Home -> Law Blog Directory -> International Law Blogs -> China Law Blog

International Law

: China Law Blog

China's Silcon Sweatshops. And Why It Matters To Your Business.

By Dan Harris and Steve Dickinson

Global Post is running a five part series on China's high-tech sweat shops (h/t Danwei). Part I is entitled Silicon Sweatshops and from there you will find the link to the other four parts. For those who deal with China every day (or even if you have read the excellent book, The China Price) the main themes of the series will come as no surprise. The themes are that the conditions for and the treatment of workers at many (most/all?) of the factories that manufacture for the leading high tech companies (Apple, Nokia, Microsoft, Dell, etc.) are not up to the standards these companies seem to seek. The other, somewhat more universal theme is how difficult it is to monitor and control the Chinese companies with whom you work. And whatever the series says about this in terms of labor conditions holds with at least equal force with respect to product quality control. This is an excellent series for understanding what goes on in China and how difficult it is to really know what is really going on inside the factories you are using. I recommend it.

Full post as published by China Law Blog on November 23, 2009 (boomark / email).