Nike also experienced some problems that affect their companies, which are usually experienced even in other companies. As one of the biggest brands in the business, Nike became the center of the eyes of people across the United States, because of the criticism about the sweatshop labor case. Facing this kind of criticism, Nike tried to cover the malicious issue from the bad press, but they cannot defeat the negative feelings from the people. Nike also faced majority challenge involving ethical issues and debates. One of the ethical issues involved “Nike did not pay the living wage of every worker and more than half of the workers who did not wear protective masks or gloves who dealt with dangerous chemicals”. The debate was over the unsafe conditions that Nike was the responsible of providing all the needs of its factory workers while them increasing their profits. Nike also criticized for hiring children who were not allowed to work and forcing them to work overtime for below minimal pay. They failed to follow the labor child laws by hiring children as young as 13 and paying them at 10 cents an hour up to 17 hours. They hired firm to monitor and to ensure accurate accounting reports. Nike faces several challenges; however, it can achieve continual success by applying effective operational and strategic plan. Despite...
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...fix child slavery. We should stop eating chocolate made from Western Africa until they fix slavery. We should impose an embargo on chocolate from countries where are child labor. The UN and modern society stands against slavery, so if we eat chocolate made by children hands, we are partners in this because we get benefit from slavery. It means all speeches and laws against slavery are empty words. Poverty. Nothing changed from medieval ages. Children works in farms a whole week and do not get payments or their payment is 2 dollars a day. This is only one positive thing that they get but does it worth much. If children would not be slaves they could go to schools. Government has to provide education. Hence, literacy of people would increase and as a result it can decrease poverty and unemployment. What future can be if children do not have education? According to trade economics there is 15% of unemployment in Ivory Coast and this is only official numbers. If we stop eating chocolate from this country, government sunderstand that the only way to supply chocolate is give a job to adults. A special commission must be created to control this in such countries. If child labor disappears and will not exist anymore, only then trade can be reopened. Must be ensured that any monitoring and compliance scheme adopted by the industry takes full account of the need to protect all workers from forced labour no just children. · Identify and adopt all relevant national and local labour laws...
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...sweatshops to work in extremely unfavorable environments. The children end up working for long hours with minimum pay. Child labor is a worldwide problem and various laws have been developed to stop it. The affected governments are still too weak to implement these laws and successfully enforce them. Activists continue to fight to eradicate child labor and support the laws. The children are also not able to defend themselves and claim their rights. The children are unable to attend school since most of the times their parents cannot afford to give them education. Corporate child labor is a big problem in the world today and the government is not able to enforce the labor laws that prohibit it. There are various approaches that can be followed to fight child labor and prevent it. Stopping the companies and shutting them down does not solve the problem. The children just find an alternative method to fight poverty. The best methods to fight child labor should involve an alternative route for the children to follow. One of the methods that can be followed is to prioritize education especially primary education to the children, and make it affordable and available to the children. As a consumer you can insist on buying or using goods that are not made through child labor. Companies can put labels on their goods that show that the goods are not made from the use of child labor. Some multinational companies strive to take advantage of the cheap labor offered by children in third world...
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