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The Role of Supply Chains in the Global Business of Forced Labour

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  • Genevieve LeBaron

Abstract

Supply chains are fundamental to whether decent work flourishes or not. Not only do supply chain dynamics shape employment practices and working conditions, but they also influence business models and capabilities which structure opportunities for decent work. As scholars and policymakers race to strengthen labor standards in supply chains and confront barriers to their effective implementation, management scholars can both benefit from and advance an understanding of the role of supply chains in giving rise to indecent work, especially the business practices commonly described as forced labor and modern slavery. To help realize this potential, this article draws from my research on the business of forced labor to emphasize three points. First, there are clear and discernible patterns with respect to the root causes of forced labor in supply chains. Second, forced labor in supply chains cannot be understood in isolation of broader dynamics of work and employment, since low‐waged workers tend to move in and out of conditions of forced labor in relatively short periods of time. Third, on‐the‐ground studies of the effectiveness of buyer‐centric governance programs reveal serious gaps between corporate social responsibility standards and business practices when it comes to indicators most relevant to forced labor. I conclude with a discussion of future directions in this research agenda and highlight the potential for business scholars to make a contribution.

Suggested Citation

  • Genevieve LeBaron, 2021. "The Role of Supply Chains in the Global Business of Forced Labour," Journal of Supply Chain Management, Institute for Supply Management, vol. 57(2), pages 29-42, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:jscmgt:v:57:y:2021:i:2:p:29-42
    DOI: 10.1111/jscm.12258
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Janina Grabs & Rachael D. Garrett, 2023. "Goal-Based Private Sustainability Governance and Its Paradoxes in the Indonesian Palm Oil Sector," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 188(3), pages 467-507, December.
    2. Mateusz Kurowski & Katarzyna Huk, 2021. "Selected Aspects of Corporate Social Responsibility in the Industry Related to the Production and Supply of Energy," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-16, November.
    3. Stephen J. FRENKEL & Elke S. SCHUESSLER, 2021. "From Rana Plaza to COVID‐19: Deficiencies and opportunities for a new labour governance system in garment global supply chains," International Labour Review, International Labour Organization, vol. 160(4), pages 591-609, December.
    4. Vivek Soundararajan, 2023. "The dark side of the cascading compliance model in global value chains," Economia e Politica Industriale: Journal of Industrial and Business Economics, Springer;Associazione Amici di Economia e Politica Industriale, vol. 50(1), pages 209-218, March.
    5. Nagurney, Anna, 2022. "Attracting international migrant labor: Investment optimization to alleviate supply chain labor shortages," Operations Research Perspectives, Elsevier, vol. 9(C).
    6. Mittelberg, Tara & Skidmore, Marin & Gibbs, Holly, 2023. "Relationship Between the ``Forced Labor Dirty List'' and Agricultural Transactions in Brazil," 2023 Annual Meeting, July 23-25, Washington D.C. 335743, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    7. Seongtae Kim & Sangho Chae & Stephan M. Wagner & Jason W. Miller, 2022. "Buyer abusive behavior and supplier welfare: An empirical study of truck owner–operators," Journal of Supply Chain Management, Institute for Supply Management, vol. 58(4), pages 90-111, October.
    8. Peter Hasle & Jan Vang, 2021. "Designing Better Interventions: Insights from Research on Decent Work," Journal of Supply Chain Management, Institute for Supply Management, vol. 57(2), pages 58-70, April.
    9. Ángela García‐Alaminos & Fabio Monsalve & Jorge Zafrilla, 2024. "Disentangling social impacts in global value chains through structural path analysis: Investigating forced labor in the cotton industry," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 28(2), pages 303-319, April.
    10. Elizabeth R. Selig & Shinnosuke Nakayama & Colette C. C. Wabnitz & Henrik Österblom & Jessica Spijkers & Nathan A. Miller & Jan Bebbington & Jessica L. Decker Sparks, 2022. "Revealing global risks of labor abuse and illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-11, December.
    11. Babbitt, Laura G. & Brown, Drusilla & Antolin, Ana & Toosi, Negin R., 2023. "Improving migration experiences for workers: Recruitment practices along the Bangladesh–Qatar corridor," World Development Perspectives, Elsevier, vol. 30(C).

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