- Published: September 13, 2022
- Updated: September 13, 2022
- University / College: University of Wollongong
- Language: English
- Downloads: 22
5 Question Based on Four case Studies
– For each case identify in chart form the key problems each individual is facing.
Figure 1: Chart showing problems experienced in Case Study A: Juliana
Figure 2: Chart showing problems experienced in Case Study B: Rosa
Figure 3: Chart showing problems experienced in Case Study C: Joanne
Figure 4: Chart showing problems experienced in Case Study D: Juliana
Figure 5: A combined chart for all the four case studies and their respective problems
– Assume that Richard decided to visit Juan in Nicaragua. What arguments could Juan provide to convince Richard to pay workers more?
Richard is a senior executive at one of the largest coffee companies located in North America. Juan comes from the rural village in Nicaragua where coffee is the only crop grown. With the low prices, which the workers are paid, Juan says that it has been difficult to make a living for his family and even to the villagers. Juan says that they make less than $3 per day. Richard being a senior executive at a coffee company, can control the amount the workers are paid.
In order for Juan to convince Richard to pay workers more, Juan should be able to tell Richard the challenges they experience as workers during picking of the coffee berries. Offering good payment packages will act as a motivation for workers. The low wages forced Juan to look for jobs with better pay. Juan should be able to convince Richard that it is because of low payments that force the workers to involve their family members to work.
– Do you think a co-operative would be successful in Nicaragua? Explain your answer.
According to my reasoning, the introduction of co-operatives will be successful in Nicaragua. The workers like Juan complain that picking of the coffee berries is not an easy task, and yet they are paid low wages earning less than &3 in a day. Juan says that it has not been easy to make a living from the low wages they get. The exploitation they get is due to lack of co-operatives.
The creation of co-operatives in Nicaragua will ensure that the workers are paid a living wage and they are provided with credit when needed. The working conditions of the workers will be improved, and they would be able to adopt environmentally friendly farming methods. With all the benefits, the workers and the farmers will be able to get from the co-operatives they will be able form and join the co-operatives. Nicaragua has no co-operatives, and that is the reason why the workers and the farmers are exploited.
– Joanne believes that coffee drinkers would be willing to pay more for coffee if they knew the workers were getting a living wage. However, Richard argues that consumers in North America demand affordable prices. Which view would you mostly likely to support? Provide arguments to support your answer.
Even though Joanne believes that coffee drinkers have the ability of paying for more in order to enhance living wage, I tend to oppose the idea. I would support the idea of Richard who argues that consumers in North America demand affordable prices. Richard says that consumers in North America drink a lot of coffee, and they do not question whether the workers are getting a living wage. In many business environments, the consumers are not interested whether the workers are getting a living wage or not. Instead, the consumers are always concerned with the quality of the goods and the prices of the goods.
– Investigate your local coffee shop. Do they serve ‘ fair trade’ coffee? Would it make a difference to you if they did or did not?
According to the investigation I carried out on my local coffee shop, I found that they serve a ‘ fair trade’ coffee. The coffee, which they serve, is of good quality and affordable price. Nevertheless, serving coffee of high prices would definitely make a big difference as the majority of buyers will go for the affordable coffee.