apple's huge presence in china
this is in today's new york times. the best of journalism, i believe, should involve a lot of self searching - finding out 'why' something has happened in a dispassionate way, instead of getting defensive supposed 'deragatory' presentation.
this article, indicates, that 6 weeks prior to iphone launch, steve jobs, switched the basic design of the screen, from plastic to non scratchable glass. how, in the short period, only one chinese contractor, offered to meet the deadlines, and did so successfully.
the firm was foxconn, which ofcourse someone pointed out, where 300 employees committed suicide or on the verge of it. or something like that. that should frighten the world even more, that people are ready to die, to deliver products for apple and steve jobs.
i have always felt, that usa, for short term gains, literally gave away accumulated traditons of knowledge base and innovation, for next to nothing, initially to japan and now to china. this is what unbridled capitalism does. short term profit. immediate gratification. no long term vision. add to it, we have strong forces in usa, who dont government involvement of any kind in industry at all. and dont want to pay taxes.
compared that with china, where, under government guidance, contractors, in order to win high tech contracts, where subsidized re almost everything. ie the end justifies the means, even if that means a number of suicides. i guess.
apple being an american icon, was asked about the lapse of jobs in the usa for its products. till 2004 apple claimed to make everything and only after that it moved to china. it was a quick and decisive move, and which sealed the fate of many a competing unit in silicon valley, for to be in competition to apple, and to take advantage of the trained labour, others shifted too, to china. and never to return to usa. ever.
if i were a chinese, i would be happy to read it. if i were an american, i would be distressed. if i were an indian, i would only but envy, but then that may be considered deragatory. so i would keep mum.
Privately, Apple executives say the world is now such a changed place that it is a mistake to measure a company’s contribution simply by tallying its employees — though they note that Apple employs more workers in the United States than ever before.
They say Apple’s success has benefited the economy by empowering entrepreneurs and creating jobs at companies like cellular providers and businesses shipping Apple products. And, ultimately, they say curing unemployment is not their job.
“We sell iPhones in over a hundred countries,” a current Apple executive said. “We don’t have an obligation to solve America’s problems. Our only obligation is making the best product possible.”
i hope, if you are interested, ny times, gives you the access. too bad, some of the finest publications have imposed limits or by subscriptions only
ps. my son 22 discussed this article with me. it is not whether china is right, but what china can do. he had one word for it, 'creepy'. the world should be worried.
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