Monday, July 19, 2010

Can doing good make business sense?

This is a question I have always pondered over. My inclination is to believe that it can. The movie Rocket Singh released in Dec 09 explores this subject and proves how it indeed can help your company in getting an edge over others. Let me not give away the plot. Please see it if you get a chance.

And now, here's a real life story about a factory in the Domninican Republic that supplies college logo apparel for universities across the US.

This factory has undertaken the initiative of paying it's workers a "living wage" — in this case, three times the average pay of the country’s apparel workers. A living wage is generally defined as the amount of money needed to adequately feed and shelter a family.

Now, the question is whether students, alumni and sports fans will be willing to pay $18 for the factory’s T-shirts — the same as premium brands like Nike and Adidas — to sustain the plant and its generous wages.

Will this factory owned by Knights Apparel thrive? What do you think?

You can read the NYT article to know more about this unique factory including the point of view of it's workers.

Would love to know your views...

2 comments:

meraj said...

considering the TG that they are trying to do the business with, i think they should do well...else, it will be a pity.

Dileep said...

Its quite a blog for thought. But sometimes doing business is tough, as the following article says -
http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/77/walmart.html
It is a world where one drags the other in a bargain and play dirty.

But there are other companies like SouthWest Airlines.. who have been heard for nice treatment of their employees.