"For firms trying to improve working conditions the fault may well be in their own business model. Just-in-time manufacturing has made supply chains leaner. Slimmer inventory cuts costs and allows firms to move more quickly. As products’ life-cycles shorten, this is a crucial competitive edge. But a last-minute design change or the launch of a new product can mean suppliers having to pull out all the stops to keep up—or face a stiff financial penalty."
— When The Jobs Inspector Calls is a nuanced Economist piece looking at supply chain issues for large multinational companies making the bulk of their products in developing markets such as China or south-east Asia. Focused mainly on, surprise surprise, Apple, the piece also looks at practices by the likes of Nike, and does a good job of illustrating the complexity of the issue. The piece also cites the fascinating findings of MIT’s Richard Locke, author of the upcoming Promoting Labour Rights in a Global Economy.
