While outsourcing has allowed Apple to reap the benefits of lower cost and more flexible manufacturing, its lack of direct control has proven to be a challenge. How did Apple step in to improve working conditions at Foxconn, one of its major suppliers?

After complaints regarding the working condition at Foxconn, Apple stepped in to improve the working condition by conducting a regular audit of the production facility and implementing the recommendations amde after the audit.

Explanation:

Foxconn is Apple’s largest OEM supplier. After complaints of the unhealthy working condition of factories, Apple stepped indirectly as an overall part of improving working conditions at Foxconn in the following ways-

Audits of the Foxconn factories in China and identification of host of remedial measures that must be pursued in the interest of healthy working condition in the factory premises.  Maintaining a tight ceiling value of maximum work that can be done by an employee in a week. Earlier this ranged up to 100 hours. Following the fiasco, Foxconn announced a policy of allowing no employee to cross an average 49 hours a week deadline. Constitution of an equitably represented trade union committee which is to be staffed by the workers rather than factory managers. Name of workers engaged in most productive and unproductive work was pasted on the bulletin board as a part of “fame and shame”. Lower age workers in the age bracket 16 to 17 years were shifted to lower risk jobs and day jobs instead of night shifts.