Issues in contemporary management - Foxconn Essay

Issues in contemporary management - Foxconn - Essay Example On the same note, twenty people have been stopped by the firm from committing suicide (Argote, McEvily, & Reagans, 2003, 13). The reasons for these suicides have been unclear, but can be analyzed by considering theoretical models pertaining to a company’s management. Suicides committed by workers from Foxconn illustrate noticeable demographic and social attributes. An examination of several value-added terms to suicidal tide in Foxconn indicates that managerial tactics of fragmentation in interpersonal networks among employees stopped grievances from developing into collective actions like strikes (Chan, & Pun, 2010, 44). In the absence of interpersonal ties towards grievances comforting or protest mobilization, a generous compensation package can act as a temptation for the dismayed employees to utilize self-destruction as double-edged sword. Moreover, suicide by employees can expose brutality of the company’s management as well as evoke for global condemnation that fu lfilled their quest to attain revenge (Mezias, & Starbuck, 2003, 34). Compensation for their deaths could also improve material standards in their families that fulfilled family duties on their behalf. Therefore, a series of personal suicidal incidents instead of collective mobilization occurred in the company. One of the theories supporting these evidences is the structural conduciveness theory. This explains high confidential standard, atomized workplace relationship and low-cost employment. Another theory is the structural chain theory that explains low-quality system of security, physical exhaustion, intensive overtime workload as well as a horrified spirit (Chu, 2012, 54). Most importantly, the generalized belief theory in social conditions explains several reasons behind the suicides in Foxconn. These include high pension contributions of the self-worth families that became desperate and this develops against their institutional and individual retaliation. There was also the p articipating factor theory that explains rumors concerning cancellation of offering pension to all suicidal attempters. On another note, mobilization theory explains prevention of employees from similar provinces from coming together in order to distract a smooth operation of production lines. In this case, Foxconn management broke down all possible networks among its workers. It is clear that without mobilization, it becomes difficult to develop people’s behaviors into one social movement. Another theory explaining reasons for suicides in Foxconn is failure to engage social control. Foxconn had a culture of ignorance of several first line supervisors altogether with security guards. An initial suicide in the company occurred due to the employee’s incapability to adjust to the new environment. He was required to follow all rules and codes of the company meaning that that could be hard for him. Looking at a value-added theory of conduciveness, an individual can either a dapt or undergo challenges in new environments. In entering such a radical and different environment, a person’s way of understanding the world and their ways of working were to be rewritten (Chu, 2012, 58). This was especially in a new environment in Foxconn whereby every individual was required to operate machines, work with electronics in order to finish tasks as portions of assembly apparatus. The process can best be understood to be