AQA A Level Apple case study
What are the conditions known as that the Chinese factory workers work in?
"sweatshop conditions"
Where is the main factory in China?
Shenzen
Where is the design located?
Silicon valley
What ranking is apple size wise?
10th largest globally
What proportion of the stores are in Europe and the middle East and what proportion in China?
110, 25
How many suicides were there by the end of 2010 and what has apple now created as a result of them?
14, supplier code of conduct
Where are the 3 data centres located?
2 in california, 1 in north carolina
How many workers are there employed in China?
200,000
How many employees does the Ireland HQ employ?
4,000
What percentage of sales are in the USA?
44%
How many stores are there globally?
453
How many full time employees does it employ?
48,000
What happened in 2010 in a Chinese factory?
50 workers were poisoned by cleaning products
What are the working conditions like for the Chinese workers? (pay and hours)
60 hours a week for $100 a month, enforced overtime
What percentage of locals to the Irish HQ are Irish?
60%
Where is the HQ?
Cupertino California
What is a large proportion of the Ireland HQ workforce made up of?
EU foreign nationals
What is the name of China's silicon valley?
Foxcom
What environmental campaign group has criticised apple?
Greenpeace
What is happening in silicon valley where there is a grouping together of many firms from the same industry in a single area for collective or cooperative use of infrastructure and sharing of labor resources?
agglomeration
What is the "green my apple" campaign?
aim to have 75% of energy used as renewable energy, removal of toxic chemicals from products
Where does most of the production occur and why?
china, low paid and hard working
Why has the production been moved to china?
competition has forced down the costs
Where is the EU HQ and why?
cork, tax avoidance
What kind of knowledge do most of the employees have?
high tech
What has the Ireland HQ improved in the area?
infrastructure
What is apple's view on controversy?
it's willing to respond
What is the market/audience like?
niche, brand loyal, richer, developed countries, young, wealthy and educated
What has the Ireland HQ attracted to the area?
other high tech firms and skilled workers
What has been done to the assembly process and why?
outsourcing, reduce costs
What kind of energy is used in data centres?
renewable
What is the marketing and branding like?
slick with quality and style
What has apple been accused of by having EU HQ in Ireland?
tax avoidance
What are the working conditions like for under 18s?
the same as over 18s
What environmental issues are there with the manufacturing process?
toxic chemicals, lack of reliability, pollutants added to water supply
