The New York Times has a lengthy and absorbing look at Apple’s retail operations, the many complaints of its employees, and why people still want to work at the company:
These true believers skew young, as anyone who has ever set foot in an Apple Store knows. And the relative youth of this work force helps explain why people are likely to judge the company by a different set of standards when it comes to wages, says Paul Osterman, a professor at M.I.T.’s Sloan School of Management.
“It’s interesting to ask why we find it offensive that Wal-Mart pays a single mother $9 an hour, but we don’t find it offensive that Apple pays a young man $12 an hour,” Mr. Osterman said. “For each company, the logic is the same — there is a line of people eager to take the job. In effect, we’re saying that our value judgments depend on the circumstances of the employee, not just supply and demand of the labor market.”
The timing of this piece is curious, with news of wage hikes for many of Apple’s staff this week, but is nonetheless a very fair look at the company’s successes and challenges in retail. A very recommended read.
