Readymade Garments Sector Of Bangladesh Research Articles

Health and Safety Compliance in the Readymade Garment Sector of Bangladesh: Practices and Observations

Bangladeshi RMG accounts for the second-largest apparel manufacturer and exporter after China. The readymade garment (RMG) industry is considered as the backbone of Bangladesh’s economy and is one of the key core drivers as far as the strength of the GDP is concerned. The key features of the RMG industry determines three assumptions firstly, that the RMG hub is a strong buyer-driven production chain; secondly, RMG thrives in this part of the world because of greater availability and accessibility of “cheap” labor pool, low wages and reluctance to unionization; thirdly, that the relations between the State and industry are governed to some extent by clientelism. Over the last decades, the growth of the sector has been spectacular. Currently, there are more than 5,000 garment manufacturing firms operating in Bangladesh. The RMG sector is accountable for creating employment for more than 4 million people. The garment industry of Bangladesh has very significant contributions to the country’s development process in terms of foreign earnings, employment opportunities, women empowerment and bringing various other social changes. Despite all of these success and holistic development thanks to the RMG sector there are grey areas which are seldom looked at by the garment owners and policy makers, health and safety procedures are hardly given importance by the policy makers and parties associated to this industry. The working conditions in RMG factories have been repeatedly characterized by the Western media as prone to the workers due to the occurrence of violence and intense workload (Bajaj, 2010; Ethirajan, 2012; Yardley, 2012).

Corporate Social Responsibility: Its Importance and Practices in the Ready-Made Garments Sector of Bangladesh.

Corporate Social Responsibility: Its Importance and Practices in the Ready-Made Garments Sector of Bangladesh.

Use of Collaborative Plan in Supply Chain Management: A Case Study on Bangladesh Readymade Garments Industry

Collaborative plan is a major function for efficient implementation of Supply Chain Management (SCM) in the Readymade Garments (RMG) sector. Collaboration in SCM focuses on coordination, joint planning, and process integration between suppliers, customers, and other parties involved in extended supply chain. As the customers preferences are very dynamic in nature, to cope with that there is no alternative to implement collaborative SCM in the industry. This paper aims to investigate the level of practice in collaborative planning in Bangladeshi companies. A limited comparison was made with industries from developed countries. A descriptive and correlation analyses were made to find out the level of practice. The study suggests that the level of collaborative planning in Bangladesh RMG sector SCM is not satisfactory.

The Importance of CSR Practices in Business: A Case Study of RMG Sector in Bangladesh

Ready made garments (RMG) sector plays the auspicious role in our economic development. Nowadays this RMG sector faces several remarkable tragedies which indicate the need of CSR in this area. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a relatively new and rapidly developing phenomenon. After the tragic incident Rana Plaza and Tazreen Fashions, the image of our garments industry is entirely damaged. But the scenario is changing day by day. Many good practices are implanted by the factory owner which is outstanding. The best three environment-friendly garment and textile factories in the world are located in our country these are Envoy Textiles, Remi Holdings, and Plummy Fashions. They have taken the garment and textile factories of Bangladesh to new heights. The primary objective of this paper shows the present scenario of CSR practices and importance of CSR practices in RMG sector.

The Prospect of the Readymade Garments Sector in Bangladesh: Result from Trend Analysis

Purpose: In Bangladesh readymade garments (RMG) sector, the backbone of the national economy is not the major sources of foreign revenue but a significant role player of the socio-economic development by creating employment opportunities, empowering women and alleviating poverty. In this regard, this paper tries to understand and analyze current situation and structure of the both knitted and woven sectors. After then, this paper predicts the future of both the export and export growth for the next five years.
 Methodology: In this study, data on the export and export growth had been collected from the BGMEA. Then the Least Square Method as a trend analysis had been applied to identify forecast export trend and the export growth trend of the both knitwear and woven sector separately. Microsoft excel program had been used for the estimation of the trend analysis alongside with providing predictions for the next five years.
 Results: The study found that the trend of both knitwear and woven export was upward. But the study also explored the downward trend of those two knitwear and woven sectors in terms of the growth rate. Moreover, the study showed that after the phasing out of MFA within 2004 and the withdrawal of quota protection, the knitwear export did not face any impediments accorded by the projection.
 Implication: This paper will be effective not for understanding the present structure of the RMG sector but helpful to take appropriate policies for the prosperity of the country, especially of this sector.

Can Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Ensure the Sustainable Growth of Ready Made Garments (RMG) Sector in Bangladesh

<p><em>Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is the proceeding with duty by business work to continue the morally and keep on the enhancement of economy while increasing the personal satisfaction of the workforce and their families and also of the nearby group and society on the loose This study has been directed to investigate the considerable significance of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). To accomplish result, research technique has relied based on information from secondary sources. This study finds the CSR practices and the practice is not well appropriately. Health problems, injured scenario increasing along with low payment of wages in RMG of Bangladesh. Also environment is polluting in the absence of proper CSR practice. Some of association attempting their best, however in the vast majority of cases association don’t know about that. Without implementation of CSR, sustainable growth is not possible in RMG sector. This study suggested that CSR practice is one and only approach to unravel the all boundaries and ensure the sustainable growth of RMG sector in Bangladesh.</em><em></em></p>

Workplace safety in Bangladesh ready-made garment sector: 3 years after the Rana Plaza collapse

Workplace safety is one of the most important issues in industries worldwide, and is endangered by industrial accidents. Different industrial disasters have resulted in several initiatives worldwide to protect human life and reduce material damage, both nationally and internationally. In Bangladesh, the ready-made garment (RMG) industry is one of the most important export-oriented business sectors, which is facing challenges to ensure workplace safety. The Rana Plaza collapse in Bangladesh is the consequence of such non-compliance. The accident resulted in different local and global initiatives to address the challenges. This article reviews progress and achievement of the initiatives to reduce vulnerability in the Bangladesh RMG industry within 3 years after the deadly accident. In the long run, the challenge is to maintain momentum already created for achieving sustainability in the RMG sector in Bangladesh and maintaining compliance even after the end of support from external partners.

Fire Safety in the Readymade Garment Sector in Bangladesh: Structural Inadequacy Versus Management Deficiency

The readymade garment (RMG) industry plays a vital role in the socio-economic development of Bangladesh, yet the sector suffers from poor fire safety records. Given the lack of fire risk assessment in the industry, this paper develops a Fire Risk Index (FRI) for individual RMG factories and surveys 60 such factories to develop an understanding of the fire safety conditions in the sector. The paper differentiates the risk factors into structural (hard) and management related (soft) parameters and develops FRIs for the structural factors. The FRI for structural parameters is then compared with the FRI for management factors, published earlier. While an overall mean FRI of 2.12 on a 4 point scale indicates that fire safety condition is quite poor, the FRI for soft parameters (1.80) are even lower than the FRI for hard parameters (2.58), indicating the critical importance of the soft parameters in fire safety assessment of the RMG factories. Within the hard parameters, there appears to be more reliance on firefighting and means for escape than on precautionary measures to contain the fire, which could explain the higher frequency of fire occurrences in the industry. FRI for both hard and soft parameters appear to follow a U shaped relationship with factory size, possibly indicating a Kuznet’s effect in fire safety in the garment sector. The poor FRI for hard factors indicates large deviations from safety requirements set in this work and asks for a stricter monitoring and enforcement regime. Improving the performance in the soft parameters, however, would require changes in the safety culture and practices.

Human rights disasters, corporate accountability and the state

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the state-business nexus in responses to human rights violations in businesses and questions the efficacy of the UN guiding principles on human rights in businesses, in particular in the ready-made garments (RMG) industry in Bangladesh. Drawing on Cohen’s notion of “denial” and Black’s (2008) legitimacy and accountability relationships of state and non-state actors, the study seeks to explain why such “soft” global regulations remain inadequate. Design/methodology/approach – The empirical work for this paper is based on the authors’ participation in two multiple-stakeholder advisory consultation meetings for the RMG sector in Bangladesh and 11 follow-up interviews. This is supplemented by documentary evidence on human rights disasters, responses of the state and non-state actors and human rights reports published in national and international newspapers. Findings – The paper provides clear evidence that the state-business nexus perpetuates human rights disasters. The study also shows that the Bangladeshi state, ruled by family-led political parties, is more inclined to protect businesses that cause human rights disasters than to ensure human rights in businesses. The economic conditions of the RMG industry and accountability and legitimacy relationships between state and non-state actors have provided the necessary background for RMG owners to continue to violate the safety and security of the workplace and maintain inhumane working conditions. Research limitations/implications – Complex state politics, including family, kinship and wealthy supporters, and economic circumstances have serious implications for the efficacy of the UN guiding principle on human rights for business. This paper calls for broader political and economic changes, nationally and internationally. Originality/value – The study highlights the perpetuation of corporate human rights abuses by the state-business nexus, and indicates that human rights issues continue to be ignored through a discourse of denial. This is explained in terms of legitimacy and accountability relationships between state and non-state actors, bounded by complex political and economic conditions.

Total Quality Management (TQM) Adoption in Bangladesh Ready-Made Garments (RMG) Industry: A Conceptual Model

Bangladesh Ready-Made Garments (RMG) sector shows remarkable growth and significant contribution in the country’s economic development though product and service qualities are yet a considerable problem to worry about. RMG companies in Bangladesh are not fully aware about the impacts and value of Total Quality Management (TQM) implementation. Actually they mostly give emphasis on ISO 9000 execution and various researches show that application of this only enhances problems. Researchers argue that effective implementation of TQM practices is a main criteria and predictor of gaining sustainability in business. So, for being competitive in the long run, RMG industry in Bangladesh should focus more on TQM practices rather than taking advantages out of the cheapest labors. As, it is notable to mention that in case of Bangladesh RMG sector, most of the existing literatures give more emphasis and discuss about the infrastructural and strategic matters whereas TQM and Human Resource Management (HRM) practices in an attempt to improve sustainable competitive advantage are still a debate both theoretically as well as empirically. In this aspect, literatures proved that, no previous studies were conducted to verify the association among practices of TQM, sustainable competitive advantage as well as the role of HRM as a mediator to build TQM climate in Bangladesh RMG sector. In order to bridge this gap and to generate a more comprehensive argument, this paper further proposes and aims at providing a tool, a procedural framework, to enhance TQM in various RMG companies operating in Bangladesh via the development of appropriate TQM model which will ensure organizational sustainable competitive advantage where HRM practices will consider as mediating variable. Proposed research direction and conclusion are discussed in conclusion of this research.

Can HRM Practices Improve Job Satisfaction of Ready Made Garment (RMG) Workers in Bangladesh? An Alternative Solution to Recent Unrest

Labor unrest in RMG sector of Bangladesh has become a major problem in trade and finance due to whichorganizations are losing their business. RMG workers are not so happy with their employers because of improperlabor practices. However, employee’s job satisfaction is an important factor for organizational success. ThroughHRM practices, organizations try to increase satisfaction among the employees for goal achievement. Theobjective of this study is to examine the relationship among financial, non financial HRM practices and jobsatisfaction of RMG workers in order to reduce unrest. For this study, 35 different RMG companies have beenchosen on convenient basis around Dhaka, Gazipur and Narayanganj district of Bangladesh. This study adoptsregress method under 200 questionnaires survey where data have been collected from both managerial and nonmanagerial workers. Present study has found that both financial and non-financial job factors are making theworkers satisfied, so that they are less likely to involve in labor unrest.

English

  Child labour is a sensitive issue in global business. It is a common problem in workplace in Bangladesh particularly in Ready-made garment (RMG) sector. This paper focuses on child labour and how it affects the Bangladesh RMG sector. In fact the International Labour Organization (ILO), the World Trade Organization (WTO) and other international communities consider child labour as abusive and exploitative. To eliminate child labour, the ILO and other stakeholder promote decent work programme with technical and financial support. These are also discussed in this paper. An extensive literature survey has been undertaken in order to review the working conditions in the Ready-made garment industry. Based on this literature review, working conditions in the RMG sector are below standard according to the ILO as well as this lack of social compliance. As a result, the international communities and buyers declined to purchase RMG product. Compliance of RMG factories is a key requirement for most of the reputable global garments buyers that compliance ensures all labour rights and facilities according to the buyer’s Code of Conducts. Hence Bangladeshi manufacturers must provide themselves with compliance tools in order to maintain the reputation of their industry. Therefore this review identifies the need to improve capacity of the institutions concerned with social compliance.   Key words: Ready-made garment (RMG), compliance, code of conducts, monitoring and verification system, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), International Programme for the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC), International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU), International Labour Organization (ILO), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

The Competitiveness of Ready Made Garments Industry of Bangladesh in Post MFA Era: How Does the Industry Behave to Face the Competitive Challenge?

The challenges that originate from changes in the global trade regime and the relative competitive environment in the global markets are reasons for deep concern for Bangladesh. Because of quota system abolition many of the less efficient suppliers will lose quota rents and market shares as they are forced to compete with more efficient suppliers among developing countries. Since 1974, Bangladesh was enjoying a quota free access of garments under the Multi- Fibre Arrangement (MFA). But the phase out of the Multi- Fibre Arrangement (MFA) has completed in 2005 under the Uruguay round of GATT (General Agreement for Tariffs and Trade) in 1994. The freeing of trade in textiles and clothing has created a formidable challenge to the Bangladesh Ready Made Garments (RMG) Industry. The phase-out of the MFA, emergence of competitors such as China, India, Vietnam, Turkey, Mexico and African nations have negatively impacted on the fortunes of Bangladesh RMG sector. Dependence on imported raw materials, political instability, turbulent economy, high bank interest rates, lack of government incentives, poor knowledge of international marketing, port problem, poor infrastructure and labor union are some of the internal problems of Bangladesh RMG. This sector is being incrementally faced with the burden of obligations imposed by the developed countries in the guise of compliance issues. There are two types of views about the future of Bangladesh Ready Made Garments (RMG) Industry after MFA era. The optimistic view

Job Switching Of Garment Workers Decreasing Productivity: An Analytical Research

Frequent job changing or migration creates huge problems in production and management in the readymade garments sector of Bangladesh. Job changing or migration is very common character for professions but frequently change make the system interrupted. Garments workers change their jobs for higher salary, bad environment, transportation, housing and related others problems related with their working stations. From the research it was revealed that lots of job opportunities for the garments workers makes them easy to find out the better option, though their working environment almost same in everywhere excepting some special cases. Mainly the workers change their jobs for higher salaries, increasing house rent where the female for good environment, good communication and harassment free working condition. Three areas of Dhaka district have been selected for this study where two areas from Dhaka city and another one is outer side of Dhaka city. The comparative study has come here regarding their job change from city to outer city area. Workers job changing for higher salary and good environment is almost common to everywhere but for increasing house rent and communication, the workers of city area change their jobs normally.

HEALTH AND OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY FOR FEMALE WORKFORCE OF GARMENT INDUSTRIES IN BANGLADESH

It is the advantage to outsourcing of supply chains that opened up a new door of economic emancipation for Bangladesh. The readymade garments (RMG) of Bangladesh emerge as value chain member of European, USA cloth merchants and retails. Many of them are found economic justification in outsourcing production function to Bangladesh. RMG sector of Bangladesh responded to this outsourcing demand quite successfully. The overwhelming success of the RMG sector of Bangladesh has moved its status in the global context in terms of economic and social development indicators. Despite the challenge that lies ahead, Bangladesh performed well in terms of realizing benefit of economic globalization, particularly its RMG sector. This paper discusses in brief the problem of health and safety issues of female workforce of garment industries in Bangladesh based upon the industry environment, their residential environment, working condition, age, problem of health, causes of diseases, causes of fire accident and their medical facilities.Key Words: Female Workers; Health; Disease; Fire and Safety.DOI: 10.3329/jme.v41i1.5364Journal of Mechanical Engineering, Vol. ME 41, No. 1, June 2010 65-70

Employee Participation in Decision Making in RMG sector of Bangladesh: Correlation with Motivation and Performance

Participation in decision making in industry results in satisfaction of employees and an increase in productivity and profit. It empowers the employer to achieve the organizational goal. This study was conducted to assess the present situation, nature and types of workers participation and motivation system in Ready Made Garments (RMG) sector of Bangladesh. The study identifies the causes of poor participation of the employees in decision making and correlate between employee participation, motivation and performance. The study revealed that there is a significant positive correlation between decision making, motivation and performance. The study also identified five major causes of poor participation in decision making, such as, absence of willingness of the management, absence of labor union activities, lack of workforce diversity, illiteracy of the workers and political grouping among the workers.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jbt.v5i2.9984Journal of Technology (Dhaka) Vol. 5(2), July-December, 2010 122-132