...January 4, 2013 The Nike Corporation was started in the 1960’s under the name of Blue Ribbon Sports by Phil Knight and Bill Bowerman. Knight, a University of Oregon coach, was determined to make running shoes lighter and better. In 1979, the Nike brand was formed and opened its first retail store in Santa Monica, California. They continued over the next few decades to grow to one of the largest athletic footwear and attire stores in the world. However, as we all know, with the growth sometimes comes aches. Nike was expanding so quickly internationally that they began finding themselves in different countries facing numerous allegations ranging from poor work conditions to child-labor law violations. In fact, in 1998, Nike was starting to become “synonymous with slave wages, forced overtime, and arbitrary abuse” (The Nike Controversy, 2010). In 2009, there were allegations that Nike was violating child labor laws after opening a plant in Pakistan. There were accusations that Nike had young children in their plant making soccer balls. Although Pakistan does not have laws prohibiting children from working and, in fact, most Pakistani parents believe their children should work to help the household, it is a well-known fact that the United States has child labor laws and many people were upset at Nike’s acceptance and use of the children in their Pakistan facilities. Also, in 2009, Nike began having economic problems just like almost...
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...Nike’s exploitation of female workers – sacked for being pregnant, abused at work2012-3-31, Guest Today women and men from UK Feminista took to the high street to protest against the exploitation uncovered in factories supplying Nike. The actions, taking place outside Nike stores in London and Glasgow, will see campaigners “cheat” their way through a series of races and hold a medal ceremony where Nike will be awarded the title of “biggest cheat”. The demonstrations are a response to new reasearch(pdf) published by War on Want which has uncovered the systematic violations of workers’ rights in Bangladeshi factories supplying garments for Nike, Puma and Adidas. Their findings, while depressingly familiar, are still shocking: all factories visited were illegally employing staff for more than 60 hours a week, and five of the six failed to pay the legal minimal wage. But UK Feminista's protest demands that we rethink Nike’s exploitative practices as an explicitly feminist issue. Eighty five per cent of Bangladesh’s garment workers are women, and as such they experience distinct rights abuses as factory workers; 1 in 10 women workers are threatened with being made to undress, with 1 in 10 workers experiencing other sexual harassment. Many are refused maternity rights or simply fired when discovered to be pregnant, an indication of the profound disregard by firms like Nike for women’s reproductive labour. These statistics are enough to send any feminist out onto the street...
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...Ethics and Corporate Governance: Corporate Social Responsibility Contents Introduction 2 Definition of Ethics 2 Definition of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) 2 History of Ethics 2 Socrates 2 Plato 2 Aristotle 2 Cynics 2 Cyrenaics 2 Business Ethics 2 Nike 2 McDonalds 2 Enron 2 Wal-Mart 2 Why Business Ethics is Necessary 2 Conclusion 2 Bibliography 2 Introduction This assignment is a brief over view of ethics in the modern day era. It begins with a definition of ethics, followed by a concise explanation of corporate social responsibility. Ethics has evolved over a number of decades and still is to this day, with that a short history of ethics will be demonstrated in this assignment. Ethics determines whether or not a company has good or bad morale. Unfortunately a company that holds excellent ethics are not highlighted in the media as a company that has bad ethics. In this essay will illustrate examples of how large national and international companies came to have bad ethics. To conclude this assignment will be a brief outlay of why ethics is necessary to the business environment in this day and age. Definition of Ethics Ethics can be defined at vital concepts and essential principles of moral human conduct. It consists of the study of universal ethics such as the essential parity of all men and women, natural or human rights, compliance to the law of land, concern for health and safety and, progressively more, for the natural environment...
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...SEPTEMBER 6, 2002 DEBORA L. SPAR Hitting the Wall: Nike and International Labor Practices Moore: Twelve year olds working in [Indonesian] factories? That’s O.K. with you? Knight: They’re not 12-year-olds working in factories... the minimum age is 14. Moore: How about 14 then? Does that bother you? Knight: No. — Phil Knight, Nike CEO, talking to Director Michael Moore in a scene from documentary film The Big One, 1997. Nike is raising the minimum age of footwear factory workers to 18… Nike has zero tolerance for underage workers. 1 — Phil Knight, 1998 In 1997, Nguyen Thi Thu Phuong died while making sneakers. As she was trimming synthetic soles in a Nike contracting factory, a co-worker’s machine broke, spraying metal parts across the factory floor and into Phuong’s heart. The 23 year-old Vietnamese woman died instantly.2 Although it may have been the most dramatic, Phuong’s death was hardly the first misfortune to hit Nike’s far-flung manufacturing empire. Indeed, in the 1980s and 1990s, the corporation had been plagued by a series of labor incidents and public relations nightmares: underage workers in Indonesian plants, allegations of coerced overtime in China, dangerous working conditions in Vietnam. For a while, the stories had been largely confined to labor circles and activist publications. By the time of Phuong’s death, however, labor conditions at Nike had hit the mainstream. Stories of reported abuse at Nike plants had been carried in publications such as Time...
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...but none of them have been as successful as NIKE, Inc. It all started with two men, two men with a passion for track and field and the desire to innovate running shoes. Bill Bowerman, a track and field coach at Oregon University, and Phil Knight, a track and field athlete at Oregon University, teamed together to form “Blue Ribbon Sports” in 1964 which later became “Nike” in 1971. Since they began, they have expanded their products from solely running shoes into athletic shoes for a variety of sports as well as fan gear, workout gear, athletic equipment, and athletic gear for sports teams. Nike has grown from their World Headquarters in Oregon to several branches located in the Netherlands, Shanghai, and Japan. Each headquarter is focused on innovating their products to fit the consumers’ needs in their respected demographic and ultimately grow in those markets. With Nike’s success comes a high demand for their products. As a result of the high demand there are 774 factories located in 42 different countries in North and South America, Australia, Europe, and Asia. A large percentage of the factories are based in the emerging markets like Korea, Indonesia, Vietnam, Brazil, and Argentina. China claims a large percentage of the factories with over 213 compared to the United States with only 65. With the theme of inspiration and innovation, Nike has been able to significantly expand across the globe and affect every country it touches. Nike made headlines after several instances of...
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...Nike - Social and Ethical Issues http://www.writework.com/essay/nike-social-and-ethical-issues Nike has become one of those global companies targeted by a broad range of campaigning pressure groups and journalists as a symbolic representation of the business in society. In Nikes case, the issues are those of human rights and conditions for workers in factories in developing countries. In the face of constant accusations, Nike has developed a considered response but the criticism of Nike still continues. Nike produces footwear, clothing, equipment and accessory products for the sports and athletic market. It is the largest seller of such garments in the world. It sells to approximately 19,000 retail accounts in the US, and then in approximately 140 countries around the world. Just about all of its products are manufactured by independent contractors with footwear products in particular being manufactured in developing countries. The company manufactures in China, Taiwan, Korea, and Mexico as well as in the US and in Italy. The Global Alliance report on the factories in Indonesia gave the following workforce profile: 58% of them are young adults between 20 and 24 years old, and 83% are women. Few have work-related skills when they arrive at the factory. Nike has around 700 contract factories, within which around 20% of the workers are creating Nike products. Conditions for these workers have been a source of heated debate, with allegations made by campaigns of poor conditions...
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...Running Head: Nike, Inc. Nike, Inc. Case Study Adelaide A. Odoteye FIN 586 – Dr. Cullers Fall 2006 The brand name “Nike” is one of the most readily recognized around the globe. The name is synonymous with high-quality athletic shoes, apparel, and accessories in the minds of many people worldwide. Perhaps it is the ubiquitous Nike “swoosh” and compelling marketing that commands attention. Or maybe it is the association between the brand name and its famous endorsers, such as Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan. Alternatively, it may be Nike’s cutting-edge sporting vision and technology that entrances multitudes of consumers. Quite conceivably, it is a combination of these factors that has propelled Nike to the top of its industry. However, not all of Nike’s story is ideal. In recent years, the company has faced criticism in connection with its use of contract labor in developing nations. The purpose of this case is to provide an understanding of the company’s background, its general business strategy, and its use of contract labor. The Athletic Apparel and Footwear Industry The athletic apparel and footwear industry experienced steady growth for more than two decades, beginning in the early 1980’s. For example, in the U.S.A. alone, consumer spending on athletic footwear increased by 10 percent during the first six months of 2005 (Quinn, 2006). Consumers were not just professional athletes, but ordinary men, women, and...
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...EXECUTIVE SUMMARY NIKE INC. In an effort to become one of the world’s leading designers, marketers, and distributors of athletic footwear, apparel, equipment, and accessories, Nike Inc. started with two visionary men who transformed themselves into one of the top selling brands in the athletic shoe industry. Through taking chances and understanding customers needs, Nike Inc. has established a large market position and strong brand equity. Nike Inc. understood early in its history that aligning its products with top athletes like Tiger Woods, Lance Armstrong and Michael Jordan, would propel the Nike brand to the very top. Nike also fostered endorsements with both individuals and associations like the NFL. Nike also takes into consideration the impact of giving back, having a positive Corporate Social Responsibility and being environmentally conscious. At the same time Nike experienced setbacks due to their dependence on third party manufacturers and having limited control. Nike Better World CSR Campaign targets smaller waste output (carbon footprint) and paying closer attention to the way their products are being manufactured (labor force) helping Nike to get back in good standing with consumers. Because, the market for sporting goods is intensely competitive, it is important for Nike to realize that it is not just the young “hip” generation that is going to keep them on top. The older “Baby Boomers” can help them to succeed too; this generation is known for...
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...the future of all industries. These topics include sustainable resource management, the challenges and opportunities of global growth, workforce management, and the role of ethical consumption in business. The fashion industry offers a compelling case study for exploring business sustainability issues. In the fashion industry, as in many industries, success requires highly developed sourcing, design, manufacturing, and marketing chains. Increasingly, success also means incorporating sustainability in resource and labor management, as firms realize that long-term corporate survival will depend on new ways of doing business. Climate change, resource challenges, new technologies and dramatic shifts in the global economy are already impacting the industry. The nexus of these concerns allows students to explore sustainability challenges while providing a framework for discussing new business models and management techniques for the future. Given its enormous reach and connection to important business topics ranging from climate change to social networking, the fashion industry’s practices provide broadly-relevant lessons for future business leaders in all fields as they focus on ways to minimize negative impacts and maximize positive sustainable outcomes for businesses,...
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...of Science and Education Globalization, Transnational Corporations and Human Rights – A New Paradigm Jennifer Westaway1 1 School of Business Law and Taxation, Curtin University, Perth, Australia Correspondence: Jennifer Westaway, School of Business Law and Taxation, Curtin University, GPO Box U1987, Perth, 6957, Western Australia. Tel: 61-892-666-3945. E-mail: jennifer.westaway@cbs.curtin.edu.au Received: February 13, 2012 doi:10.5539/ilr.v1n1p63 Abstract The growth in power and influence of the transnational corporation under the forces of globalization has been touted as being one of the most significant developments both domestically and internationally. Changes to economic, political and financial barriers by many developing countries with the hope to attract international investment have seen the move by transnational corporations to exploit these opportunities. There are many who argue that the impact of transnational corporations has been positive, providing employment and income opportunities as well as country wealth. There are however, many who argue that the power and influence of the transnational corporation brings with it the ability to directly impact adversely on human rights and that as the transnational corporation operates outside human rights obligations assumed by each state pursuant to their status under international conventions, there needs to be a new human rights dialogue. This paper addresses the significance of the transnational corporation...
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...MEDIA EDUCATION FOUNDATION STUDY GUIDE NO LOGO BRANDS, GLOBALIZATION, RESISTANCE WRITTEN BY JEREMY EARP & DANIELLE DEVEREAUX Challenging media CONTENTS NO LOGO BRANDS, GLOBALIZATION, RESISTANCE NOTE TO TEACHERS.............................................................................................................................................................................pg. 03 THE MEDIA LITERACY CIRCLE OF EMPOWERMENT....................................................................................................................04 OVERVIEW.........................................................................................................................................................................................................05 PRE-VIEWING EXERCISES..........................................................................................................................................................................06 INTRODUCTION Key Points..........................................................................................................................................................................................................07 Questions for Discussion & Writing.....................................................................................................................................................07 NO SPACE: BRANDED WORLD Key Points......................................................................................
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...This page intentionally left blank Lut12575_fm_i-xxvi.indd Page i 2/10/11 2:28 PM user-f494 /203/MHBR222/Lut12575_disk1of1/0078112575/Lut12575_pagefiles International Management Culture, Strategy, and Behavior Eighth Edition Fred Luthans University of Nebraska–Lincoln Jonathan P. Doh Villanova University Lut12575_fm_i-xxvi.indd Page ii 2/11/11 2:35 PM user-f494 /203/MHBR222/Lut12575_disk1of1/0078112575/Lut12575_pagefiles INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT: CULTURE, STRATEGY, AND BEHAVIOR, EIGHTH EDITION Published by McGraw-Hill, a business unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 1221 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020. Copyright © 2012 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Previous editions © 2009, 2006, and 2003. No part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written consent of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., including, but not limited to, in any network or other electronic storage or transmission, or broadcast for distance learning. Some ancillaries, including electronic and print components, may not be available to customers outside the United States. This book is printed on recycled, acid-free paper containing 10% postconsumer waste. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 QDB/QDB 1 0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 ISBN 978-0-07-811257-7 MHID 0-07-811257-5 Vice President & Editor-in-Chief: Brent Gordon Vice President, EDP/Central Publishing...
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...IFRS: FASB and IASB Fair value measurements provide users of financial statements with an accurate picture of the value of a company’s assets. Both IFRS and GAAP require firms to include information regarding fair value measurement practices in the notes of financial statements. Under either system, companies will be required to report assets at either book value or fair value, depending on the situation. As a general rule of thumb, all assets in the same class must receive the same valuation treatment. In regards to the value of receivables, IRFS uses a two- tiered method that first analyzes individual receivables, and then looks at receivables as whole to determine if there is any impairment. Basic accounting and reporting issues related to recognition and measurement of receivables, allowance accounts, recording discounts, the allowance method to account for bad debt and factoring are pretty much all the same between GAAP and IFRS. However, IASB (International Accounting Standards Board) and FASB (Financial Accounting Standards Board) are taking steps by working to implement fair value measurement, the amount they currently could be sold for, for financial instruments. The FASB and IASB are facing opposition from various factors thus have adopted a piecemeal approach. Step one is to disclose the fair value information in the notes, and second step is the fair market option which permits companies to record some type of financial instrument at fair value in financial statements...
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...Krishna Burberry: Burberry moved manufacturing work overseas to China (offshoring). This involved the closure of their factory in Rhondda, causing 300 jobs to be lost in Rhondda. Consequently staff were crying when given the news and protests were held, causing the reputation and brand image to worsen in the short-term of Burberry as a result of making such an unethical move. This was a large concern as Burberry provided well-paid, quality employment, so the 300 job cuts in Rhondda meant a sad loss to the development of the economic infrastructure of Rhondda. Also in the short-term Burberry had to suffer larger cash outflows due to the redundancy payments. However the lower labour costs in China, although rising, allowed profits to rise. Also Burberry saw a 19% sales revenue rise, due to the rising customer disposable incomes in China, and as a result profits rose. Therefore in the short-term the move to China was not good as it meant large cash outflows due to the redundancy payments, and the job cuts in the UK made Burberry receive an unethical, negative brand image and reputation, reducing sales and profits. Although in the long-term Burberry is likely to benefit from greater sales and so more profits, particularly due to lower labour costs, but this depends on the rate at which labour costs are rising in China relative to that of the UK, and how high the shipping costs are of the goods from China to the UK. Dyson: Dyson's very innovative bladeless fan was the result...
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...Globalization is the process of international integration arising from the interchange of world views, products, ideas, and other aspects of culture. Advances in transportation and telecommunications infrastructure, including the rise of the telegraph and its posterity the Internet, are major factors in globalization, generating further interdependence of economic and cultural activities. Though several scholars place the origins of globalization in modern times, others trace its history long before the European age of discovery and voyages to the New World. Some even trace the origins to the third millennium BCE. In the late 19th century and early 20th century, the connectedness of the world's economies and cultures grew very quickly. The term globalization has been in increasing use since the mid-1980s and especially since the mid-1990s. In 2000, the International Monetary Fund identified four basic aspects of globalization: trade and transactions, capital and investment movements, migration and movement of people and the dissemination of knowledge. Further, environmental challenges such as climate change, cross-boundary water, air pollution, and over-fishing of the ocean are linked with globalization. Globalizing processes affect and are affected by business and work organization, economics, socio-cultural resources, and the natural environment. Overview Humans have interacted over long distances for thousands of years. The overland Silk Road that connected Asia, Africa...
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