DEBATE Is it ethical for businesses to outsource jobs to foreign countries when there is high unemployment in the United States?

YES NO

Among today's businesses, it is not uncommon for companies to outsource certain business functions. They may do so to save money on internal staffing. They may also wish to take advantage of third-party suppliers that have expertise in certain functions. One aspect of outsourcing that has attracted much attention in recent years is the outsourcing of certain jobs to overseas companies. While the practice of foreign outsourcing can provide much-needed cost savings, many Americans are concerned that U.S. jobs are being lost to overseas workers. These concerns are especially pressing during periods of high unemployment, when jobs are scarce and laid-off workers are desperately searching for new positions. In this type of economic climate, is it ethical for businesses to continue to outsource jobs to countries outside of the United States?

Argument FOR It is ethical to outsource jobs. "The phenomenon of foreign outsourcing creates tangible benefits for the U.S. economy and American workers. Whatever negative impact it has had on specific firms and workers has been limited and is far outweighed by the benefits." --Daniel Griswold, director of the Center for Trade Policy Studies at the Cato Institute

Argument FOR By reducing labor cost companies can become more profitable Profitable companies in turn improve the overall economy Some business must outsource certain jobs in order to compete Many poutsourced jobs are lower-paying positions that Americans don’t want There are still many jobs that cannot be outsourced

Argument AGAINST It is not ethical to outsource jobs. "One: How many more jobs must we lose before they become concerned about our middle class and our strength as a consumer market? Two: When will the U.S. have to quit borrowing foreign capital to buy foreign goods that support European and Asian economies while driving us deeper into debt? Three: What jobs will our currently 15 million unemployed workers fill, where and when?" —Lou Dobbs, anchor and managing editor of Lou Dobbs Tonight, CNN

Argument AGAINST U.S. employees in some sectors have fewer job prospects Cost savings may be offset by higher costs of management and oversight Product quality may suffer due to language and cultural barriers Companies may lose control over proprietary company information

Based on information, arguments and debates answer the following Do you think American consumers who buy imports are responsible for their own predicament? What might American consumers do to reverse or slow down this trend?