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What is the responsibility of American companies and consumers for unsafe working conditions in Chinese factories?

American companies have the responsibility to act in the public interest and to contribute to the solution of social ecological problems. American companies should work to resolve these issues as they are presented. That is what social responsibility is all about. The inference that this is not within their purview is absurd.

These companies are ambassadors of the American business community. They represent us, the American public, consumers of the manufactured goods to the international community. Any company from the United States bears that responsibility through diplomatic or contractual agreements to ensure the safety of workers no matter where the goods are manufactured.

The Chinese in this particular case does not seem to take any effective action to ensure proper working conditions. That does not alleviate or justify inaction on the part of the contracting company. It is understandable that most American companies doing business outside of US borders are doing so only because of bottom line profits, cheaper labor and materials.
It is a matter of choice with the American Company. On the other hand the Chinese have a choice as well. The American company can choose not to do anything; then again the Chinese may at some time decide to hold that company accountable. The American consumer can decide not to purchase any products from any company that acts indifferent to the safety of those who are producing the goods for them.

You would think that this is some sort of paradoxical problem. It really isn't a problem if you're looking through the eye of social responsibility. We are well aware that if those conditions existed in the US that operation would be shut down immediately. Consumers here in the US would never tolerate such indifference to anyone working for any company in the US. We have laws to protect the workers from unsafe conditions. American companies need to take the same values and standards and apply them to any location outside the US. It is the responsible thing to do.

It is the old story of the architect and the builder. The architect drafts the blueprints. The builder takes the blueprints and interprets them. The architect goes to the work site and realizes that a beam is off by 15 degree's. He goes to the builder and points out the error. The builder argues that it was specified in the plans. The architect argues that the blueprints

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