Sesame Street has started teaching science to youngsters and their parents. Not by choice, mind you, but as a result of a massive recall of lead contaminated toys manufactured in -- where else -- China. Perhaps that's why Elmo still speaks like an infant -- it's all the lead that was used to make him that has caused irreversible brain damage!
I have written previously about China and the dangers in outsourcing manufacturing to this country. Again, not to say there aren't some honourable and viable manufacturers in China, but quite honestly, every week, we are being inundated with another story about lack of quality and ingredients being used in the production cycle that can either harm or kill.
I'm not going to blame China. They are trying to keep up with the unprecedented demand being placed on them by the Western conglomerates, eager to enhance their profit margins by engaging with cheap manufacturing costs in this country. But of course there is the old adage "you get what you pay for!" And in this case, it's substandard and dangerous products, once again.
In the July 30th issue of Business Week there is an article entitled Not Made In China, which talks about the success of companies who are now labeling and marketing products as being China-free. These items are flying off the shelves. And IBM is successfully exploiting the situation with a "cradle to grave" software program which provides insight into every step of the supply chain!
So why aren't more companies doing significant due diligence on quality and manufacturing standards before leaping off the cliff without a parachute? There are a plethora of answers to this question but the most compelling, I believe, rest in the almighty profit motive and of course the bandwagon effect.
The bandwagon effect is defined in Wikipedia as "the observation that people often do (or believe) things because many other people do (or believe) the same. " Basically it means that it is the adolescent need to fit in and be like everyone else, because, of course, if they are doing it and are part of the "in" crowd, then it must be great.
The corporate titans must enjoy sitting around in the airport lounge talking about their latest exploits in China. If you aren't there you can't join in the conversation, and just like in high school, you slink away, sitting in the corner, watching the "cool kids" having fun.
Well, just like in high school, the "cool kids" often drop out or fail and end up bagging groceries for a living, while the "geek" becomes magnificently successful aka Bill Gates.
Maybe it's time for everyone to sit back and consider what benefit the additional profit is giving their corporation. One of the most respected toy manufacturers, Fischer Price, is not tainted because of the pursuit of the almighty dollar.
Perhaps Dora the Explorer should re-examine her destinations, and stay away from China -- for now.
I have written previously about China and the dangers in outsourcing manufacturing to this country. Again, not to say there aren't some honourable and viable manufacturers in China, but quite honestly, every week, we are being inundated with another story about lack of quality and ingredients being used in the production cycle that can either harm or kill.
I'm not going to blame China. They are trying to keep up with the unprecedented demand being placed on them by the Western conglomerates, eager to enhance their profit margins by engaging with cheap manufacturing costs in this country. But of course there is the old adage "you get what you pay for!" And in this case, it's substandard and dangerous products, once again.
In the July 30th issue of Business Week there is an article entitled Not Made In China, which talks about the success of companies who are now labeling and marketing products as being China-free. These items are flying off the shelves. And IBM is successfully exploiting the situation with a "cradle to grave" software program which provides insight into every step of the supply chain!
So why aren't more companies doing significant due diligence on quality and manufacturing standards before leaping off the cliff without a parachute? There are a plethora of answers to this question but the most compelling, I believe, rest in the almighty profit motive and of course the bandwagon effect.
The bandwagon effect is defined in Wikipedia as "the observation that people often do (or believe) things because many other people do (or believe) the same. " Basically it means that it is the adolescent need to fit in and be like everyone else, because, of course, if they are doing it and are part of the "in" crowd, then it must be great.
The corporate titans must enjoy sitting around in the airport lounge talking about their latest exploits in China. If you aren't there you can't join in the conversation, and just like in high school, you slink away, sitting in the corner, watching the "cool kids" having fun.
Well, just like in high school, the "cool kids" often drop out or fail and end up bagging groceries for a living, while the "geek" becomes magnificently successful aka Bill Gates.
Maybe it's time for everyone to sit back and consider what benefit the additional profit is giving their corporation. One of the most respected toy manufacturers, Fischer Price, is not tainted because of the pursuit of the almighty dollar.
Perhaps Dora the Explorer should re-examine her destinations, and stay away from China -- for now.
1 comment:
I'm not going to blame China.
I think perhaps I will blame China, among others, even if you're giving them the benefit of the doubt.
It seems to me, in nearly everything they do, the Chinese government makes the assumption pretty well anything is more valuable than human life. I guess this makes sense when you're so grossly overpopulated, it is essentially impossible to gainfully employ or feed everyone.
Of course they do have the 'one couple, one child' policy but apparently that law is widely and generally ignored by everyone, including the government. It reminds me of American immigration laws vis a vis Mexico, perhaps even for the same reasons.
Recently I came across an interesting group called 'The Voluntary Human Extinction Movement' and they have a web page at vhemt.org (where else?). Their motto is: 'May We Live Long And Die Out'
and that makes perfect sense to me and apparently a lot of other reasonably intelligent people.
You're correct in pointing out international Corporations seem to have the same attitude towards human life as the Chinese government where it affects profits.
I guess that's just the new global economy and as good capitalists, we ought not to be complaining about it.
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