The problem that Apple is experiencing is the exposure of the tension between its marketing and its image, and reality. The author of the article says, "That’s

The problem that Apple is experiencing is the exposure of the tension between its marketing and its image, and reality. The author of the article says, "That’s what being poor means, having to work extremely hard to make very little. Yes, that is a harsh thing to say but then reality can indeed be harsh." No one would deny that reality can be harsh. At the same time, you can't deny that Apple - and, of course, the other electronics companies - does not truthfully convey that reality to its customers. Doing so would not be in Apple's best interest. However, if this boycott succeeds, it would demonstrate that having this tension between reality and image is also not in Apple's best interest. The article also makes the standard corporatist argument that the behaviour of corporations is outside of their control, because they are subject to market forces. This tact ignores the human factor. Apple is made up of humans. It is not humanly impossible to demand that a supplier adhere to higher standards than are prevalent in the rest of China. Setting that aside, let's examine the issue purely from the standpoint of the marketplace, but rather than looking at the Chinese labour marketplace, let's look at the American consumer goods marketplace. Humans respond to a variety of different factors when making purchasing decisions. It is not just about price and quality, but can also be about morality and emotion. In this instance, Apple's customers may be persuaded to boycott Apple because of these subjective factors. That may seem unfair to some, but isn't that just a risk of globalization? After all, a global company must deal with market forces everywhere it operates: both market forces affecting who makes its products, and market forces affecting who purchases them. Apple will be forced to balance these market forces, and when it does so, it may result in lower profit margins but better working conditions at its suppliers' factories.