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Workplace Dignity in a Total Institution: Examining the Experiences of Foxconn’s Migrant Workforce

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  • Kristen Lucas
  • Dongjing Kang
  • Zhou Li

Abstract

In 2010, a cluster of suicides at the electronics manufacturing giant Foxconn Technology Group sparked worldwide outcry about working conditions at its factories in China. Within a few short months, 14 young migrant workers jumped to their deaths from buildings on the Foxconn campus, an all-encompassing compound where they had worked, eaten, and slept. Even though the language of workplace dignity was invoked in official responses from Foxconn and its business partner Apple, neither of these parties directly examined workers’ dignity in their ensuing audits. Based on our analysis of media accounts of life at Foxconn, we argue that its total institution structure imposed unique indignities on its workers that both raised questions of their self-respect and self-worth, as well as gave rise to multiple episodes of disrespectful communication. We interpret our findings in light of the larger cultural context and meanings of work in China to understand more fully the experience of dignity of Foxconn’s migrant workforce. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2013

Suggested Citation

  • Kristen Lucas & Dongjing Kang & Zhou Li, 2013. "Workplace Dignity in a Total Institution: Examining the Experiences of Foxconn’s Migrant Workforce," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 114(1), pages 91-106, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:114:y:2013:i:1:p:91-106
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-012-1328-0
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Stephen Frost & Margaret Burnett, 2007. "Case study: the Apple iPod in China," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 14(2), pages 103-113, May.
    2. Xiaomin Yu, 2008. "Impacts of Corporate Code of Conduct on Labor Standards: A Case Study of Reebok’s Athletic Footwear Supplier Factory in China," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 81(3), pages 513-529, September.
    3. repec:cup:cbooks:9780521771313 is not listed on IDEAS
    4. repec:cup:cbooks:9780521778121 is not listed on IDEAS
    5. Matthew Wood & Steven Karau, 2009. "Preserving Employee Dignity During the Termination Interview: An Empirical Examination," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 86(4), pages 519-534, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Ramaswami Mahalingam & Patturaja Selvaraj, 2022. "Ambedkar, Radical Interdependence and Dignity: A Study of Women Mall Janitors in India," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 177(4), pages 813-828, May.
    2. Peter S. Hofman & Bin Wu & Kaiming Liu, 2014. "Collaborative Socially Responsible Practices for Improving the Position of Chinese Workers in Global Supply Chains," Journal of Current Chinese Affairs - China aktuell, Institute of Asian Studies, GIGA German Institute of Global and Area Studies, Hamburg, vol. 43(4), pages 111-141.
    3. Nicola M. Pless & Thomas Maak & Howard Harris, 2017. "Art, Ethics and the Promotion of Human Dignity," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 144(2), pages 223-232, August.
    4. Kristian Alm & David S. A. Guttormsen, 2023. "Enabling the Voices of Marginalized Groups of People in Theoretical Business Ethics Research," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 182(2), pages 303-320, January.
    5. Zawadzki Michał, 2018. "Dignity in the Workplace. The Perspective of Humanistic Management," Journal of Management and Business Administration. Central Europe, Sciendo, vol. 26(1), pages 171-188, March.
    6. Elisa GIULIANI, 2020. "Putting human rights into regional growth agendas: Where we stand and where we ought to go," Papers in Evolutionary Economic Geography (PEEG) 2042, Utrecht University, Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning, Group Economic Geography, revised Sep 2020.
    7. John Paul Stephens & Jason Kanov, 2017. "Stories as Artworks: Giving Form to Felt Dignity in Connections at Work," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 144(2), pages 235-249, August.
    8. Zhan, Yuanzhu & Chung, Leanne & Lim, Ming K. & Ye, Fei & Kumar, Ajay & Tan, Kim Hua, 2021. "The impact of sustainability on supplier selection: A behavioural study," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 236(C).
    9. Masoud Shadnam & Andrey Bykov & Ajnesh Prasad, 2021. "Opening Constructive Dialogues Between Business Ethics Research and the Sociology of Morality: Introduction to the Thematic Symposium," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 170(2), pages 201-211, May.
    10. Yee, Rachel W.Y. & Miquel-Romero, Maria-Jose & Cruz-Ros, Sonia, 2020. "Work-life management for workforce maintenance: A qualitative comparative study," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 121(C), pages 329-337.
    11. Peter Hamilton & Tom Redman & Robert McMurray, 2019. "‘Lower than a Snake’s Belly’: Discursive Constructions of Dignity and Heroism in Low-Status Garbage Work," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 156(4), pages 889-901, June.
    12. Kristen Lucas, 2015. "Workplace Dignity: Communicating Inherent, Earned, and Remediated Dignity," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 52(5), pages 621-646, July.
    13. Allan B. I. Bernardo & Mary Angeline A. Daganzo & Anna Carmella G. Ocampo, 2018. "Abusive Supervision and Well-Being of Filipino Migrant Workers in Macau: Consequences for Self-Esteem and Heritage Culture Detachment," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 139(1), pages 277-292, August.
    14. Gazi Islam, 2020. "Psychology and Business Ethics: A Multi-level Research Agenda," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 165(1), pages 1-13, August.

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