Case study of Nike and other Companies
-Do Nike and other Companies take advantage of their factory workers to maximize profits?
"Conditions/?/are horrible - forced overtime, 60 to 90 hours a week, 10-to-15 hours shifts, six and seven day workweeks for wages of 15 to 28 cents an hours./?/housed in cramped dorms/?/if they complain they are fired/?/no independent human rights, labour, or religious organizations to turn to". The overwhelming evidence makes it hard to understand multi-national corporations when claiming that they are not taking advantage of their workers. However, when evaluating the facts, a two sided story is revealed. MNC´s do benefit of how the market is run in these countries, and why shouldn't they. More importantly however, is that they supply the country with something that in the long run, would have been impossible without the involvement of MNC´s like Nike. Inconsequently they help to raise their workers standards of living. Countries like Taiwan, India and China see the investment of MNC´s as a way to economical prosperity. The relationship between MNC´s and third world countries should not be described in the narrow limits of the words "taking advantage".
Opponents of globalization suggest that "production of goods for world markets at lowest possible cost" is the main example of the "race to the bottom" phenomenon. This phenomenon is a normal effect of the world market when it is open to free and creative trade, without transnational labour principles and regulations. Big corporations will look to place factories and manufacturing plants in countries with far less environmental and labour standards. Every company, operating in the free market with apparent competition makes ...