The New York Time recently ran a fascinating article on why Apple builds all its stuff in China. This has brought renewed calls about low wages, child labour, working conditions, employee suicides, buy American, boycott Apple, etc.
My question is, why are they focusing on Apple and Foxconn? Apple is not the only company building their stuff in China and Apple is not Foxconn’s only customer. Last time I checked, pretty much every American tech firm builds their stuff in China. Apple is the target simply because they’re the most successful.
Just how bad are working conditions at Foxconn? The following graphic visualisation by Paul Arnett (based on numbers from Frobes.com) should put things in context.
Disclosure – I am an Apple shareholder. And no, I don’t need Apple to pay out a dividend.