Understanding the Manufacturing Plant of Foxconn: Global Visions and Local Practices in the Labor Regime of China

Abstract

In 2010, 15 young migrant workers committed suicide in the Foxconn Technology Group factories in Shenzhen City, China (East Week Magazine 2010). This startling tragedy brought global attention not only to Foxconn but also to sweatshops throughout China. In response, a group of Chinese academics advocated for justice for young migrant workers in China’s sweatshops (Chan and Pun 2010). In 2012, the Fair Labor Association (FLA) launched a special investigation of Apple’s assembly supplier factories and found excessive overtime and unsafe conditions among workers (FLA 2012). Some argue that the poor factory conditions are caused by the emergence of China’s monopoly capitalism brought about by the economic transformation and decentralization of local government and business (Guo et al. 2012). However, the larger context that has given rise to the Foxconn phenomenon has been less examined. This article examines the history of the development of Foxconn’s manufacturing system, not only from a dynamic local economy perspective, but also from the perspective of cross-scale investigations of the global industry transfer. We use mixed research methods in this investigation, including literature review, media review, field research, and projective drawing making. On site, observation and collaboration with workers through photo taking and interview have been made.