Outsource from the Heart !
That many Indian export houses regularly exploit child labour in order to be competitive in international markets is no secret. Some conscience stricken customers in western countries recoil in horror when they learn about this and put pressure on the importers to blacklist the errant companies. Primark, a leading British fashion chain recently cancelled its contacts with Indian suppliers citing child abuse as the reason. Does this knee-jerk reaction address the root cause? Deprived of income, meagre as it is, from this employment, the child’s family will be further pushed down below the poverty line.
Perceptions and priorities are governed by economic circumstances. For an impoverished family, the priority is alleviating hunger and not children’s education. Lofty thoughts cannot occur on an empty stomach. People living on the margins of civilization would be happier to be exploited in a job that pays rather then being forced to beg. Labour, however exploitative it maybe, has at least dignity.
Exploitation is the underlying principle of every business outsourcing. Because there is someone needy out there willing to work more for less pay. Competition, more often than not, arises out of this wage differentiation for the same skill. As long as there are penny pinching customers among those who can afford, exploitation like this will continue.
Why can’t the well-heeled western customers be more magnanimous and demonstrate their concern and care by offering to pay more for a product made in the less privileged societies of the world? The families can keep the children away from work and send them to school. Outsourcing from the heart, and not boycotting is the solution to this problem.
Perceptions and priorities are governed by economic circumstances. For an impoverished family, the priority is alleviating hunger and not children’s education. Lofty thoughts cannot occur on an empty stomach. People living on the margins of civilization would be happier to be exploited in a job that pays rather then being forced to beg. Labour, however exploitative it maybe, has at least dignity.
Exploitation is the underlying principle of every business outsourcing. Because there is someone needy out there willing to work more for less pay. Competition, more often than not, arises out of this wage differentiation for the same skill. As long as there are penny pinching customers among those who can afford, exploitation like this will continue.
Why can’t the well-heeled western customers be more magnanimous and demonstrate their concern and care by offering to pay more for a product made in the less privileged societies of the world? The families can keep the children away from work and send them to school. Outsourcing from the heart, and not boycotting is the solution to this problem.
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