Running head: Nike and the Sweatshop Debate

Nike the Sweatshop Debate
Shelia D. Marshall
Global Strategies MGT 448 Shabbir Karim October 12, 2009
Nike the Sweatshop Debate Beneath all the hoopla and controversy about Nike being a successful company in the United States in which its earnings in 2009 according to Hoovers Inc., 2009, Nike’s revenue for 2009 was $19, 176.1 million and their gross profit was $8,604.4 million, made possible by the hands of women and underage workers who work long hours and in unsafe conditions in those sweatshops in foreign factories located in foreign countries as Indonesia, China, and more recently in Vietnam. Nike is a US sports company based in Beaverton, Oregon, Nike’s original
3 (2006-2010). Transformation – Focus on building excellence in factory remediation, developing a sustainable sourcing strategy, building business integration and accountability, increasing contract factory ownership of corporate responsibility, and building industry conditions (Nikebiz). Not only does Nike have a responsibility to be in compliance, but also the host governments have a responsibility to protect the citizens who live and work in these countries. Labor laws must be enforced, and workers should be protected. In an article written by Bao Doan the government, in an attempt to alleviate poverty and unemployment, has sometimes opened doors for labor abuses. According to the article international human rights groups and labor coalitions have tried urging foreign invested factories to improve the living conditions, and Vietnamese laborers have little power to organize boycotts to try to stop the treatment going on in said sweatshops. The Vietnam workers in these factories are protesting more to have a better quality of life and the government of Vietnam has a responsibility to make this happen. The Vietnam government has the responsibility of ensuring workers when foreign investors enter Vietnam these companies are abiding by the country’s labor laws and if these companies refuse it is the responsibility of the Vietnam government to enforce the law or force out the company. Labor analysts