Steve Jobs Research Paper
Rotten Apple, Wormy Apple, or Red Delicious
Apple Inc., is a California based company that builds iPhones, iPads, iPods, MacBook computers and much more. Steve Jobs was the CEO for 14 years, and this was probably the most important 14 years of Apple Inc.’s rise. He didn’t design the products but what he did was just as important. The principles Steve Job’s held have benefited the company and are currently shared by Apple Inc. employees.
These products mentioned might not have come to pass had it not been for Apple Inc.’s constant need to innovate. That’s an attitude driven by Jobs, during flush times, as well as when the tech business was flagging. It’s worth noting that some of Apple Inc.’s biggest product releases during Job’s tenure—the iPod and iPad, most notably—were developed during recessions, when consumers theoretically were less inclined to spend money on pricey electronics. ("Steve Jobs: The Man Who Saved Apple." Macworld)
Steve Jobs did help with the design of the some of the electronics. He stressed how the appearance is important and how the devices feel in the consumers hands. Steve Jobs resigned in 2011 and Timothy Cook took his job as CEO. Jobs …show more content…
lost his battle with cancer in October 2011. His predecessor Cook has had a big influence on Apple Inc. having its products built overseas.
The products from Apple Inc. are appealing with their slim look and sleek touch, and have made them very successful. What’s the trick beneath the skin that’s making the company so successful? I have wondered if in fact the apple is a rotten apple, or maybe an apple with a worm in it. The appearance of Apple Inc. is phenomenal; they appear to be a great emblem for America. They have profits that are “off the charts”. The apple may appear to be shiny, appealing, and delicious, but inside the apple is a worm, which will eat its way from inside out. I’ve heard rumors that behind the image of Apple Inc., are production companies that thrive on men, women and underage workers, working long shifts, in unsuitable work environments and being exposed to hazardous material. I want to find out if Apple Inc. is a company that deserves the remarkable image it has set for itself. Not only is Apple Inc. affected by these issues but those in China will also be impacted if these conditions continue. Will this worm inside Apple Inc. eventually ruin the image? Will Apple Inc. lose the appearance it has and become known for unethical labor conditions? How can they prevent this from ruining a successful business? I believe in order for this company to remain a top supplier of these phones, tablets, music players, and computers they will have to improve their factory’s working conditions and environmental impacts.
Since Steve Jobs took over Apple Inc. in 1997 the company has shown increase sales and net profits. They have become known across the world for the products they provide. Timothy Cook has also helped build the name and reputation of Apple Inc. In 2011, for the second fiscal quarter “Apple reported sales of $24.67 billion and a net profit of $5.99 billion.”(Michaels). The key to Apple’s impressive profits: cheap production costs and relatively high retail prices. They record such profits by having their products made in China where there is no minimum wage. These profits and the appealing products that Apple Inc. offers is how most of the public sees the company. This is the shiny appealing outside skin that people see.
Apple Inc. uses many factories in China for the production of its goods. The companies Foxconn and Lian Jian Technology are a few of the primary factory use for making iPhones, iPads, and iPods. Labor issues have arisen in the Lian Jian Technology factory. This factory is being criticized for its harsh working conditions and demanding, rude assembly line leaders. Also,the leaders of assembly lines at Foxconn often “scold us girls to tears” says Xiao Wei(a source from Yunyun’s “The Sour Apple”), when they make mistakes. These workers are under an excessive amount of pressure and tremendous workload. This causes the assembly line workers to have increased stress and also depression. In 2010, 10 of the workers at Foxconn committed suicide because of mental issues and harsh working conditions. (Yanyun 10).
A cluster of suicides by Foxconn workers a couple of years ago elicited much more coverage in the West than in China. (Another Foxconn employee jumped to his death in June.) (Beech, Hannah, and Chengcheng Jiang)
When one of the workers at Foxconn was interviewed in “A Sour Apple”, she was asked about a co-worker and friend who committed suicide after an interrogation due to a missing iPhone.
When asked why her friend didn’t quit she said nowhere else could she (her friend) make more money and most other jobs do not offer vacation.(Yunyun 11). A Foxconn CEO “compares workers to animals”, not meaning to say it in a negative way but it still portrays the inhumanity of these companies. No person should be referenced to an animal. The comment made by the Foxconn CEO stated that “to manage one million animals gives me a headache.”(Murphy). If Apple Inc. is going to preserve its name it is going to have to cooperate with its suppliers and make sure they all realize the severity of the issues, and what is at
risk.
Employing one million people or even two hundred thousand should require strict requirements so underage workers, and under qualified men and women are not being forced to work extensive hours or forced to do work out of their skill set. The current CEO of apple Inc. Timothy Cook even said in a disclosed letter that the records and age verification system will be used to prevent the use of underage labor. “These efforts have been very successful and, as a result, cases of underage labor were down sharply from last year. We found no underage workers in our final assembly suppliers, and we will not rest until the number is zero everywhere.”, said Cook, Apple Inc. CEO (Murphy). Foxconn was inspected by the non-profit organization, Fair Labor Society (FLS) as ordered by Apple Inc. Before the inspection took place Foxconn said they were prepared for the inspections. Apple Inc. allows underage workers (ages 16 and 17) to work but they are supposed to be limited to the amount of hours they and what roles they can do in the factories. When FLS came to inspect Foxconn, they “allegedly hid the underage workers during an inspection tour of a mainland China plant.”(Poeter). During the inspection times none of the underage workers were assigned to work overtime and the workers were given more breaks during the FLS inspection times. So Apple Inc. says they have eliminated these underage workers but another source says that the factories are hiding the underage workers during inspection. These factories are “beating around the bush” and disclosing the fact that these underage workers are being worked long hours. Apple Inc. should be aware of this and should have inspections of these factories performed unannounced.
Factories such as Foxconn and Lian Jian Technology have been called “sweathouses”, where the working conditions are inhumane. Foxconn employs about one million people in China and in the Shenzhen Longhuayuan Industrial Park, Foxconn has 200,000 people working in an area of less than 1 square mile. This industrial park has four times more people per acre in this area than in the densest parts of New York City. The production area at the Lian Jian Technology factory “boasts an air tight clean room, which is a stuffy place with poor air circulation.” says Yunyun. In order to have so many people working in the same buildings it is very crucial to have adequate ventilation for CO2 from the workers and also fumes and hazardous gases in the air. This seems counterproductive to have the workers in discomfort and worrying if they are being exposed to harmful substances. The nasty worm inside the apple is bound and determined to make its way to the surface.
In January of 2011 the Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs in Beijing inspected one of the factories used by Apple Inc. and generated a report regarding the pollution affecting the workers. (Yunyun 11). From this report there were eleven cases of workers who were poisoned by n-hexane. N-hexane is liquid cleaner that is used to clean the screens of Apple’s products. This cleaner evaporates quickly and becomes inhaled by the workers. This gas from the cleaner can lead to numbness of the limbs and impaired movement and sense of touch. Also there have been explosions in the factories that have left many workers injured. In one case, at RiTeng Computer Accessory’s (supplier of Apple accessories), there was an explosion that left 61 employees injured seriously. (Yunyun 11). In another case in May 2011, a buildup of aluminum dust exploded in a room that wasn’t vented sufficiently, killing four workers. These accidents could’ve been prevented and this should be a sign for Apple Inc. to step in and do something about these conditions. Not only to save their image, but to do the ethical thing. This worm is growing, making its way to the surface and it’s not looking good for Apple Inc.
Hazardous materials inside these factories are most definitely impacting the employees and even possibly the consumers, but what about those outside of the factories? In a progress report of 2012, Apple admitted that 112 out of 229 audited suppliers failed to deal properly with hazardous chemicals. (Beech, Hannah, and Chengcheng Jiang) According to “The Sour Apple” a survey showed that twenty seven Apple Inc. suppliers discharge poisonous sewage into the nearby rivers. These rivers may be used for recreation, drinking water, or for irrigation. The pollutants that are dumped into the rivers will end up harming the environment and the people who are in contact with the waste. Those who aren’t even in contact with the pollutants or hazardous materials end up paying for it in the end. “The Chinese tax payers ended up paying the bill for treating employees injured by occupational diseases.”(Yunyun 12). Apple Inc. must be aware of these issues but yet they fail to do something about it.
So what is Apple Inc. doing about the shameful working conditions, hazardous materials and pollution, and underage workers?
Ma said Apple must choose between two options. One is to take advantage of the pitfalls in the Chinese legal system, side with the polluting companies and obtain its exorbitant profits at the cost of environmental pollution and the people’s well-being; and the other is to open up and cooperate with the Chinese side and NGOs to boost green production and the construction of the green supply chain. (Yunyun 13).
They will have to win over the Chinese by persuading them that “the company has the best interests of the People’s Republic at heart.” (Beech, Hannah, and Chengcheng Jiang). Under heavy pressure recently, Apple Inc. has provided the names of 97% or its suppliers around the world. They admitted to finding some suppliers have violated Apple Inc.’s own rules regarding safety and responsibility. They need to take action on these violations and enforce their policies. Even though China has little to no regulations on water pollution, Apple Inc. should take responsibility and require the suppliers to manage the waste exiting the factories. It is the ethical thing to do and it will only help the environment. It looks like Timothy Cook, CEO of Apple Inc., is trying to make sure there are no underage laborers in any of the suppliers. He says he won’t stop until there are no more underage workers but if the factories don’t cooperate with Apple Inc. this isn’t going to change. That apple with the worm in it will become a bad apple if these issues aren’t fixed.
Apple Inc., the company that offers its consumers user-friendly, sleek and slim products, has made a well-known name for itself. Beneath this icon is a company that has its products built in China, using immoral underage labor, toxic work conditions, and factories that are polluting the environment. This apple is most definitely an apple with a worm in it, there is no question about it. But what Apple Inc. needs to do is get rid of these problems and become a responsible company. This worm of immoral and disgraceful work conditions, labor, and environment practices has the possibility of destroying the company. It is working, eating away, trying to make itself exposed to all of those who see Apple Inc. as the good apple. Relying on underage workers, men and women working long shifts, in poorly ventilated work environments and being exposed to harmful chemicals and gases is wrong in so many ways. If Apple Inc. does not take responsibility for what its factories have turned into and fix them, they do not deserve this remarkable image. China needs to regulate the pollution in order to keep the public healthy and safe. . The appearance of Apple Inc. is now remarkable and they appear to be a great representation for the American dream. Steve Jobs has brought this company to where it is and he will be disappointed if the worm gets out, ruining what Apple has stood for in the past. He wouldn’t want the company to be known for its unethical work conditions and underage labor. Cook has come to face the issue as CEO and he has had a major part moving Apple Inc.’s productions overseas. Cook should get himself and Apple Inc. out of this mess that he put them into. It is getting out of control and Apple Inc. has to keep the pressure on these factories before it’s too late to save the image.
Works Cited
"Steve Jobs: The Man Who Saved Apple." Macworld 28.11 (2011): 14-18. Academic Search Complete. Web. 30 Oct. 2012.
Liu, Yanyun. "The Sour Apple." Beijing Review 55.7 (2012): 10-13. Academic Search Complete. Web. 4 Oct. 2012.
Michaels, Philip. "Apple Keeps Raking In The Big Bucks." Macworld 28.7 (2011): 18. Academic Search Complete. Web. 30 Oct. 2012.
Beech, Hannah, and Chengcheng Jiang. "The Cult Of Apple In China." Time 180.1 (2012): 44-49. Academic Search Complete. Web. 30 Oct. 2012.
Murphy, David. "A Foxconn Breakdown: Its Strengths, Strangeness, And Scrutiny." PC Magazine (2012): 1. Academic Search Complete. Web. 30 Oct. 2012.
Poeter, Damon. "Labor Group Says Foxconn Hid Underage Workers During Inspections." PC Magazine (2012): 1. Academic Search Complete. Web. 30 Oct. 2012.
Apple Inc., is a California based company that builds iPhones, iPads, iPods, MacBook computers and much more. Steve Jobs was the CEO for 14 years, and this was probably the most important 14 years of Apple Inc.’s rise. He didn’t design the products but what he did was just as important. The principles Steve Job’s held have benefited the company and are currently shared by Apple Inc. employees.
These products mentioned might not have come to pass had it not been for Apple Inc.’s constant need to innovate. That’s an attitude driven by Jobs, during flush times, as well as when the tech business was flagging. It’s worth noting that some of Apple Inc.’s biggest product releases during Job’s tenure—the iPod and iPad, most notably—were developed during recessions, when consumers theoretically were less inclined to spend money on pricey electronics. ("Steve Jobs: The Man Who Saved Apple." Macworld)
Steve Jobs did help with the design of the some of the electronics. He stressed how the appearance is important and how the devices feel in the consumers hands. Steve Jobs resigned in 2011 and Timothy Cook took his job as CEO. Jobs …show more content…
lost his battle with cancer in October 2011. His predecessor Cook has had a big influence on Apple Inc. having its products built overseas.
The products from Apple Inc. are appealing with their slim look and sleek touch, and have made them very successful. What’s the trick beneath the skin that’s making the company so successful? I have wondered if in fact the apple is a rotten apple, or maybe an apple with a worm in it. The appearance of Apple Inc. is phenomenal; they appear to be a great emblem for America. They have profits that are “off the charts”. The apple may appear to be shiny, appealing, and delicious, but inside the apple is a worm, which will eat its way from inside out. I’ve heard rumors that behind the image of Apple Inc., are production companies that thrive on men, women and underage workers, working long shifts, in unsuitable work environments and being exposed to hazardous material. I want to find out if Apple Inc. is a company that deserves the remarkable image it has set for itself. Not only is Apple Inc. affected by these issues but those in China will also be impacted if these conditions continue. Will this worm inside Apple Inc. eventually ruin the image? Will Apple Inc. lose the appearance it has and become known for unethical labor conditions? How can they prevent this from ruining a successful business? I believe in order for this company to remain a top supplier of these phones, tablets, music players, and computers they will have to improve their factory’s working conditions and environmental impacts.
Since Steve Jobs took over Apple Inc. in 1997 the company has shown increase sales and net profits. They have become known across the world for the products they provide. Timothy Cook has also helped build the name and reputation of Apple Inc. In 2011, for the second fiscal quarter “Apple reported sales of $24.67 billion and a net profit of $5.99 billion.”(Michaels). The key to Apple’s impressive profits: cheap production costs and relatively high retail prices. They record such profits by having their products made in China where there is no minimum wage. These profits and the appealing products that Apple Inc. offers is how most of the public sees the company. This is the shiny appealing outside skin that people see.
Apple Inc. uses many factories in China for the production of its goods. The companies Foxconn and Lian Jian Technology are a few of the primary factory use for making iPhones, iPads, and iPods. Labor issues have arisen in the Lian Jian Technology factory. This factory is being criticized for its harsh working conditions and demanding, rude assembly line leaders. Also,the leaders of assembly lines at Foxconn often “scold us girls to tears” says Xiao Wei(a source from Yunyun’s “The Sour Apple”), when they make mistakes. These workers are under an excessive amount of pressure and tremendous workload. This causes the assembly line workers to have increased stress and also depression. In 2010, 10 of the workers at Foxconn committed suicide because of mental issues and harsh working conditions. (Yanyun 10).
A cluster of suicides by Foxconn workers a couple of years ago elicited much more coverage in the West than in China. (Another Foxconn employee jumped to his death in June.) (Beech, Hannah, and Chengcheng Jiang)
When one of the workers at Foxconn was interviewed in “A Sour Apple”, she was asked about a co-worker and friend who committed suicide after an interrogation due to a missing iPhone.
When asked why her friend didn’t quit she said nowhere else could she (her friend) make more money and most other jobs do not offer vacation.(Yunyun 11). A Foxconn CEO “compares workers to animals”, not meaning to say it in a negative way but it still portrays the inhumanity of these companies. No person should be referenced to an animal. The comment made by the Foxconn CEO stated that “to manage one million animals gives me a headache.”(Murphy). If Apple Inc. is going to preserve its name it is going to have to cooperate with its suppliers and make sure they all realize the severity of the issues, and what is at
risk.
Employing one million people or even two hundred thousand should require strict requirements so underage workers, and under qualified men and women are not being forced to work extensive hours or forced to do work out of their skill set. The current CEO of apple Inc. Timothy Cook even said in a disclosed letter that the records and age verification system will be used to prevent the use of underage labor. “These efforts have been very successful and, as a result, cases of underage labor were down sharply from last year. We found no underage workers in our final assembly suppliers, and we will not rest until the number is zero everywhere.”, said Cook, Apple Inc. CEO (Murphy). Foxconn was inspected by the non-profit organization, Fair Labor Society (FLS) as ordered by Apple Inc. Before the inspection took place Foxconn said they were prepared for the inspections. Apple Inc. allows underage workers (ages 16 and 17) to work but they are supposed to be limited to the amount of hours they and what roles they can do in the factories. When FLS came to inspect Foxconn, they “allegedly hid the underage workers during an inspection tour of a mainland China plant.”(Poeter). During the inspection times none of the underage workers were assigned to work overtime and the workers were given more breaks during the FLS inspection times. So Apple Inc. says they have eliminated these underage workers but another source says that the factories are hiding the underage workers during inspection. These factories are “beating around the bush” and disclosing the fact that these underage workers are being worked long hours. Apple Inc. should be aware of this and should have inspections of these factories performed unannounced.
Factories such as Foxconn and Lian Jian Technology have been called “sweathouses”, where the working conditions are inhumane. Foxconn employs about one million people in China and in the Shenzhen Longhuayuan Industrial Park, Foxconn has 200,000 people working in an area of less than 1 square mile. This industrial park has four times more people per acre in this area than in the densest parts of New York City. The production area at the Lian Jian Technology factory “boasts an air tight clean room, which is a stuffy place with poor air circulation.” says Yunyun. In order to have so many people working in the same buildings it is very crucial to have adequate ventilation for CO2 from the workers and also fumes and hazardous gases in the air. This seems counterproductive to have the workers in discomfort and worrying if they are being exposed to harmful substances. The nasty worm inside the apple is bound and determined to make its way to the surface.
In January of 2011 the Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs in Beijing inspected one of the factories used by Apple Inc. and generated a report regarding the pollution affecting the workers. (Yunyun 11). From this report there were eleven cases of workers who were poisoned by n-hexane. N-hexane is liquid cleaner that is used to clean the screens of Apple’s products. This cleaner evaporates quickly and becomes inhaled by the workers. This gas from the cleaner can lead to numbness of the limbs and impaired movement and sense of touch. Also there have been explosions in the factories that have left many workers injured. In one case, at RiTeng Computer Accessory’s (supplier of Apple accessories), there was an explosion that left 61 employees injured seriously. (Yunyun 11). In another case in May 2011, a buildup of aluminum dust exploded in a room that wasn’t vented sufficiently, killing four workers. These accidents could’ve been prevented and this should be a sign for Apple Inc. to step in and do something about these conditions. Not only to save their image, but to do the ethical thing. This worm is growing, making its way to the surface and it’s not looking good for Apple Inc.
Hazardous materials inside these factories are most definitely impacting the employees and even possibly the consumers, but what about those outside of the factories? In a progress report of 2012, Apple admitted that 112 out of 229 audited suppliers failed to deal properly with hazardous chemicals. (Beech, Hannah, and Chengcheng Jiang) According to “The Sour Apple” a survey showed that twenty seven Apple Inc. suppliers discharge poisonous sewage into the nearby rivers. These rivers may be used for recreation, drinking water, or for irrigation. The pollutants that are dumped into the rivers will end up harming the environment and the people who are in contact with the waste. Those who aren’t even in contact with the pollutants or hazardous materials end up paying for it in the end. “The Chinese tax payers ended up paying the bill for treating employees injured by occupational diseases.”(Yunyun 12). Apple Inc. must be aware of these issues but yet they fail to do something about it.
So what is Apple Inc. doing about the shameful working conditions, hazardous materials and pollution, and underage workers?
Ma said Apple must choose between two options. One is to take advantage of the pitfalls in the Chinese legal system, side with the polluting companies and obtain its exorbitant profits at the cost of environmental pollution and the people’s well-being; and the other is to open up and cooperate with the Chinese side and NGOs to boost green production and the construction of the green supply chain. (Yunyun 13).
They will have to win over the Chinese by persuading them that “the company has the best interests of the People’s Republic at heart.” (Beech, Hannah, and Chengcheng Jiang). Under heavy pressure recently, Apple Inc. has provided the names of 97% or its suppliers around the world. They admitted to finding some suppliers have violated Apple Inc.’s own rules regarding safety and responsibility. They need to take action on these violations and enforce their policies. Even though China has little to no regulations on water pollution, Apple Inc. should take responsibility and require the suppliers to manage the waste exiting the factories. It is the ethical thing to do and it will only help the environment. It looks like Timothy Cook, CEO of Apple Inc., is trying to make sure there are no underage laborers in any of the suppliers. He says he won’t stop until there are no more underage workers but if the factories don’t cooperate with Apple Inc. this isn’t going to change. That apple with the worm in it will become a bad apple if these issues aren’t fixed.
Apple Inc., the company that offers its consumers user-friendly, sleek and slim products, has made a well-known name for itself. Beneath this icon is a company that has its products built in China, using immoral underage labor, toxic work conditions, and factories that are polluting the environment. This apple is most definitely an apple with a worm in it, there is no question about it. But what Apple Inc. needs to do is get rid of these problems and become a responsible company. This worm of immoral and disgraceful work conditions, labor, and environment practices has the possibility of destroying the company. It is working, eating away, trying to make itself exposed to all of those who see Apple Inc. as the good apple. Relying on underage workers, men and women working long shifts, in poorly ventilated work environments and being exposed to harmful chemicals and gases is wrong in so many ways. If Apple Inc. does not take responsibility for what its factories have turned into and fix them, they do not deserve this remarkable image. China needs to regulate the pollution in order to keep the public healthy and safe. . The appearance of Apple Inc. is now remarkable and they appear to be a great representation for the American dream. Steve Jobs has brought this company to where it is and he will be disappointed if the worm gets out, ruining what Apple has stood for in the past. He wouldn’t want the company to be known for its unethical work conditions and underage labor. Cook has come to face the issue as CEO and he has had a major part moving Apple Inc.’s productions overseas. Cook should get himself and Apple Inc. out of this mess that he put them into. It is getting out of control and Apple Inc. has to keep the pressure on these factories before it’s too late to save the image.
Works Cited
"Steve Jobs: The Man Who Saved Apple." Macworld 28.11 (2011): 14-18. Academic Search Complete. Web. 30 Oct. 2012.
Liu, Yanyun. "The Sour Apple." Beijing Review 55.7 (2012): 10-13. Academic Search Complete. Web. 4 Oct. 2012.
Michaels, Philip. "Apple Keeps Raking In The Big Bucks." Macworld 28.7 (2011): 18. Academic Search Complete. Web. 30 Oct. 2012.
Beech, Hannah, and Chengcheng Jiang. "The Cult Of Apple In China." Time 180.1 (2012): 44-49. Academic Search Complete. Web. 30 Oct. 2012.
Murphy, David. "A Foxconn Breakdown: Its Strengths, Strangeness, And Scrutiny." PC Magazine (2012): 1. Academic Search Complete. Web. 30 Oct. 2012.
Poeter, Damon. "Labor Group Says Foxconn Hid Underage Workers During Inspections." PC Magazine (2012): 1. Academic Search Complete. Web. 30 Oct. 2012.