Outsourcing America

             The outsourcing by definition is not a new concept: the procuring of services or products, from an outside supplier or manufacturer in order to cut cost. Historically, companies have sought ways to lower cost and increase profitability. Often, these two desires have run counter to the needs of their workers. During the mid 20th century, manufacturers applied this concept primarily within the borders of the United States. Many companies redeployed their workforce from urban to rural areas, relocating their operations from northern locations to less unionized states as the Carolinas, Kentucky and Tennessee. The 1960's saw the beginning of the gradual shift towards moving those same jobs overseas, which is commonly known as outsourcing. Today, the outsourcing to foreign countries is one of the biggest challenges facing the U.S. worker today.
             The ratifications of the North American Free Trade Act (NAFTA) in January 1994, attributed to the loss of hundreds of thousands of jobs to Mexico and Central America. Apparel and auto manufacturing moved steadily to Mexico, closing plants that had moved originally to the rural areas in the south and southwest. The textile and manufacturing of electronic items, clothing, auto parts and toys, are seldom produced within the borders of the United States. The loss of jobs and importation of cheap products, particularly steel, contributed to urban blight in such cities as Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Cleveland, Ohio. "Such shifting of jobs always causes short-term and localized hardships" (Schmiesing, 2004). The loss of jobs devastated these areas, to which the effects of 'short-term hardships' are still felt today.
             The Nineties ushered in a new wave of outsourcing marketed as globalization, which outsourcing is a key component. Globalization is defined as a process of interaction and integration among people, companies and governments of different nations (www.Globalization...

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Outsourcing America. (1969, December 31). In MegaEssays.com. Retrieved 11:56, March 29, 2024, from https://www.megaessays.com/viewpaper/28955.html