IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/kap/jbuset/v165y2020i2d10.1007_s10551-018-4080-2.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Compliance Codes and Women Workers’ (Mis)representation and (Non)recognition in the Apparel Industry of Bangladesh

Author

Listed:
  • Fahreen Alamgir

    (Monash University)

  • Ozan N. Alakavuklar

    (Massey University)

Abstract

This paper explores how women workers in Bangladeshi garment factories are misrecognised and not represented in the apparel industry through focussing on two enacted collective compliance measure agreements adopted by global brands to improve safety and working conditions. Our paper draws on Amartya Sen’s rights-based approach to capabilities as a means of explaining the narratives of women trade union leaders and the experiences of women factory workers’ status in their workplace and in the industry. Specifically, we examine how a strategy of misrepresentation and nonrecognition of the women factory workers is being played out in the multi-stakeholder initiatives of compliance codes which leads to a lack of consideration for the basic human rights of the women workers. Our paper contributes to the discussion regarding how the politics of ethical procurement becomes visible through an exclusionary approach in managing the apparel global production network (GPN) despite the favourable consensus regarding the compliance codes.

Suggested Citation

  • Fahreen Alamgir & Ozan N. Alakavuklar, 2020. "Compliance Codes and Women Workers’ (Mis)representation and (Non)recognition in the Apparel Industry of Bangladesh," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 165(2), pages 295-310, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:165:y:2020:i:2:d:10.1007_s10551-018-4080-2
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-018-4080-2
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10551-018-4080-2
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10551-018-4080-2?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Farzad Khan, 2007. "Representational Approaches Matter," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 73(1), pages 77-89, June.
    2. Dorothée Baumann-Pauly & Justine Nolan & Auret Heerden & Michael Samway, 2017. "Industry-Specific Multi-Stakeholder Initiatives That Govern Corporate Human Rights Standards: Legitimacy assessments of the Fair Labor Association and the Global Network Initiative," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 143(4), pages 771-787, July.
    3. Gary Gereffi & Joonkoo Lee, 2016. "Economic and Social Upgrading in Global Value Chains and Industrial Clusters: Why Governance Matters," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 133(1), pages 25-38, January.
    4. Jimmy Donaghey & Juliane Reinecke, 2018. "When Industrial Democracy Meets Corporate Social Responsibility — A Comparison of the Bangladesh Accord and Alliance as Responses to the Rana Plaza Disaster," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 56(1), pages 14-42, March.
    5. Javed Siddiqui & Shahzad Uddin, 2016. "Human rights disasters, corporate accountability and the state," Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 29(4), pages 679-704, May.
    6. Amartya SEN, 2013. "Work and rights," International Labour Review, International Labour Organization, vol. 152, pages 81-92, January.
    7. Anne Posthuma & Arianna Rossi, 2017. "Coordinated governance in global value chains: supranational dynamics and the role of the International Labour Organization," New Political Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 22(2), pages 186-202, March.
    8. Dharam GHAI, 2003. "Decent work: Concept and indicators," International Labour Review, International Labour Organization, vol. 142(2), pages 113-145, June.
    9. Noemi Sinkovics & Samia Ferdous Hoque & Rudolf R. Sinkovics, 2016. "Rana Plaza collapse aftermath: are CSR compliance and auditing pressures effective?," Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 29(4), pages 617-649, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Ramaswami Mahalingam & Patturaja Selvaraj, 2022. "Ambedkar, Radical Interdependence and Dignity: A Study of Women Mall Janitors in India," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 177(4), pages 813-828, May.
    2. Fahreen Alamgir & Hari Bapuji & Raza Mir, 2022. "Challenges and Insights from South Asia for Imagining Ethical Organizations: Introduction to the Special Issue," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 177(4), pages 717-728, May.
    3. Rashedur Chowdhury, 2023. "Misrepresentation of Marginalized Groups: A Critique of Epistemic Neocolonialism," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 186(3), pages 553-570, September.
    4. Teea Kortetmäki & Anna Heikkinen & Ari Jokinen, 2023. "Particularizing Nonhuman Nature in Stakeholder Theory: The Recognition Approach," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 185(1), pages 17-31, June.
    5. Steffen Böhm & Michal Carrington & Nelarine Cornelius & Boudewijn Bruin & Michelle Greenwood & Louise Hassan & Tanusree Jain & Charlotte Karam & Arno Kourula & Laurence Romani & Suhaib Riaz & Deirdre , 2022. "Ethics at the Centre of Global and Local Challenges: Thoughts on the Future of Business Ethics," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 180(3), pages 835-861, October.
    6. Zhang, Yanming & Huo, Baofeng & Haney, Mark H. & Kang, Mingu, 2022. "The effect of buyer digital capability advantage on supplier unethical behavior: A moderated mediation model of relationship transparency and relational capital," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 253(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Anthony Goerzen & Simon Peter Iskander & Joerg Hofstetter, 2021. "The effect of institutional pressures on business-led interventions to improve social compliance among emerging market suppliers in global value chains," Journal of International Business Policy, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 4(3), pages 347-367, September.
    2. Lilac Nachum, 2021. "Value distribution and markets for social justice in global value chains: Interdependence relationships and government policy," Journal of International Business Policy, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 4(4), pages 541-563, December.
    3. Catherine Casey & Helen Delaney & Antje Fiedler, 2021. "Recalling the moral dimension: Transnational labour interests and corporate social responsibilities," Industrial Relations Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 52(5), pages 389-405, September.
    4. Md Sultan Mahmood & Nilima Haque Ruma & Toufiq Ahmed & Yukari Nagai, 2021. "Exploring Suppliers’ Approaches toward Workplace Safety Compliance in the Global Garment Sector: From Bangladesh Perspective," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 10(3), pages 1-31, March.
    5. Mia Mahmudur RAHIM & Sk Samidul ISLAM, 2020. "Freedom of association in the Bangladeshi garment industry: A policy schizophrenia in labour regulation," International Labour Review, International Labour Organization, vol. 159(3), pages 423-446, September.
    6. Robertson, Raymond, 2020. "Pioneering a New Approach to Improving Working Conditions in Developing Countries: Better Factories Cambodia," IZA Discussion Papers 13095, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    7. Gabriela Gutierrez-Huerter O & Stefan Gold & Alexander Trautrims, 2023. "Change in Rhetoric but not in Action? Framing of the Ethical Issue of Modern Slavery in a UK Sector at High Risk of Labor Exploitation," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 182(1), pages 35-58, January.
    8. Shahidur Rahman & Kazi Mahmudur Rahman, 2020. "Multi‐actor Initiatives after Rana Plaza: Factory Managers’ Views," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 51(5), pages 1331-1359, September.
    9. Schüßler, Elke & Lohmeyer, Nora & Ashwin, Sarah, 2022. "We can't compete on human rights: creating market-protected spaces to institutionalize the emerging logic of responsible management," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 115506, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    10. Humayun Kabir & Myfanwy Maple & Md Shahidul Islam & Kim Usher, 2019. "The Current Health and Wellbeing of the Survivors of the Rana Plaza Building Collapse in Bangladesh: A Qualitative Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(13), pages 1-21, July.
    11. Stefan Zagelmeyer & Rudolf R. Sinkovics, . "MNEs, human rights and the SDGs – the moderating role of business and human rights governance," UNCTAD Transnational Corporations Journal, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.
    12. Yossi Dahan & Hanna Lerner & Faina Milman-Sivan, 2023. "Shared Responsibility and Labor Rights in Global Supply Chains," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 182(4), pages 1025-1040, February.
    13. Noemi Sinkovics & Rudolf R. Sinkovics & Jason Archie-Acheampong, 2021. "Small- and medium-sized enterprises and sustainable development: In the shadows of large lead firms in global value chains," Journal of International Business Policy, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 4(1), pages 80-101, March.
    14. Humayun Kabir & Myfanwy Maple & Md Shahidul Islam & Kim Usher, 2021. "Prevalence of Suicide Thoughts and Behaviours among Female Garment Workers Who Survived the Rana Plaza Collapse: An In-Depth Inquiry," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(12), pages 1-15, June.
    15. Telaye Fikadu MULUBIRAN & Asbjørn KARLSEN, 2023. "The role of local stakeholders in transforming economic upgrading into social upgrading in Ethiopian textile and garment firms," International Labour Review, International Labour Organization, vol. 162(1), pages 45-67, March.
    16. Mark ANNER, 2021. "Three labour governance mechanisms for addressing decent work deficits in global value chains," International Labour Review, International Labour Organization, vol. 160(4), pages 611-629, December.
    17. Raymond Robertson, 2020. "Lights On: How Transparency Increases Compliance in Cambodian Global Value Chains," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 73(4), pages 939-968, August.
    18. Appel Mahmud & Donghong Ding & Ataullah Kiani & Md. Morshadul Hasan, 2020. "Corporate Social Responsibility Programs and Community Perceptions of Societal Progress in Bangladesh: A Multimethod Approach," SAGE Open, , vol. 10(2), pages 21582440209, May.
    19. Gary GEREFFI & Anne Caroline POSTHUMA & Arianna ROSSI, 2021. "Introduction: Disruptions in global value chains – Continuity or change for labour governance?," International Labour Review, International Labour Organization, vol. 160(4), pages 501-517, December.
    20. Stephanie BARRIENTOS & Lara BIANCHI & Cindy BERMAN, 2019. "Gender and governance of global value chains: Promoting the rights of women workers," International Labour Review, International Labour Organization, vol. 158(4), pages 729-752, December.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:165:y:2020:i:2:d:10.1007_s10551-018-4080-2. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.