Free Essay

Nike and Sweatshop Labor

In: Business and Management

Submitted By 530329251
Words 338
Pages 2
单薄的一句承诺,终其一生的等待 ——《狼族少年》影评

这是一部讲述狼族少年与普通少女爱情故事的影片,或许情节略显老套,但是没有猜忌,没有误会,没有撕心裂肺,只有纯粹的感动,却是直戳人心底最柔软的角落。《狼族少年》塑造了一个温情的氛围。像是旧时期的家庭剧,昏黄色调的画面中,大人孩子围坐一桌吃着热腾腾的饭菜。
他,本是茹毛饮血、野性难驯的狼孩,是需要被掩盖的实验半残品,他不懂规矩,为了觅食,闯入她们家。当众人避之不及,警局不予过问时,是她善良的姐姐收留了他,给他人的待遇,面对他的抢食,姐姐只是温暖的抚慰抱怨的三个孩子,下顿我多做点,他那么可怜,你们多同情下他。
她,本是身体孱弱、性格孤僻的小孩,被一个无耻的爱慕者苦苦纠缠,对突然闯进的他,最初她看不惯他的粗鲁和愚笨,很是排斥。可是只会像狼“哼哼”的他,会帮她搬重物,会为她驱赶骚扰者,会在钢筋掉落时,护住她和家人,由于他一点一滴的介入,她开始走出孤僻的世界,融入孩子们各种各样的游戏,重拾欢笑。 她拿着训狗书慢慢学习,用食物做饵,教他如何细嚼慢咽,如何刷牙、系鞋带、写字、画画,她会弹琴唱歌给他听,把他打扮的稀奇古怪。而他,只要一个土豆、红薯或玉米,就能欢快的乖乖听话,每次学会做对后,他讨赏一般把头伸到她面前,满心期待的等着她温柔的抚摸,每次嬉戏玩耍时,都会对她察言观色,开心着她的开心。在他身上,人性的善良与单纯,美好的让人向往。
然而,现实社会怎么会那么简单的包容一个异类?在他的观念里,没有道德法律伦常,只有守护自己在乎的对象,所以,当她遇袭时,他愤怒的变成野性难训的狼人,全力守护,不惜杀人。人类对于未知的恐惧,只会加大我们防患于未然的防护,宁可错杀一千,不可使一人漏网。
他被关进了圈养牲畜的肮脏铁屋,脖子、脚脖都被手腕粗的铁链牢牢拴住,门外若干手持枪械的人一刻也不松懈的把守,或许我该为他庆幸,至少他没有像实验用的小白鼠被人化验,探究他为什么会变身,为什么抗打击,又为什么体温高于常人,衰老缓慢! 残酷的现实里,只有她一家人体谅他,默默为他清扫脏臭的铁屋,姐姐依然关心他的吃住,她依然会去陪伴他。但是,现世没有他的安身之所,他想带她逃离,她却不愿成为世人追踪他的线索。听着他嘴里磕磕巴巴的第一次吐出不成句的“不要走”时,看到这里我的眼泪一下子就掉下来了。而她哭到崩溃,却也只能不停打他,用石头扔他,说着“对不起”驱逐他离开,而他只是愣愣的流着泪,不知所以然的看着她转身离去。
第一次分别,一晃就是47年,她早已远走他乡定居美国,因为老房屋的买卖重回故土,夜半,冥冥之中似乎有所牵引,她避开熟睡的孙女独自走向记忆中脏臭的铁屋。当她在响动中拉开了关着他的那个小铁屋子的门,早已经没有了当初的恶臭,只有他搬来的各种各样山花,她走向最里面用来关他的房间时,里面透出温暖的橙黄色的光。在她开门的瞬间,没有吱呀的声音,门被打开了,看到了嘴唇干裂的他。他的容貌没有改变,还是一如从前的他,依然在等着,坐在床上的屁股抬起来,想起身又怕她生气,就递给她一张纸条。那是她当年离开时留下的,当她接过纸条,看着上面模糊的字迹,写着“等我,我会再回来的”时,眼泪再也抑制不住了。
47年了,他就这样一直抱着虚无缥缈的希望,一直等待着她,守护着他们一起生活过的地方,守护着这一句单薄的承诺,守护着她。47年的时光,他是怎样明白字条的含义,守着一句微薄的承诺,等着不见踪影的她?她抱着他哭泣:“真的对不起,对不起,我现在才回来,对不起,我去了别的国家,对不起,我和别的男人结了婚有了孩子,对不起,我现在这样年老,头发都白了。”他对着熟睡的她读着那本童话书:“最后他们两个终于走到了一起,互相陪伴到老,幸福一生!此时,女主角已经老去,男主角也是一样爱着她。”他就这样一字一句的说着,不知道怎样学会的说话,不知道为了等她练习了多久,不知道这么多年,他是怎样的照顾着她当年种植的所有植物,让它们一直存活到现在,就如同他守候等待的心,一直没有消失过。他拿着她当年弹过的吉他,住在他们初次见面的屋子里,不停地练习着她留给他的习字帖,学习着她交给他的简单的书本,守着她的一切,等着她回来,就这样度过了47年。他是永生的,当白发苍苍的她站在他的面前的时候,依旧年轻稚嫩的他还是立刻就认了出来,那是他刻在血液中,记在心里最深处的人,永远都是那个在冬日的午后,弹着吉他唱着简单的歌,微笑如斯的女孩,一直都是。最后一个拥抱,她早已哭得不成样子,而他没有说什么,就像当年一样。
故事的结局,一开始我以为是女主醒来后没有看到狼孩,以为只是她的一场梦境,所以黯然离开了。狼孩只是想让女主醒来后可以看到雪人,所以独自一人跑去堆雪人,可是却在山上看到女主离开的车子。再一次的错过,甚至永远不会再相见,因为女主不会再抱着希望回到这里。不禁觉得导演太残忍了。狼孩本以为可以和女主永远在一起,最后希望却还是落空了让人揪心这样的错过。
后来再一想又觉得,这或许就是这部影片的深刻之处了吧。如果女主角真的选择留下,她那么大岁数的人,居住在这附近的房子里,狼孩的频繁暴露,很容易引起一些人的注意。一个容颜不老的秘密,可以让很多研究机构真正的心动,而且重要的是在于狼孩的身份根本阻止不了这些怀有野心的人对他身上秘密的贪婪和猜想。他们可以完全以正规的渠道,去猎杀狼孩,所以女主角为了保护男主角的秘密,让自己这个知情人离开,并不在把房子出售,起码在她有生之年,这个狼孩的秘密会一直保留下去,等她去世以后,见过狼孩真正样子的人就不多了,甚至已经都快没有了,除了踢球的那些小孩毛孩在成年后有些模糊的记忆,真正知道秘密的人也许都死光了。正如他47年前的决定一样。就如同女主角的孙女看到只是一个奇怪的流浪汉而已,没有人会知道他真实的身份,更不会再有人对他的容颜长驻,似乎有长生不老身体发生兴趣了。回过头来,再看看女主角拒绝房子的出售时的表情,以及最后唱的那首歌中的歌词含义,世界上最远的距离,不是我不能说我想你,而是彼此相爱,却不能够在一起。也许,也许,又或许也许,谁又能真正读懂她内心真正的想法。但是有一点是肯定的,他们的爱是世俗无法容忍和接受的,所以结局早已注定。 他们之间的感情,透彻纯净的令人感动,从相识到相依,再到最后的两次分别,他们甚至从未牵过手,他们感情的交汇是彼此轻抚脑袋,他们之间不单单是爱情,更多的是依赖与理解,唯有两次和着眼泪的拥抱更令人心痛--第一次,她抱着被铁链拴住的他,哭着说“对不起,都是因为我”;第二次,47年后白发苍苍的她,依然抱着他说“对不起,我回来的太晚”。还记得影片开头说过的一句话“狼的一生只能有一个伴侣”。所以他这一生不会再爱上另外的人。片尾的字幕出现时,回放起女孩为狼孩曾唱过的歌,而狼族少年依照那晚的约定在空旷的雪地上堆着他的雪人,孤独还将继续,但是等待已经结束。传说,“彼岸花,开一千年,落一千年,花叶永不相见。情不为因果,缘注定生死。”
当我再看一遍,觉得本片的另一个深刻的地方就是狼族少年人性的纯真。狼族少年,那是纯真和懵懂,执念与守候。纨绔公子哥,那是欲望。少女,那是自私。当狼族少年裹着怪物的表象出现的时候,我们生生的站在了他的对立面,看着光影划过他的脸庞,静止而安详的美态,懵懂初生的依赖眼神幽静的望着你。一碰即碎的虚幻。我们暗藏男二的欲望和女主的自私在蹒跚前行。丑恶的欲望来的刚猛,肆意行凶,栽赃嫁祸,硬硬的撕碎美好。暗涌的自私来的柔绵,不经意间嫌弃撇嘴,高高在上冷脸孤傲,细细的化作裂痕,永远无法修补。我们为纨绔男二被咬喉而死大快人心,这样赤裸裸的欲望能够轻易的嫌恶。我们暗自埋怨失约的女主,看戏的心态说,怎么能丢下他呢。其实,在平日里,如她自私的心态比比皆是,已经腐蚀了我们的心。
人性都是本恶,他们在被世界改造之前,就已经腐朽到了骨头里。而那狼族少年,他的心是干净的,是毫无杂质的,所以四十七年之后,他依旧还是当初那个眼睛明亮的少年。这个世界改变了一切,改变了所有人,却没能改变他。始终记得那颗可怜瑟瑟的豆芽菜般的种子,被狼少细细的捧着,呵护着,浇水,灌溉。47年后,当厚厚皑皑的白雪笼罩下的江原道,开出这样满屋的葱绿的时候,我们沉醉其中的美好,巧妙的手法掩盖了这段梦的本质。

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Nike and Sweatshop Labor

...NIKE AND SWEATSHOP LABOR Do you think the critic of Nike is fair, considering that the host countries in dire needs of creating job? It seems to me that critic of Nike is fair. It is because that If all places , mostly in dominating countries, are dominated by such an inappropriate and unconventional working environment, including overtime working without getting paid as well as hiring under-aged workers. Majority of those developing countries are in the midst of industrial transformation from agricultural to manufacturing industries. Also, many kids in poor families happened to be not going school because parents either have no money to support them or do not think it is important to educate their kids. So, Kids in these situations are mostly working for living and support their families. What do you think Nike’s executives might have done differently to prevent the sensitive charges of sweatshop labor in overseas factories? Before having a contract with local retail shops and manufactures, Nike might have made a strong contract policy that enhances the right of local workers as well as maintains a good working environment. Do firms need to consider the so-called corporate social responsibilities in making investment decision? I think that even though social responsibility has always been an ultimate goal to majority of foreign companies, this value seems to be avoided or less-considered when it comes to making investment decision. Firm can help them to...

Words: 401 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

Nike Case Study

...A Case Analysis of Nike: The Sweatshop Debate Mindi Merritt Class Fall 2014 Instructor’s Name Introduction Nike is a hugely successful global industry that designs and markets shoes and apparel (Coakley & Kates, 2013). Most of Nike’s products are subcontracted and manufactured overseas in countries such as China, India, Vietnam, Indonesia and Korea. For decades, Nike has been embroiled in controversy where critics claim its products are manufactured in foreign factories with substandard working conditions and disregard to labor laws (Powell & Zwolinski, 2012). As a result, Nike has initiated numerous policy changes in an effort to silence these criticisms. While Nike has definitely made great strides in turning around its image, it continues to struggle with allegations from critics. Nike’s Responsibility for Working Conditions Should Nike be held responsible for working conditions in foreign factories that it does not own, but where subcontractors make products for Nike? Nike should be held responsible for the working conditions in foreign factories where subcontractors make products the company sells. Although Nike does not actually own the foreign factories, the workers are employees of Nike and Nike is the beneficiary of the products they are making. Thus, Nike is responsible (at least in part) of the working conditions endured by those that work there. Labor Standards of Foreign Factories What labor standards regarding safety, working conditions...

Words: 953 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Mgt 445

...CASE ANALYSIS NIKE THE SWEATSHOP DEBATE Summary of the Facts Nike was established in 1972 by former University of Oregon track star Phil Knight. ... Nike has $10 billion in annual revenues and sells its products in 140 countries. ... Nike has been dogged for more than a decade by repeated accusations that its products are made in sweatshops where workers, many of them children, slave away in hazardous conditions for less than subsistence wages. ... Many reporters, TV shows, companies and organizations have repeatedly exposed negative comments towards Nike. For example, a “48 Hours” news report aired on October 17, 1996 regarding a Nike factory in Vietnam, which was visited by reporter Roberta Baskin. The reporter discovered that Nike hired millions of workers who are literate, disciplined, and desperate for jobs at wages lower than minimum wage. Another example of the criticism against Nike came from a newsletter published by Global Exchange. The newsletter uncovered that the majority of Nike shoes were made in Indonesia and China, countries with governments that prohibit independent unions and set the minimum wage at rock Nike: The Sweatshop Debate The purpose and intent of this paper is to describe the legal, cultural, and ethical challenges that face the Nike Corporation in their global business ventures.   This paper will also touch on the roles of the host government and countries where Nike manufactures their products and the author will summarize the strategic and operational...

Words: 934 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Nike

...Nike, Inc. and Sweatshops Over the years Nike has been called out for their unethical practices in shoe making. Nike does not actually make shoes but has subcontractors who do and Nike just sells them with their logo on them. The blame of being unethical in this came with the sweatshops is held with both Nike and the subcontractors. This is because Nike has an amoral style of management in regards to utilizing foreign production facilities, more commonly known as sweatshops, for cheaper labor to produce their products. The term amoral management appears to encompass both ends of the morality spectrum; moral management conforms with the highest standards of ethics and professional behavior whereas immoral management is a complete disregard for ethical principles that imply an active opposition to ethical behavior. Amoral management lacks the moral awareness of being moral management, either intentionally or unintentionally, and pretends to be more focused on acting lawful not necessarily being lawful. The focus of this case is the ethical dilemma Nike is faced with because of their ongoing use of sweatshops to manufacture their shoes with low cost so as to maximize the company’s profits. When Nike was first introduced they were an American made product but soon sought to outsource their labor to meet growing demands. It was not until Kathy Lee Gifford discovered that her clothing line was being made in sweatshops did anyone really start to take interest in the company doings...

Words: 1073 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Just Do It Right

...markets for Nike. They are my sponsor. Nike Inc. produces footwear, clothing, equipment and accessory products for the sports and athletic market. It is the largest seller of sports 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. Nike developed a strong working relationship with Japanese shoe manufacturers, but Nike moved on to other countries seeking after alternative, lower-cost producers. Today the company manufactures in China, Taiwan, Korea, Pakistan, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Mexico as well as in the US and in Italy. 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, with commonplace harassment and abuse. As its founder and Chief Executive Officer, Phil Knight lamented in a May 1998 speech to the National Press Club, “the Nike product has become synonymous with slave wages, forced overtime, and arbitrary abuse.”(HBS Case # 9-700-047) “Hitting the Wall: Nike and International Labor Practices,” HBS Case # 9-700-047 Problem Statement Is Nike doing just enough to clear bad publicity or are they really fixing their factory issues? How can Nike work toward...

Words: 2203 - Pages: 9

Free Essay

Case Study "Nike: the Sweatshop Debate"

...Case Study "Nike: The Sweatshop Debate" Sarah Martin MGT 448 July 27, 2011 Kenneth Peter Case Study "Nike: The Sweatshop Debate" “We’ve run the course – from establishing codes of conduct and pulling together an internal team to enforce it, to working external bodies to monitor factories and engaging with stakeholders” (Nikebiz, para. 2). The creation of this code of conduct came after serious allegations of using sweatshops with women and children working in hazardous conditions for less than minimum wage in overseas factories scattered across the globe to make their product. This paper uses the case study entitled, “Nike: The Sweatshop Debate,” to describe the legal, cultural, and ethical challenges that confront Nike’s global business. This paper will also determine the various roles that host governments have played as well as summarize the strategic and operational challenges that face global management for the Nike Corporation. Bill Bowerman, a track and field coach at the University of Oregon, and Phil Knight, a talented middle-distance runner from Portland, “shook hands to form Blue Ribbon Sports, pledged $500 each, and placed their first order of 300 pairs of shoes in January 1964” (Nikebiz, para. 1). In 1965, they hired their first employee, Jeff Johnson, to manage the growing requirements. In 1971, he conjured up the name Nike. According to the case study, the profits and success that the Nike Corporation has gained has affected hundreds of thousands of workers...

Words: 1153 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Nikey Case and Ethical Responsibility

...For many years, Nike Inc has been known worldwide as the champion of athletic gear producers, being a global leader in business and marketing. The company experienced a tremendous growth between 1970s and 1990s, dominating the global athletic footwear and apparel market (Cartey, 2002). However, in 1990s, Nike started facing a fierce criticism for its unethical practices of conducting business in developing countries. Critics accused Nike for poor working conditions, exploitation of cheap overseas labor, and violation of minimum wage and overtime laws in countries, such as China, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Mexico, where the company had outsourced its manufactures. Instead of using ethical means to developing a global brand, Nike used child labor and every possible cheap way to increase its profits. Like many other U.S. companies, Nike manufactures its products in third world countries. Workers in these manufactures may earn as little as 12 cents per hour, working in unsafe, even dangerous working environments. These manufactures are called sweatshops, and have triggered many objections from human right organizations for violating the basic human rights. Victoria Carty (2002) explains that: The Internet has significantly accentuated awareness of the controversies surrounding Nike’s business culture and practices. Information regarding corporate abuses has spread quickly through cyberspace, bringing bad publicity to new levels of awareness, and has facilitated mobilization among activists...

Words: 1331 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Case Study

...Study Frank Torres MGT/448 May 6, 2016 Professor Louise M. Lozada-Sorcia Nike must overturn problematic problems in order to establish a successful commerce in a foreign country. Some of the legal, cultural, and ethical challenges that confront Nike’s global business are child labor laws, wages, and outsourcings of manufacturing. Nike sweatshop labor case like those described in “Nike: The Sweatshop Debate” has agitated a large sum of controversy over business ethics. The first case illustrates how Nike has inadvertly managed to oversee that those companies they subcontract do not follow international labor laws, including those pertinent to the country the employees are working from. An example is the employee Lap, interviewed in the article. The employee is exploited, “Her basic wage, even as sewing team leader, still doesn’t amount to the minimum wage . . . . She’s down to 85 pounds. Like most of the young women who make shoes, she has little choice but to accept the low wages and long hours. Nike says that it requires all subcontractors to obey local laws; but Lap has already put in much more overtime than the annual legal limit: 200 hours.” Another evident situation that challenges business ethics is the cultural depreciation in the countries where Nike contracts with manufacturer subcontractors. Countries like China and Indonesia close to non-existent labor laws, “The majority of Nike shoes are made in Indonesia and China, countries with governments that prohibit...

Words: 853 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

5 Steps of Simulate Process

...Nike Global Business and Challenges Once a company, like Nike, decides to become a global entity, it will often experience an increase in profitability. Unfortunately, companies like Nike must overcome some difficult obstacles before establishing a successful business in a foreign country. Some of the issues of concern are child labor laws, wages, and outsourcing’s effect on sales. Because of this, most widely known companies have presented various cases to defend their positions on conducting business in the foreign country. One such example is a Nike sweatshop labor case that stirred up a large amount of controversy over ethical business practices. Even though Nike has attempted to recover from the bad press it received about the sweatshops, it still struggles to defeat the negative feelings from people across the United States. Thus, a summary of the case, the legal, cultural and ethical challenges, an understanding of the roles the host governments play, and the strategic and operational challenges faced are important to gain a thorough understanding of the issues and case. Most people could easily define Nike and are familiar with the products offered, like the customized options available in the Nike store online, Nike Sportswear, Nike Women, Nike Basketball, and Nike Football. These products, among others, have led Nike to a profit of $15 billion in 2006 and a catchy “Just Do It!” slogan (Hill, 2009). The company outsourced its manufacturing plants to several...

Words: 1167 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Nike Case Study

...Offei MGT/448 Global Business Strategies Case Study Nike: The Sweatshop Debate July 5, 2012 Professor, Marc Mosko Nike, the sweatshop debate Nike Inc. was started by Bill Bowerman and Phil Knight, who met each other in 1957 Before going into business, Knight became a certified public Accountant (CPA) the original Nike Inc. was founded in 1964 by Phil Knight and his friend Bill Bowerman with a collective investment of 1000 to fund the business tries (Nike repository, 2010) The company began with Bill and Phil being local distributors for the Onitsuka Tiger footwear brand now own by Asics footwear, Bill and Phil did business out of their cars at local track meet and sporting event to athletes in the vicinity of the University of Oregon, the first sport retail store open in California in 1966 as where the company profit began to grow they realized that their financial limits imposed by Onitsuka Tiger would limited their long team profits (Nike repository, 2010) This paper will describe the legal culture ,and ethical challenge that confront the global business as personated on the case study, in addition the paper will determine the various roles that the host government played in global business operation .at the end it will summarize the strategic and operational challenges facing global managers illustration in Nike organization Global business doesn’t come without challenges Nike organization plan to become a global body and that...

Words: 1070 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Mgt 445

...CASE ANALYSIS NIKE THE SWEATSHOP DEBATE Summary of the Facts Nike was established in 1972 by former University of Oregon track star Phil Knight. ... Nike has $10 billion in annual revenues and sells its products in 140 countries. ... Nike has been dogged for more than a decade by repeated accusations that its products are made in sweatshops where workers, many of them children, slave away in hazardous conditions for less than subsistence wages. ... Many reporters, TV shows, companies and organizations have repeatedly exposed negative comments towards Nike. For example, a “48 Hours” news report aired on October 17, 1996 regarding a Nike factory in Vietnam, which was visited by reporter Roberta Baskin. The reporter discovered that Nike hired millions of workers who are literate, disciplined, and desperate for jobs at wages lower than minimum wage. Another example of the criticism against Nike came from a newsletter published by Global Exchange. The newsletter uncovered that the majority of Nike shoes were made in Indonesia and China, countries with governments that prohibit independent unions and set the minimum wage at rock Nike: The Sweatshop Debate The purpose and intent of this paper is to describe the legal, cultural, and ethical challenges that face the Nike Corporation in their global business ventures.   This paper will also touch on the roles of the host government and countries where Nike manufactures their products and the author will summarize the strategic and operational...

Words: 934 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Behind The Swoosh By Nike Sweatshops

...A sweatshop can be defined simply as a shop or factory that employs workers at very low wages, working for long hours and in poor working conditions. Most of the workers employed in sweatshops are not offered benefits, and in most cases, are illiterate. Sweatshops are not only bad for the workers and the countries they are located in but also bad for America and the rest of the world. The common argument put forward by supporters of sweatshops, like that in the article by Nicholas Kristof (2009), is that they help unskilled workers gain skills and then further develop the economy. While this might appear to make sense on paper, a deeper analysis proves otherwise. Those who make this assumption fail to understand that some of the sweatshop workers...

Words: 1111 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Case Study - Nike Sweat Shop

...University of Phoenix Material Nike: The Sweatshop Debate Nike is in many ways the quintessential global corporation. Established in 1972 by former University of Oregon track star Phil Knight, Nike is now one of the leading marketers of athletic shoes and apparel on the planet. Today the company has $20 billion in annual revenues and sells its products in some 140 countries. Nike does not do any manufacturing. Rather, it designs and markets its products, while contracting for their manufacture from a global network of 600 factories scattered around the globe that employ some 650,000 people.1 This huge corporation has made Knight into one of the richest people in America. Nike’s marketing phrase, “Just Do It!” has become as recognizable in popular culture as its “swoosh” logo or the faces of its celebrity sponsors, such as Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods. For all of its successes, the company was dogged for more than a decade by repeated and persistent accusations that its products were made in “sweatshops” where workers, many of them children, slaved away in hazardous conditions for below-subsistence wages. Nike’s wealth, its detractors claimed, was built upon the backs of the world’s poor. For many, Nike had become a symbol of the evils of globalization—a rich Western corporation exploiting the world’s poor to provide expensive shoes and apparel to the pampered consumers of the developed world. Niketown stores became standard targets for antiglobalization protesters. Several...

Words: 3121 - Pages: 13

Free Essay

Nike Case Study

... Case Study The Nike Firm is definitely the world’s leading company of athletic shoes and clothing. The company got its name from the Greek goddess of victory, and has achieved its reputation of becoming victorious within the sports niche for more than a decade. Nike has accumulated skyrocketing manufacturing numbers via independently hiring companies beyond the United States to manufacture. “Nike sold about 280 million sneakers, cross-trainers and running shoes last year. Doubling manufacturing workers' wages in China would cost Nike, which last year had revenues of almost $14 billion a year” (Dreier, 2007) Millions of people throughout the world have been in awe with the success of this organization. An incredible number of Americans have purchased merchandise produced by Nike. Nike provides a quality brand name that's supported by super stars and sports athletes; however millions of people are not aware exactly how Nikes involvement with outsourcing to third world nations has created great debate with labor unions, and more importantly employees within these countries.” Today’s global economy is characterized by rapid and at times wrenching changes, driven by competition, new technologies, and a continuing search for cheaper resources and markets” (Thinking Critically, 2008). Nike must bear in mind that together with the importance of manufacturing and supply of products and services they are really however dealing with individuals and institutions. Nike has processing plants...

Words: 666 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

The Case Against Nike

...Corporate greed and global competition to produce goods at the lowest possible price are the main reasons for the existence of sweatshops. It’s much more cost-effective for corporations to subcontract their manufacturing to suppliers who produce goods cheaply by minimizing worker salaries and benefits, skimping on factory and dormitory upkeep and standards, and demanding high levels of productivity (long hours and big quotas) from their workers. Nike manufacturer’s shoes in different countries on subcontractor basis, Although Nike do not own any manufacturing facilities in those countries it is accused of producing its goods where the workers are exploited. Problems a sweatshop can be described as a workplace where workers are subject to extreme exploitation, including the absence of a living wage or benefits, poor working conditions, and arbitrary discipline, such as verbal and physical abuse. Since sweatshop workers are paid less than their daily expenses, they are never able to save any money to improve their lives. They are trapped in an awful cycle of exploitation.. Nike was faced with anti globalization protesters for the following problems Child labor. As the report published by Global exchange in September, 1997 Workers as young as 13 earned as little as 10 cent an hour and worked unto 17 hours daily in enforced silence. Talking during work was not allowed with a violators fined $1.20 to $3.60. Hazardous working conditions If workers got sick or had something’s to take...

Words: 1278 - Pages: 6