Corporate Irresponsibility by StarBucks Coffee

CHILD LABOR ON SIDAMO COFFEE FARMS

In Sidamo, over half of children between the ages of 5 and 17 work 30 hours a week on their families’ farms. Sidamo is extremely poor. Only 2.7% of households around Sidamo have running water. Literacy is low: of males over nine years old, only 25.5% are can read and write; for females the rate is 13.6%. Only 33.6% of children attend school. The low prices paid by Starbucks and other coffee buyers forces coffee farmers to put their children to work on their family farms. 49% of Sidamo parents whose children are working would prefer, instead, that their children were able to delay entering the workforce until after they had completed their schooling. Unfortunately, the low prices Starbucks and other buyers pay for their coffee force farmers to put their children to work. Coffee is grown on small family plots; when coffee prices are low, child labor helps Sidamo’s families reduce their malnutrition.

As a result, over two million children in the Sidamo area, aged 5 through 17, are working: 92% are working in agriculture, 94% are unpaid family workers, and 90% are working to support their families. On the average, they work 29.9 hours per week. Child labor is a significant part of the agricultural economy. Yet this is not a world their parents want.

With Starbucks paying only 2.2% of retail to these “partners,” these Sidamo farmers are unable to earn a living wage and will remain in poverty. Starbucks understands this reality, yet continues to exploit its market power over such small farmers. As Starbucks’ Trade Consultant, Rosa Whitaker, candidly put it: “the reason why farmers remain poor, is because [sic.] I’ve never seen any country in the world where people have moved out of poverty exporting primary raw products.” Starbucks relies on the tyranny of the commodity coffee market to keep coffee prices low, and knowingly perpetuates

the poverty of its farmers by paying market prices in short-term contracts. Paying “premium prices” for coffee that is priced so low that farmers cannot feed their families is socially irresponsible purchasing.

http://www.starbucksunion.org/files/iww_sbuxcorpreport.pdf

Country of Origin Where My Clothes Were Manafactured

Nudie Jeans Co. Sweater: Portugal

Nudie Jeans Co. Jeans Jacket: Italy


Nudie Jeans Co. Jeans:Italy


Ugg Astrailia Footwear: Australia

Chapter 4: The Market Environment of Apple

Apple targets middle and upper income consumers who are willing to pay a bit more for a better user experience and consumers who like to have fun with technology. Wheather your a 60 year old photographer, 30 year old music composer, or 12 year old music fan, apple has a product for you. Apple's market enviornment like any other compainies consist of the macroenvironment and the microenvironment components. The macroenvironmental factors deals with the performance, structure, behavior and decision-making of the entire economy. The microenvironmental factors includes dealing with customers, employees, suppliers, shareholders, media, and competitors. Apple has a unique way of marketing amd dealing with these factors. They have risen to the top of the tech prymid with their mastery of marketing, closing, and follow up.

Weekly Quote From Steve Jobs

"Apple's market share is bigger than BMW's or Mercedes's or Porsche's in the automotive market. What's wrong with being BMW or Mercedes? "

Chapter 3: Ethics and Social Responsibility of Apple

Steve Jobs and others over at Apple have stepped up to the plate when it comes to showing social responsibility. Over the years Apple has devised new ways to sell more using less. From the glass, plastic, and metal in Apple's products to the paper and ink in their packaging, their goal is to continue leading the industry in reducing and eliminating environmentally harmful substances. In today's time, using less is best. Apple sees the "going green" market and has attacked. They are now creating products from recycled materials and ones that use lesser energy. While doing this, Apple is still maintaining top dollar. The MacBook Pro features a revolutionary design which replaces dozens of individual parts with a single piece of recyclable aluminum. Today’s 20-inch iMac uses 55 percent less material than its first-generation. That’s a material savings of 10,000 metric tons, the equivalent of 7,200 Toyota Priuses, for every one million iMac sold.

Chapter 2- Strategic Planning of Apple

Apple wants to continue to increase profits, market share, and maintain brand image. To do so Apple has adapted with consumers wants and needs. Apple relies on their successful products to extend their image on innovation, value, and quality. Apple tries to stay the talk of the tech world by creating convenient, and affordable devices. As for the future, Apple is looking into making their products more enviornment friendly. Apple designs smaller, thinner, lighter products.They do more with less material. MacBook Pro features a revolutionary unibody design, which replaces dozens of individual parts with a single piece of recyclable aluminum.

Chapter 1- The History and Mission Statement of Apple

 Established on April 1, 1976 in Cupertino, California, the company was previously named Apple Computer. 30 years later the word "Computer" was removed from the company name to reflect the ongoing expansion into the consumer electronics market. Apple launched the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple II and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh. Apple is well known for its OS X operating system, and iLife digital lifestyle and professional applications. The company is also known for their one of a kind line of products which compose of the innovative and award-winning iMac, MacBook, iPod, iPhone, and the iPad. Apple's main competitors included Dell, Hewlett Packard, and Microsoft.