It's finally happened,, China is outsourcing for cheaper labor

[petek]

I read this in the paper the other day and just remembered it. Yes, it's true, in order to lower manufacturing costs more and more Chinese companies are outsourcing manufacturing to North Korea where labor costs are lower and work standards are virtually non-existant, even compared to there own.

 

[toggleswitch]

La justice, la justice!

What goes around, comes around.

 

[toggleswitch]

...so am I getting this right?

Canada will buy from USA, who will buy from Mexico, who will buy from China, who will buy from Korea?

1- Quality stds? (HA)
2- Readable owners' manual (double HA!)

 

[compactc9]

North Korea, I swear I will never buy anything made there, my morals won't allow it. Its just to terrible of a country with basically Satan himself running it. And you know that most or all of the money will go to that man. I literally feel sick just thinking about it.

 

[sudsmaster]

Next stop: outsourcing to Uganda.

 

[westyslantfront]

Where will all this outsourcing end?

 

[toggleswitch]

Maybe it won't end until every economy is intertwined with every other.

Then if one counntry has gas, and needs to pass wind, there will end up being a hurricane somewhere else.

 

[knitwits1975]

Where will all this outsourcing end?

Well I have a good Idea. How about in America!

 

[gregm]

come around to bite ................

Its going to come back around to US and bite them in the butt. It stinks in the meantime for all the loyal, long-term, hardworking people out there that have or will continue to lose jobs. I work in packaging sales and I have seen less and less companies buying packaging for thier product because production has moved overseas. So many of us, including myself and my company are holding tight to ride this looooooooong wave of some others greed.

 

[sudsmaster]

The big problem is that the economists our government(s) currently listen to are all repeating the same mantra: "Supply creates demand". The glut of cheaply priced but adequately constructed merchandise from China is a prime example of this philosophy. The only problem is that eventually, the demand will dry up - due to saturation and/or inability to pay. When that happens, as in 1929, markets will collapse. Ironically, China will be hit the hardest, since it will suddenly be without the huge influx of dollars that fuels its rapid development. The screeching halt to its economic growth - or maybe even a big downturn - may unleash a torent of pent-up social unrest that will rock that continent.

When the whole house of cards collapses, there *may* be a premium placed on workers in countries like the USA who actually know how to make stuff... instead of simply shuffling papers, buying or selling stuff someone else makes, or answering the phone. But overall I'd have to say the future looks kind of dismal for the average American worker.

 

[gregm]

well put

yup, and how long will it go on ? I think it may turn around someday, but not during my "work/lifetime" ........ but I see some dramatic changes in the next 30-40 years ...........

 

[sudsmaster]

Oh, I figure it will all start to come apart as soon as I retire on a fixed income.

 

[tolivac]

Could the Chinese factories have to "outsource"to build items for Wal-Mart-in order to meet the demands of folks that buy from them?As "sudsMaster" says-would hate to be in China when the workers there revolt over "outsourcing"Yes-the US may have to strat building things again-would be a nice thought-the "Service" economy proposed for the US is going to bomb-We need to stick with industry here-like we have done for 200years.

 

[petek]

Chinese companies have to compete against each other as well in order to win lucrative contracts so you can bet there's a lot of pressure coming from not just Walmart etc to supply the goods at the absolute lowest possible prices

 

[sudsmaster]

The problem with the "service economy" concept is that it is the sort of thing that is most easily outsourced, at least for things like phone support, programming, electrical engineering, anything with data that can be transmitted over the internet, etc. Most of that is going to India, not China, though, but it's been a big hit for US high tech professionals.

I heard a NPR radio show the other day when a fellow who was studying outsourcing to China described what he saw there. Apparently it is not unusual in a Chinese factory to have one person actually doing some work, and another ten people standing around watching or swatting flies. Apparently labor is so cheap there that they can do this and still beat out western shops. I have also heard that it is also not unusual for the entire workforce of a factory servicing western contracts to be fired and a completely new workforce to be brought in, at the first hint of labor unrest. Lord knows what happens to those who've been fired. But it's a bit amazing to me that our politicians and business people haven't raised more than a murmur over the human rights abuses that seem to be rampant in Chinese industry, as well as the complete lack of democracy there. Espeically when many of them support our invading a country that never attacked us and sending the death toll there soaring, supposedly to rectify human rights abuses and bring democracy to the region.

 

[tolivac]

The "India Outsourcing" presents a problems--wonder if the US companies trying to use it have figured it out-Language barriers for consumers,clients,and the India outsourcers.also engineering standards and training for the India people is COMPLETELY DIFFRENT than ours.They may not be on the same engineering standards.Many people who own computers and have "communicated" with the India "help" staff have ended up with no help.the US person cannot communicate effectively with the person in India.and how famaliar is the person in India with the equipment?Its said the India help staff get little training.Time to dump that outsourcing.

 

[frigilux]

Don't you people realize that when you you get all negative then the terrorists win? Wave your flags! Put bumper stickers on your car! Join a megachurch! It doesn't matter if economies collapse, because God wouldn't let anything bad happen to Americans if we would all just become Evangelical fundamentalists. The answer is in prayer, people! All of this other speculation is just the work of the devil.

 

[petek]

Who in the heck was it said that we have nothing to fear but fear itself.
Well is it just me looking in from the outside but it appears to me that Americans are being hoodwinked into becoming ever more fearful by the current administration, on purpose?, and in so doing more people are willing to let their rights,freedom and privacy slip away, "in the interests of national security and the war on terrorism"
To me that's more scary than the terrorist threats.

 

[retromom]

Fear Factor and then some

"We have nothing to fear but fear itself. I believe it was FDR who said that.

"I don't think we have been "hoodwinked" into becoming fearful. The events of 9/11 brought fear right into our living rooms. We finally have a president that tells it like it is about worldwide terrorism. Frankly, I wish he would be even blunter about it, as we continue to have the screaming banshees crying "foul" about their loss of freedom and civil rights. I personally do not feel that I (or anyone that I know) have any less freedom than I had ten years ago. Perhaps it is those with something to hide that are complaining the most.

As far as outsourcing....this is one of the issues that I disagree vehemently with President Bush. I am sick of this global economy crap! The United States has been self-sufficient for darn near 130 years, and we don't "need" cheaply made foreign goods or customer service reps. I say, slap some huge tariffs on imports, start more domestic drilling programs, default on the debt to China, and thumb our noses at the rest of the world. I am more than willing to pay a higher price for a well-made American item to ensure domestic employment and a thriving economy!