蘋果公司(Apple)CEO庫克日前表示，正計劃將該公司部份制造產(chǎn)線移回美國，未來將逐步增加在美國本地生產(chǎn)更多的蘋果商品。這是為了緩解對于蘋果的批評而以此提升品牌形象，還是一項明智的商業(yè)決定？ 蘋果公司打算在美國制造業(yè)務(wù)投資1億美元，這其實只是該公司整個市值及其現(xiàn)金的一小部份。不過，庫克表示該公司對于創(chuàng)造就業(yè)機會負(fù)有某種責(zé)任。 從營運與供應(yīng)鏈管理崗位晉升上來的庫克，同樣也有令人佩服的商業(yè)眼光。蘋果公司大部份的制造業(yè)務(wù)都交由富士康電子(Foxconn Electronic)。盡管雇用海外勞工可帶來低成本的優(yōu)勢，但運輸費用與中國薪資也持續(xù)在上漲中。此外，中國的人民幣也不斷升值中。從美國財政部、 Boston Consulting Group以及IDC的分析都證明了，隨著這些成本持續(xù)增加，中國的低成本勞動力優(yōu)勢正逐漸減少。 此外，在接近終端市場(即美國)進行產(chǎn)品組裝更具有經(jīng)濟效益。用任何方式從中國運輸大量產(chǎn)品都相當(dāng)?shù)乩速M時間，也徒增成本。蘋果總是最先在美國發(fā)表最新產(chǎn)品，然后才在其它國家推出。庫克指出，蘋果一部份較大宗(相對而言)的產(chǎn)品(如iMac計算機)將在美國制造，而不只是最后的組裝工作而已。 從業(yè)務(wù)與供應(yīng)鏈的觀點來看，庫克已經(jīng)推動了一些重大的措施。蘋果推出了小型平板電腦iPad mini，這和前CEO喬布斯主張小型平板電腦無法帶動流行的看法相左。庫克并推動供應(yīng)鏈透明化，公開蘋果主要供貨商名單及其合作伙伴的勞動情形。蘋果因為其合作伙伴富士康的勞工問題而飽受批評。庫克甚至還因為公司產(chǎn)品中的失誤而公開道歉──這些都是喬布斯從來不曾做的。 然而，于此同時，蘋果還控告其最大的供貨商之一──三星電子(Samsung)的專利侵權(quán)。三星為蘋果產(chǎn)品制造大量的芯片和Retina顯示器。 庫克可能想試圖化解外界不斷批評蘋果過度依賴海外勞工。如同其它高科技制造商一樣，蘋果也擁有大量的海外現(xiàn)金儲備，因而也曾被指控逃稅。而在美國建立制造業(yè)務(wù)其實只多增加一點所得稅而已。蘋果將在美國創(chuàng)造什么工作機會？這些工作機會又會位于哪些地方？一切仍有待觀察。 庫克打算把制造業(yè)搬回美國的背后動機重要嗎？您認(rèn)為這只是一種提升品牌形象的手段還是一項明智的商業(yè)決定？我想聽聽你的意見。 本文授權(quán)編譯自EBN Online，版權(quán)所有，謝絕轉(zhuǎn)載 編譯：Susan Hong 參考英文原文：What’s Behind Apple’s Reshoring?，by Barbara Jorgensen, News of the Day

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{pagination} What’s Behind Apple’s Reshoring? Barbara Jorgensen It looks like Apple Inc. (Nasdaq: AAPL)'s decision to manufacture in the US is already having the desired effect. reported today that Apple’s leading EMS partner, Foxconn Electronics Inc. , is also considering expanded US production. Several news outlets say the decision is being driven by the practicalities of assembling products near the point of consumption. Apple will be building one of its Mac products in the US; devices that are bigger and bulkier than its phones and tablets. Transportation and logistics costs in overseas shipments have been increasing, as have Chinese wages. Foxconn is the world’s largest EMS provider, and has a significant presence in China. The company recently announced it would replace some Chinese workers with robots in order to save costs. (See: Foxconn’s Solution to Labor Unrest.) There is undoubtedly a PR aspect as well. Apple has been excoriated for its partnership with Foxconn, which reportedly uses child labor; forces workers into 24-hour shifts; underpays employees; and houses workers in crowded conditions. Apple hired a third-party labor watchdog to audit Foxconn plants, and Foxconn has since increased its wages and admitted to hiring underage staff. Whether Apple’s move signals the rebirth of US manufacturing is up for debate. Apple’s presence in the US will be small: It’s investing $100 million in manufacturing. Although Foxconn dwarfs all of its competitors, its reliance on low-cost labor is admittedly its greatest edge. It’s very likely that Foxconn will use automation in its US factories to remain cost-competitive. Here’s what we know so far about Apple’s plans. IHS, in an email brief this morning, reports: Apple is apt to shift only a small percentage of its total production to the United States next year. At the same time, the company is a relatively small player in the global PC market. With the vast majority of PCs now being produced in Asia by contract manufacturers, Apple’s move is unlikely to spur a major shift in production from Asia to the United States. In the global PC market, Apple is ranked No. 6, with a 5.8 percent share of global shipments in the third quarter of this year, as presented in the attached table. Given Apple’s extensive overseas production, the total percentage of the company’s cost of goods sold (COGS) shifted from China to the United States in 2013 is prone to be very small. If Apple only moves production of one segment of its Macintosh product line, as reports indicate, the total shift in COGS could amount to less than 1 percent in 2013. Still, the move has some precedent in other circles. Interestingly, Apple is not the first OEM to announce it will be moving some PC production from Asia to the United States in 2013. Chinese computer-maker Lenovo Group Ltd. in October said it would start making PCs in North Carolina next year.