Lesson 7 Synthesis Essay

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Lesson 7 Synthesis Essay

Synthesis Question:

Is outsourcing black and white? What are some reasonable ways to help solve problems caused by outsourcing?

Learning Log Task 1:

What struck me most after reading the two articles was my inability to decide which article I agreed with more. I understand the frustration of Americans who believes their jobs are being taken away by foreigners- and this is true. But at the same time being a foreigner myself and having many friends who are not American, leaves me feeling conflicted. This is why I chose my first question. There are many reasons as to why companies outsource, cheaper labor, less labor laws/restrictions. But there are also certain jobs out there that Americans might not want to do. Education is also another factor, if othere countries are teaching their students skills without such high tuition, then it is more likely that there will be more candidates to fill those high-skilled jobs.

Learning Log Task 2

“30 Little Turtles” Friedman begins his article by using a personal experience to describe the enthusiasm of young Indian adults in the process of training to become phone operators for Canada. He states that this way of outsourcing jobs benefits the Indians and improves their lives in different ways. It has provided these Indian workers with income, comfort, and self-esteem. He believes outsourcing is inevitable and because for these workers what Canadian or American may consider as low-wage job is seen to them as high-wage.

“New Threat to Skilled U.S Worker” Harrop believes foreigners are taking American's high-skilled jobs. She believes the H-1B visa program, which allows educated foreigners to work in U.S is speeding up the process of eliminating even more jobs for Americans. Companies bring in foreigners with this visa, get them trained by Americans than hire them to replace the Americans for lower wage pay. She claims that the supply and demand of high-skilled workers should have caused companies to raise pay, which hasn't been happening. The threat of losing more jobs to foreigners is a real problem, but with what solution?

Leaning Log Task 3
In “30 Little Turtles”, Friedman focus highly on the pathos aspect to reach his audience. He personalizes his article with specific focus on several different Indian employees. He also uses logos expressing the benefit of outsourcing jobs such as keeping young Palestinian men off the streets and out of trouble. Friedman mainly focuses on the positive outcome for those foreigners to persuade readers that outsourcing isn't a bad thing, but an inevitable part of our current economy/market.

In “New Threat to Skilled U.S Worker”, Harrop uses credible sources to back up her claims. Appealing to the Ethos aspect. Using sources such as Princeton economist Blinder to assert the fear of losing choice jobs in a mere decade or two. Harrop also used Hira, a professor of public policy at the Rochester Institute of Technology to put the H-1B visa program in an unfavorable light.

Learning Log Task 4 The main themes in both texts focuses on the positive and negative aspects of outsourcing. While Friedman uses a rather positive tone in his article in regards to outsourcing, Harrop does just the opposite. Friedman claims the positive outcomes from sourcing jobs to those less fortunate, who gains much more from these jobs. His point of view is that those jobs outsourced are keeping kids off the streets, as well as giving people the kind of financial stability that they would never otherwise find in their own country. His positive outlook continues throughout the article, although he briefly mentions it is not his intention to say it's more important for Indians to have jobs than Americans, he continues with his argument by saying outsourcing is just inevitable. Harrop on the other hand does not mention at all the positive effects of outsourcing to other