Abstract

The case primarily deals with the growing concern over the numerous suicides at Foxconn which raised doubts about its labor practices. The case charts the growth of Foxconn into the league of top players of the world in the electronics manufacturing industry and provides multitude of contradi-ctory viewpoints of various stakeholders like employees, suppliers, government, media, non-for- profit organizations, etc. It provides scope for an analysis of the labor practices at Foxconn and the probable reasons for the suicides. The case unfolds the steps taken by Foxconn to counter the suicide problem and provides Foxconn management’s responses to allegations of poor labor practices. How various stakeholders play their part, react and counter-react to these measures is also seen.

Learning Objectives

The case is structured to achieve the following Learning Objectives:

• Discuss the importance of good labor practices. Discuss the ill-effects of poor labor practices on the laborers’ welfare. Elucidate how media reports of poor labor relations can affect the company’s image. Discuss how media reports can build pressure from

Keywords

Human Resource Management, HR Practices, Labor Practices, Business Ethics, Foxconn, Company Image, Stake Holder Theory, Low Cost Manufacturing, Publicity, Industrial Relations, Sweatshop, China