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Better Work: harnessing incentives and influencing policy to strengthen labour standards compliance in global production networks

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  • Arianna Rossi

Abstract

This article explores what types of incentives drive buyers and suppliers in global production networks to raise the floor of labour standards and deliver better outcomes for workers. It does so by analysing the Better Work Programme, a policy intervention targeting the global apparel production network at the global, national and factory levels. Better Work is taken as an example of how global production networks and their dynamics, both trade-related and buyer-driven, can be harnessed to simultaneously achieve social and economic upgrading, presenting factory-level evidence from Cambodia, Haiti and Vietnam.

Suggested Citation

  • Arianna Rossi, 2015. "Better Work: harnessing incentives and influencing policy to strengthen labour standards compliance in global production networks," Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 8(3), pages 505-520.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:cjrecs:v:8:y:2015:i:3:p:505-520.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/cjres/rsv021
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Günseli Berik & Yana Van Der Meulen Rodgers, 2010. "Options for enforcing labour standards: Lessons from Bangladesh And Cambodia," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 22(1), pages 56-85.
    2. repec:wbk:wbpubs:2547 is not listed on IDEAS
    3. Kimberly Ann Elliott & Richard B. Freeman, 2003. "Can Labor Standards Improve under Globalization?," Peterson Institute Press: All Books, Peterson Institute for International Economics, number 338, October.
    4. repec:wbk:wbpubs:13137 is not listed on IDEAS
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    Cited by:

    1. John Pickles & Leonhard Plank & Cornelia Staritz & Amy Glasmeier, 2015. "Trade policy and regionalisms in global clothing production networks," Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 8(3), pages 381-402.
    2. Valentina De Marchi & Matthew Alford, 2022. "State policies and upgrading in global value chains: A systematic literature review," Journal of International Business Policy, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 5(1), pages 88-111, March.
    3. Arianna Rossi, 2019. "Applying the GVC framework to policy: The ILO experience," Journal of International Business Policy, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 2(3), pages 211-216, September.
    4. Stefano Ponte & Valentina De Marchi & Marco Bettiol & Eleonora di Maria, 2023. "The horizontal governance of environmental upgrading: Lessons from the Prosecco and Valpolicella wine value chains in Italy," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 55(8), pages 1884-1905, November.
    5. Kelly Pike, 2020. "Voice in Supply Chains: Does the Better Work Program Lead to Improvements in Labor Standards Compliance?," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 73(4), pages 913-938, August.
    6. Kevin Kolben, 2017. "A Supply Chain Approach to Trade and Labor Provisions," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 5(4), pages 60-68.
    7. Kevin Kolben, 2017. "A Supply Chain Approach to Trade and Labor Provisions," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 5(4), pages 60-68.
    8. Evans Appiah Kissi & Christian Herzig, 2024. "The implications of governance factors for economic and social upgrading in Ghana’s cocoa value chain," Agricultural and Food Economics, Springer;Italian Society of Agricultural Economics (SIDEA), vol. 12(1), pages 1-23, December.

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