Workers$$ rights. It$$s not something we often think about when we$$re purchasing the latest tech gadget.$$However$,$ look at this list of some issues that investigations have uncovered: work shifts lasting up to $60$ hours; a factory explosion killing numerous workers that resulted from a buildup of combustible dust; repetitive motion injuries that are so bad workers lose the use of their hands. $$According to recent press reports, that$$s what work is like for assembly workers in China who build Apple$$s iPhones, iPads, and iPods.$$ In other locations where$$workers are assembling products for other tech companies, factory workers have committed suicide because of the pressure and stress.$$

What do you think? Whose responsibility is it to ensure that workplaces are safe, especially when work is outsourced? Should managers even consider such issues as they navigate the global market? Why or why not? One analyst said, $$It$$s a tricky dance between first$-$world brands and third$-$world production.$$ What do you think this statement means? What are the implications for managers?$$