Attitudes Toward Offshore Outsourcing by Subhash C. Jain University of Connecticut Presentation made at the Connecticut Business and Industry Association’s 2008 Economic Outlook Conference in Hartford, CT January 8, 2008

Information Source The attitudes presented here are based on an online survey of about 300 individuals.

Outsourcing of “white collar” jobs is a problem as we cannot allow large numbers of domestic workers to lose their jobs. Strongly Agree 18% Agree 30 Neutral 14 Disagree 21 Strongly Disagree 15 Don’t Know 2 Total100%

Outsourcing of manufacturing jobs is a problem as we cannot allow large numbers of domestic workers to lose their jobs. Strongly Agree 21% Agree 25 Neutral 12 Disagree 24 Strongly Disagree 15 Don’t Know 3 Total100%

Outsourcing is not a threat to the US economy because mainly only low-wage jobs are lost. Strongly Agree 3% Agree 8 Neutral 14 Disagree 42 Strongly Disagree 30 Don’t Know 2 Total100%

Outsourcing is beneficial to the US economy, as it provides benefits (lower prices for consumers and higher profits for companies) that outweigh the drawbacks. Strongly Agree 13% Agree 32 Neutral 19 Disagree 22 Strongly Disagree 12 Don’t Know 3 Total100%

Outsourcing is beneficial to the global economy. Strongly Agree 26% Agree 47 Neutral 12 Disagree 7 Strongly Disagree 5 Don’t Know 3 Total100%

Developing a global economy holds great promise for the US economy in the long term. Strongly Agree 31% Agree 40 Neutral 11 Disagree 9 Strongly Disagree 4 Don’t Know 6 Total100%

Outsourcing US jobs is good because it helps less- developed countries and reduces poverty-based problems abroad such as terrorism. Strongly Agree 14% Agree 33 Neutral 21 Disagree 22 Strongly Disagree 8 Don’t Know 2 Total100%

The current level of outsourcing is acceptable. Strongly Agree 9% Agree 34 Neutral 18 Disagree 23 Strongly Disagree 10 Don’t Know 7 Total100%

The amount of outsourced jobs will grow significantly in the future. Strongly Agree 17% Agree 58 Neutral 9 Disagree 7 Strongly Disagree 1 Don’t Know 9 Total100%

Outsourcing is the biggest problem facing the US economy. Strongly Agree 3% Agree 9 Neutral 11 Disagree 41 Strongly Disagree 32 Don’t Know 4 Total100%

Foreign companies investing in the US create more jobs than those lost by outsourcing. Strongly Agree 7% Agree 20 Neutral 19 Disagree 24 Strongly Disagree 6 Don’t Know 25 Total100%

The majority of newly created jobs are relatively low paying. Strongly Agree 5% Agree 34 Neutral 14 Disagree 26 Strongly Disagree 6 Don’t Know 14 Total100%

Outsourcing of jobs should not be considered where there are no established environmental standards and where child labor is used. Strongly Agree 34% Agree 37 Neutral 9 Disagree 14 Strongly Disagree 4 Don’t Know 2 Total100%

The US government should not do anything about job outsourcing. Strongly Agree 11% Agree 19 Neutral 9 Disagree 43 Strongly Disagree 16 Don’t Know 2 Total100%

The US government should promote outsourcing. Strongly Agree 3% Agree 5 Neutral 21 Disagree 45 Strongly Disagree 23 Don’t Know 2 Total100%

The US government has policies and programs that promote the outsourcing of US jobs. Strongly Agree 9% Agree 32 Neutral 16 Disagree 19 Strongly Disagree 2 Don’t Know 22 Total100%

I have a good understanding of the policies and programs to deal with the effects of outsourcing. Strongly Agree 7% Agree 25 Neutral 22 Disagree 31 Strongly Disagree 4 Don’t Know 11 Total100%

Outsourcing affects the national security of the United States. Strongly Agree 8% Agree 32 Neutral 16 Disagree 30 Strongly Disagree 8 Don’t Know 6 Total100%

People who have lost their jobs to outsourcing should be retrained or compensated by the government. Strongly Agree 9% Agree 23 Neutral 19 Disagree 32 Strongly Disagree 14 Don’t Know 2 Total100%

The US government should do more to help those hurt by outsourcing. Strongly Agree 12% Agree 41 Neutral 18 Disagree 21 Strongly Disagree 7 Don’t Know 2 Total100%

The US government should ban the outsourcing of jobs paid for with US tax dollars, including prohibiting government contractors from outsourcing jobs. Strongly Agree 15% Agree 21 Neutral 13 Disagree 25 Strongly Disagree 20 Don’t Know 6 Total100%

Improving the quality of K-12 education will help meet the challenge of outsourcing. Strongly Agree 41% Agree 37 Neutral 6 Disagree 9 Strongly Disagree 4 Don’t Know 4 Total100%

US immigration policies, such as immigration quotas and access to work visas, affect the ability of US companies to be globally competitive. Strongly Agree 18% Agree 41 Neutral 12 Disagree 16 Strongly Disagree 5 Don’t Know 9 Total100%

It is unethical for businesses to outsource US jobs. Strongly Agree 5% Agree 9 Neutral 12 Disagree 38 Strongly Disagree 33 Don’t Know 3 Total100%

US consumers contribute to outsourcing with their purchasing habits. Strongly Agree 42% Agree 48 Neutral 4 Disagree 4 Strongly Disagree 1 Don’t Know 2 Total100%

Issues that Matter OutsourcingGlobalization Affordable Health Care Level of Consumer Debt US Trade Deficit Falling Dollar Immigration Issues Very Concerned 19%17%67%49%45%29%41% Concerned Not Concerned No Opinion Total100%

Issues the Matter Quality of US Education National Security Terrorism Environmental Issues Civil RightsProliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan Very Concerned 76%41%43%58%35%43%63% Concerned Not Concerned No Opinion Total100%