Drinking Espresso and Thinking about Apple...

Sometimes something happens that just makes me think. Something difficult, complex or just plain fascinating. The case of the Chinese iPhones is just such a thing. Everyone loves iPhones and iPads, right? But no one likes "slavery". 

And yet, somehow those two things are becoming inextricably associated with one another after a series of articles in The New York Times. If you're curious to know what exactly is being discussed, here are some links:

First, the original New York Times article about why Apple chose China.
And another one from the New York Times called "Human Costs are Built Into an iPad."
For further perspective, here is an analysis of the situation from Forbes.com. Predictably pro-business  but with some valid points, nonetheless.


Those are the facts. But I have my own take on the situation that I haven't read anywhere else, so here is my take on it:

A. Apple is a historically great organization. It is the Giza Pyramid of the information age, a crowning jewel of  21st Centure "civilization." Historically, of course, much that has been considered "great" by Western Civilization has been built on the backs of human suffering and even slavery. So, nothing new here.

B. Steve Jobs the genius, demanded a level of dedication, perfection and complexity from his products that could no longer be effectively delivered by the American chain of supply and manufacture.

C. Also, once Apple started delivering goods of such exceptionally high standards, Americans started expecting them: to the point that the expectation and reception of new Apple products has practically  become an American past time. Americans  have wanted our Apple stuff but we haven't given much thought to where it comes from (same as with meat and cheap food). Again, nothing new here either.

D. The Chinese, on the other hand, are in a different historical moment than the Americans are and are hungry for work and growth. In their hunger, they are much more tolerant of harsh conditions and demands than we are. In China, by the way, 17$ a day does NOT mean what it means here.

E. Put these conditions all together and you get the iPhone 4.

F. So, is Apple "wrong"?

G. First, Apple's genius is in design and functionality, NOT labor and production. That doesn't make them not wrong. In fact, perhaps in their drive to represent the apex of design and functionality, they will take on labor and production as their next frontier -  if that's what their consumers demand.

H. Second, could Americans produce the iPhone 4 at this point in time? To the satisfaction of Apple? To the satisfaction of the Apple consumer? Jobs said "no" and the American labor force was insulted.

I. I say, yes, Americans could do it. But not right now, not with the current state of the American psyche. Americans could do it if they were willing to trade being part of something "great" for personal "lifestyle." The great era of American manufacturing was an earlier era when people didn't live on credit, when consumption was not at an all time high, when other things were valued in American culture besides having gadgets, technology and "convenience". If the American psyche could  tolerate accepting "less" in terms of money, time, "rights" etc.  in exchange for being part of Apple, maybe we could make iPhones now.

J. What it would take to get there would be a combination of a restoration of an American work "ethic" and either profound compromise or profoundly transformational  leadership on the part of Apple. In other words, both sides would have to give in order to step up to that plate.  The capacity of Americans to achieve what the Chinese are achieving - under current conditions - would represent a revolution. If we could create our own way of inspiring similar results to the Chinese  without resorting to the conditions of the Chinese that would be incredible.

If we could make it worthwhile for Americans to work that hard and that well, and if we could make it worthwhile for Apple to invest in the American workforce, that would be beautiful and, I believe, part of a great transformation of American society and a breakthrough in corporate culture. 

But just because Apple is capable of thinking out of the box technology does that mean they're capable of thinking out of the box leadership wise? I would hope so. Just like I would hope Americans can do the same.