Comments on: Independent work: Another cause of inequality?

By: Alyson B. Miller

Alyson B. Miller — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 15:49:28 +0000

Ongoing discussion among friends and colleagues: what are the ethical implications of hiring cut-rate contractors here or from third-world countries for pennies on the dollar? Chicken: these contracts may represent opportunities and income that the contractors would not otherwise have. Egg: if your western venture cannot thrive by paying a living wage to employees / contractors is it really viable and have a reason to exist? Since the economy is shifting so dramatically away from traditional capitalist tenets, we are operating in the uncertainty of what conditions constitute business viability AND social responsibility.

By: Shaleen Shah

Shaleen Shah — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 06:41:07 +0000

This is an intriguing concept and yet, one must really pin-point which is the cause and the effect in this scenario: The contract work or the income inequality? It’s like the chicken-and-egg case that got us running in circles. Perhaps, what we need is a revamp of traditional methods, or even the old law, to cope up with the fast changes that new technology brings with it. Personally, I think that independent work is a stepping stone to entrepreneurship.. to the rise of startups and small businesses trying to contribute to the ailing economy – so I don’t see it as a negative factor.