USE CORPORATE INFLUENCE

Dear Editor,
I enjoyed your editorial in the October 2005 issue ("China's Workers are Critical,"QualityMagazine, October 2005, p. 6). In an environment where corporate profits determine where products are manufactured, your timely article highlights some basic moral issues that need to be addressed.

USE CORPORATE INFLUENCE

Dear Editor,
I enjoyed your editorial in the October 2005 issue ("China's Workers are Critical,"QualityMagazine, October 2005, p. 6). In an environment where corporate profits determine where products are manufactured, your timely article highlights some basic moral issues that need to be addressed. As companies seek less expensive ways to manufacture products to remain competitive, they should also use their influence to leverage for better working conditions for those that manufacture the products. We would not expect our own family members or fellow citizens to be subjected to even the best of some of the working conditions that exist in China or other parts of the world.

I commend you for standing up on an unpopular subject in the corporate world. It speaks volumes of the character of your organization.

Barry Suydam
Mfg./Proc. Engineer
Hospira Inc.
Battleboro, NC



APPLICATIONS MAKE SENSE

Dear Editor,
You're right on when it comes to your November editorial ("Teach the ‘Why' and ‘When,'"QualityMagazine, November 2005, p. 6). I graduated as a mechanical engineer in 1971. I took calculus in high school. I had calculus as a freshman in college. I had no idea what it was all about. It was difficult to comprehend and a bore. It wasn't until the middle of sophomore year, when I had courses in heat transfer, strength of materials and fluid mechanics that I began to have some sort of appreciation of calculus.

I like your idea of learning how a computer or Ipod works and then going into Boolean algebra. Can you imagine how many fewer musicians we would have in the world if they had to learn music theory before learning to play an instrument?

Greg Wakeman, P.E.
Project Engineer
Plast-O-Matic Valves Inc.
Cedar Grove, NJ