Case study of a TNC (Apple)

Question 1

where is apples head quaters?

Answer 1

cupertino. Northern California

Question 2

how many full time employees does Apple have?

Answer 2

98,000

Question 3

how many stores do Apple have?

Answer 3

450 in 27 different countries

Question 4

examples of number one record for Apple?

Answer 4

largest music producer (Itunes) and number one global brand to value (145Bn dollars)

Question 5

what employment model do Apple have?

Answer 5

heirarchial with top down decision making

Question 6

what company owns Apple manufacturing in China, and wha type of employment is this?

Answer 6

Foxconn, Secondary

Question 7

why is silicon valley an example of an agglomeration

Answer 7

it is an area where various high tech industries are brought together

Question 8

what is a sepacial economic zone (SEZ) and what is an example in China?

Answer 8

a sepcial economic zone is an area where the business and trade laws are different from the rest of the country.
An example in China is Shenzen

Question 9

what are the impacts on the USA?

Answer 9

• cheaper goods
• can specilaise in financial industries
• less polluting industries, can allow HIC’s to meet both stages of the carbon budgets set by the UN framework convention of climate change (UNFCCC)
• loss of manufacturing jobs leading to rust belt areas
• deindustrialisation
• structural unemployment

Question 10

what are the impacts on Ireland?

Answer 10

• 4000 workers employed on production line, largest employer in cork
• apples interest in the area has attracted other high-tech firms to the area
• attracted a highly skilled workforce to the area
• company has contributed to infrastructure improvements in the city
• many highly skilled employees are foreign nationals, so apple are accused of not creating enough work for local people

Question 11

what are the impacts on China?

Answer 11

• increase in employment
• brings new technology to the country
• skill and knowledge transfers
• causes the PME
• increases in formal employment and disposable income leads to higher govenment tax incomes, and therefore more ability to invest in public services
• sweat shop industries, workers in Shenzen SEZ worked 60 hours a week for $100 a month
• poor health and safety conditions, in 2010 fifty workers in suzhou were poisned by a chemical leak
• student and child labour, under 18’s are subject to the same working conditions as adults