observer Posted April 29, 2013 Report Share Posted April 29, 2013 Yes Cleo, but when the objective (of the owners) is to maximise profit; corners get cut - that's the nature of private business. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asperity Posted April 29, 2013 Report Share Posted April 29, 2013 Stating the obvious again Obs. I don't understand your objection to the profit motive. It's what drives business and, ultimately, drives up standards and also the living conditions of the workers. After all if the business owner isn't making a profit he isn't going to re-invest is he? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davy51 Posted April 29, 2013 Report Share Posted April 29, 2013 I see in a news report that Primark are talking about possible compensation for victims & relatives of the building collapse & an improvement in the conditions at their suppliers in that region. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazj Posted April 29, 2013 Report Share Posted April 29, 2013 Cheap wages and conditions by western standards but you tend to ignore the fact that the cost of living is much lower than in western countries. I mean you get the same goods that you can get in the west for at least a fifth you are paying for them in the west. Electrical goods, cheaper, furniture, cheaper, food cheaper, cigarettes - well you just wouldn't believe how much cheaper they are, electric cheaper, gas cheaper, petrol cheaper. life....cheaper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted April 29, 2013 Report Share Posted April 29, 2013 Asp: it's the difference between what's reasonable and what's just plain greed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lt Kije Posted April 30, 2013 Report Share Posted April 30, 2013 Stating the obvious again Obs. I don't understand your objection to the profit motive. It's what drives business and, ultimately, drives up standards and also the living conditions of the workers. After all if the business owner isn't making a profit he isn't going to re-invest is he? I agree Asp But the trouble with UK business is over the last 40 or 50 years, bosses have not been re investing, it's more a case of take the money and run, hence we are uncompetitive . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davy51 Posted April 30, 2013 Report Share Posted April 30, 2013 There was an interesting article on the news last month about GEC in America & it said that a factory that had been mothballed was reopening to make light bulbs because it had been relocated to China where it was now costing more to produce than it would in the US. Maybe any new necessary investment in India will make it dearer than Britain to produce goods which could even moves some jobs back over here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lt Kije Posted April 30, 2013 Report Share Posted April 30, 2013 Tax the fuel on shipping, that would make the use of sweat shops unviable as transport costs would kick in, it would also have a secondary effect of being greener. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted April 30, 2013 Report Share Posted April 30, 2013 ...... and make ship's crews redundant ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lt Kije Posted April 30, 2013 Report Share Posted April 30, 2013 We will always needing shipping, some products and raw materials will still move around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted April 30, 2013 Report Share Posted April 30, 2013 ..... especially with global "free trade" ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lt Kije Posted April 30, 2013 Report Share Posted April 30, 2013 Fuel tax would have be put on Worldwide, no reason it cant be done, they all agreed at one stage not to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazj Posted April 30, 2013 Report Share Posted April 30, 2013 I agree Asp But the trouble with UK business is over the last 40 or 50 years, bosses have not been re investing, it's more a case of take the money and run, hence we are uncompetitive . we are uncompetitive because our workers get paid a minimum of £7.00 or so an hour whereas in China they get paid £7.00 a week if they are lucky. Fuel is cheaper; in fact everything is cheaper so don't just try and blame the bosses.... if I had a manufacturing plant in the UK paying massive rates, massive fuel bills and huge wages, why would I not ship the whole operation out to the far East and let them do it for a fraction of the cost? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cleopatra Posted April 30, 2013 Report Share Posted April 30, 2013 we are uncompetitive because our workers get paid a minimum of £7.00 or so an hour whereas in China they get paid £7.00 a week if they are lucky. Fuel is cheaper; in fact everything is cheaper so don't just try and blame the bosses.... if I had a manufacturing plant in the UK paying massive rates, massive fuel bills and huge wages, why would I not ship the whole operation out to the far East and let them do it for a fraction of the cost? Life is cheaper. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted April 30, 2013 Report Share Posted April 30, 2013 Think it may have something to do with the cost living in each Country Baz? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lt Kije Posted April 30, 2013 Report Share Posted April 30, 2013 But it would stop things being half made over here, shipped to China to be finished and then bought back to sell, it happens quite often with cloths, also people would buy more locally produced food. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted April 30, 2013 Report Share Posted April 30, 2013 Your getting there gradually Kije ! We could do the same with the EU: EG: Stop transporting live animals to the EU, to be slaughtered, then brought all the way back as (horse!) meat. Is their some fiscal scam involved? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Tessla Posted May 1, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 1, 2013 Your getting there gradually Kije ! We could do the same with the EU: EG: Stop transporting live animals to the EU, to be slaughtered, then brought all the way back as (horse!) meat. Is their some fiscal scam involved? How PC of you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lt Kije Posted May 1, 2013 Report Share Posted May 1, 2013 But we do horse meat over here to Obs, or had you forgotten in your rush to have a go at the EU. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asperity Posted May 1, 2013 Report Share Posted May 1, 2013 Asp: it's the difference between what's reasonable and what's just plain greed. And what decides what is reasonable and what is greed? Competition. If your competitor makes the same thing and sells it cheaper by taking a smaller profit then you have to take a smaller profit or lose business. And don't say "pay the workers less" because the workers will leave you and go and work in your competitor's business which is now expanding because you (the opposition) are being forced out by cut price competition unless you match their costs and wages. That is the way business works Obs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Tessla Posted May 1, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 1, 2013 A truly competitive market is a myth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lt Kije Posted May 1, 2013 Report Share Posted May 1, 2013 Yep, because the playing field is never level, And when you try to level it people complain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asperity Posted May 1, 2013 Report Share Posted May 1, 2013 This may be true but the standard of living in these "exploited" countries is shooting up at a rate that would not be possible if it wasn't for the market. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted May 1, 2013 Report Share Posted May 1, 2013 Ever heard of cartels Asp?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asperity Posted May 1, 2013 Report Share Posted May 1, 2013 Clutching at straws again Obs? You can't deny that the standard of living in third world countries is rising at an unprecedented rate and this is due at least in part to the increased industrialisation brought about by demand from developed countries. We aren't the colonial masters any more and it is the place of these developing countries to make their own way in the world without patronising demands from us about how they do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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