Child Labor in Nike

Essay Instructions:

Select a supply chain problem faced by a specific company that has been well publicised. Identify and critically evaluate the key supply chain issue(s) relating to this problem.

The purpose of this assignment is to encourage students to link what has been covered in class to real life, practical examples. Students are expected to identify a real current or past supply chain problem faced by a specific company. It is important that students can access information on this issue. For example, newspaper articles are usually a good source to use for information on the problem itself.

Examples of supply chain problems:

-Running out of toilet roll and other things (handwash/sanitiser/pasta/ etc.) during pandemic crisis

- Supply chain shortages affecting retailers as a result of Brexit.

-Problems matching supply and demand (e.g. KFC running out of chicken/Lego having too many bricks)

-Problems associated with monitoring complex global supply chains (e.g. child labour concerns faced by companies such as Nike, Gap and Primark)

- Problems monitoring quality/safety along supply chains (e.g. product defects/recalls (horsemeat scandal)

There are a lot of potential examples that might be used for this assignment. If you are struggling to identify a relevant problem, you can use one of the examples provided above or one of the many examples discussed in lectures. The examples above highlight issues that have affected supply chains in recent years. You will need to choose a specific company to focus on and not just discuss the broader 'industry-level' issue. The additional seminar session in week 9 will be used to provide

formative feedback on assignment preparation and students will have the chance to ask questions to help them identify an appropriate problem to analyse. I will not be able to provide individual students with guidance on whether their problem/topic is ok. There are too many of you for me to be able to do this for everyone, so I won't be able to do it for anyone as that would be unfair if a couple of students ask and receive additional guidance. Extensive written guidance is given here and in the linked docs and there will be opportunity to ask Qs in the discussion forum, seminar or lecture sessions. Some of the interactive class activities are designed to help students identify a relevant problem and topic. I have also put together a Q+A document based on common Qs asked about this assignment and the discussion forum will display further Qs that get asked in the run up to submission.

Guidance

See below for a suggested structure and guidelines on how the word count should be used. The main thing to note is that the emphasis should be on the theory/topics identified as relevant and these should be discussed at length as opposed to merely describing the problem.

-Define the problem (roughly 250 - 300 words) - background information on the problem (e.g. what is the problem? What company was affected? What have the implications been? Where in the supply chain did it occur?). Non-academic sources such as newspaper articles and online articles would provide the majority of information on the problem itself.

-What supply chain issues are highlighted in this problem? (around 1800-2000 words)- consider in depth 1 or 2 supply chain topics that relate to the problem. Academic journal articles should inform most of the discussion on the key topics.

For example, if you are looking at the problem of Nike being exposed for using child labour, the main supply chain topic to consider is Social Responsibility in supply chains. In this section you would discuss this topic in detail (e.g. what it is, why it has become important, the responsibility of companies, what happens when things go wrong). Thus, you are essentially using the ‘problem’ as a platform to discuss the supply chain area that it relates to.

-Conclusions and recommendations (250 -300 words)- Has the problem been sufficiently rectified? How? Can steps be taken to prevent any future problems of a similar nature

i want you to write nike children labor problem thanks

Essay Sample Content Preview:

CHILD LABOR IN NIKE
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Introduction
Blue Ribbon Sports was the original name of Nike when it was founded in 1964. Nike became Nike in 1971. Phil Knight, one of the two founders, had the idea while attending Stanford Business School. At the time, American manufacturers produced the great majority of the country's footwear. By outsourcing production to a network of suppliers in lower-cost regions of the world, Nike was able to expand rapidly. In 1996, everything was different. A story in Life magazine featured a picture of a young child sewing footballs with the Nike logo on them. Given that the image appeared to show inflated footballs when, in fact, the balls were shipped deflated, there is some indication that the picture was staged. It made no difference. The image served as a potent visual representation of a situation that was demonstrated to be real. The company's image took a hit, and the first of many protests began.
In the supply chain, Nike, a significant player in the global sportswear market, has had to cope with significant issues involving child labor. The problem lies in the under appreciation of young workers who make Nike products, often putting in long hours for little reward and working in hazardous environments. The situation has drawn a lot of public outrage and scrutiny, raising questions about the company's moral principles and sense of corporate responsibility. The lower tiers of Nike's supply chain, where raw materials are sourced and initial manufacturing processes take place, are primarily where child labor concerns arise. The problem is frequently associated with suppliers and subcontractors that conduct business in nations with loose labor laws that permit the exploitation of minors. There have been reports of child labor at several stages of the production process, such as the assembly of products in factories and the harvesting of raw materials like cotton.
Corporate Social Responsibility
The topic of social responsibility in supply chains has gained significant popularity, particularly in the aftermath of incidents involving the use of child labor by companies such as Nike. This supply chain topic emphasizes companies' responsibilities to uphold fair and ethical labor practices throughout their supply chains by examining accountability, ethical concerns, and the larger social impact. The ethical and moral responsibilities that businesses have for the social and environmental effects of their operations, are referred to as social responsibility in supply chains. This is particular within the larger network of subcontractors and suppliers. It includes treating employees fairly, abiding by labor laws, and promoting ethical and sustainable business practices to make sure that the company's operations benefit society.
The globalization of supply chains and the interconnection of the world economy have raised awareness of the social and environmental effects of business practices. Actors, regulators, and customers are currently putting pressure on businesses to act in a more moral and open manner (Lund-T...

Updated on February 27, 2024

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Child Labor in Nike

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