Abstract
In 2010, a cluster of suicides at the electronics manufacturing giant Foxconn Technology Group sparked worldwide outcry about working conditions at its factories in China. Within a few short months, 14 young migrant workers jumped to their deaths from buildings on the Foxconn campus, an all-encompassing compound where they had worked, eaten, and slept. Even though the language of workplace dignity was invoked in official responses from Foxconn and its business partner Apple, neither of these parties directly examined workers’ dignity in their ensuing audits. Based on our analysis of media accounts of life at Foxconn, we argue that its total institution structure imposed unique indignities on its workers that both raised questions of their self-respect and self-worth, as well as gave rise to multiple episodes of disrespectful communication. We interpret our findings in light of the larger cultural context and meanings of work in China to understand more fully the experience of dignity of Foxconn’s migrant workforce.
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Notes
Interestingly, there was no mention of the suicides anywhere in Foxconn Technology Group’s (2010) corporate social responsibility report. However, the “Our Employees” section was filled with copy dedicated to psychological health, morale, and counseling services.
This was not the first time Foxconn was in the media hot seat. In 2006, a series of newspaper stories and blog posts exposed Foxconn’s militaristic management style. See Frost and Burnett (2007) for details.
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Lucas, K., Kang, D. & Li, Z. Workplace Dignity in a Total Institution: Examining the Experiences of Foxconn’s Migrant Workforce. J Bus Ethics 114, 91–106 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-012-1328-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-012-1328-0