Question 2 (30 marks) Hongfujin Precision Industries was one of China’s largest export manufacturers in 2005, having ove

[answerhappygod]

Question 2 (30 marks) Hongfujin Precision Industries was one of
China’s largest export manufacturers in 2005, having overseas sales
of US$14.5 billion. Owned by Foxconn, a huge Taiwanese conglomerate
whose customers include Apple, Intel, and Dell. The Hongfujin
factory looks like a small city, with clinics, recreational
facilities, buses, and 13 restaurants that serve 200,000 employees.
There were news reports surfaced in mid-2006 suggesting systematic
labor abuses at a factory in China that makes Apple’s product.
Workers at Hongfujin were paid as little as US$50 a month to work
15-hour shifts, as well as forced overtime assembling the iPod,
according to the reports. Besides, poor living conditions were
found for the workers, mostly young women who had migrated from the
rural villages to work at the plant and lived in company-owned
dormitories. Apple management responded to the news quickly,
pledging to audit Hongfujin’s operations to ensure it was complying
with Apple’s code on labour standards for subcontractors. Apple
allowed for no more than 60 hours a week for workers.
2a. Based on the above case, identify TWO unethical employment
practices that could have been adopted by an international
manufacturing company such as Foxconn. (10 marks)
2b. Discuss TWO common ethical issues, other than employment
practices, in international business. (20 marks)