Apple

Question 1

Key Facts

Answer 1

2nd largest IT company by revenue
Largest music retailer
Number 1 global brand by value

Question 2

Spatial organisation

Answer 2

HQ - Cupertino, California
R+D - Silicon Valley, Cambridge, Shenzhen
European HQ - Cork, Ireland
Manufacturing in China - High-skilled, hard-working but low paid workers.
- Taiwanese firms compete for contract which decrease production costs

Question 3

Foxconn City

Answer 3

‘China’s Silicon Valley’ - business park home to many factories belonging to different manufacturers
Most of the workers live in the self-contained park; with dormitories, cafes, and shops
Over 400k workers

Question 4

Positives of Apple in Foxconn City

Answer 4

Workers earn above average wage in Shenzhen - $150-200 per month

Question 5

Negatives of Apple in Foxconn City

Answer 5

Media reports ‘sweatshop’ conditions and enforced overtime
2010 - 50 workers were poisoned by a chemical used to clean ipad screens
2009-10 - 14 suicides as a result of poor conditions
>60 hours per week

Question 6

Cork

Answer 6

12.5% corporation tax

Question 7

Advantages of Apple in Cork

Answer 7

City’s largest private employer (4000 + 2500 in supply chain)
Attracted other tech firms to area due to high-skilled workers

Question 8

Disadvantages of Apple in Cork

Answer 8

Many workers are foreign nationals so maybe not creating jobs for locals
But Cork has become more culturally diverse - still 60% of workers are Irish (but mainly production line)

Question 9

Environmental issues

Answer 9

Criticisms from Greenpeace
Non-renewable energy to supply data centres
Toxic chemicals in production process (PVC)
Chinese factories discharging pollutants and toxic metals into local water supplies which people drank
Many products are non-recyclable