Garment Factories Research Articles

Awareness of productivity quality requirements in ready-made garment factories and its impact on customer satisfaction (an applied study in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia)

Awareness of productivity quality requirements in ready-made garment factories and its impact on customer satisfaction (an applied study in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia)

Impact of components of compensation on labours job satisfaction in the garments industry of Bangladesh

ABSTRACT The readymade garments (RMG) industry is a major driver of economic growth and poverty reduction in Bangladesh. It accounts for more than three-quarters of export earnings, contributes roughly 10 percent of GDP, and employs over 4 million people, the majority of whom are women, in approximately 5000 factories. The industry has faced several problems. High labour turnover is one of them, as it harms business performance and labour productivity. This study was carried out to determine various components of compensation and how they affected labourers’ degree of job satisfaction. Simple random sampling has been used to collect primary sources of data. The sample size is comprised of 151 labourers from the various garment factories in Bangladesh. This study revealed that labourers are more satisfied with their benefits Packages. In light of the higher costs associated with the inflation index, the average yearly wage or payment should be raised for compensation compared to the previous years. Furthermore, the Wage Board should periodically review workers’ basic pay and benefits to reflect changes in the country’s economic landscape. Based on the study’s findings, it is recommended that the pay structure and administration for RMG workers remain the same.

Optimizing Transportation Logistics for Cost Efficiency in a Garment Factory: A Linear Programming Approach Using LINDO

The garment industry in Bangladesh plays a pivotal role in the nation's economy, yet it faces significant challenges in optimizing transportation logistics to minimize costs and enhance efficiency. This paper uses linear programming techniques to negotiate the optimization of transportation logistics in a garment factory located in Gazipur, Bangladesh. The primary objective is to develop an optimized transportation plan that reduces costs while satisfying supply and demand constraints across multiple suppliers, production facilities, and distribution centers. The study formulates the transportation problem as a linear programming model and employs the simplex method to determine the optimal solution. LINDO software is utilized for model implementation and optimization. The model incorporates real data from the garment factory, including supply capacities, demand requirements, and transportation costs. Results from the LINDO optimization reveal a detailed transportation plan that minimizes total transportation costs, demonstrating significant cost savings compared to existing practices. The optimized plan improves operational efficiency and provides a robust decision-support tool for logistics managers. Sensitivity analysis is conducted to ensure the model's robustness under varying conditions. The methodologies and findings are scalable and adaptable to other industrial settings, offering valuable insights for enhancing logistical efficiency in the garment industry. The study also highlights potential areas for future research, including integrating environmental considerations and advanced optimization techniques. Through this research, the garment factory in Gazipur can achieve substantial cost reductions and operational improvements, enhancing its competitiveness in the global market.

Prevalent Workplace Sexual Abuse of Ready-Made Garments Female Workers in Bangladesh: Understanding the Pseudo Dynamics of This Offence from Socio-Criminological Perspective

Safe workplace for women is a matter of great concern, even with the increasing rate of their participation in the economic sphere of Bangladesh. In spite of extensive empirical research focusing on infectious crime as sexual harassment across various spheres of human existence, even in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, sexual harassment remains a painstaking global thorn in the flesh. Though the prevalence of sexual harassment is at its peak, a significant proportion of society normalizes this as a custom and manifests it by keeping silent about sexual harassment against RMG female workers. The primary objective of this study is to understand the victims' experiences and the major factors behind the sexual harassment at ready-made garment factories in Bangladesh. This study utilizes qualitative research methodology employing purposive snowball sampling of 20 working women and 5 KII in-depth interviews, aiming to delve into the underlying factors of this behavior from a socio-criminological perspectives.

Working towards health: A model of cervical cancer screening and treatment for factory employees in Haiti.

In Haiti, cervical cancer continues to cause high levels of mortality and morbidity due to lack of resources and political unrest. Haitian women employed in factories are especially vulnerable because they are unable to take time away from work to access health resources. We aimed to describe a low-cost intervention which successfully addressed this need. We present a retrospective review of data gathered through a public-private partnership, in which women working in garment factories near Port-au-Prince, Haiti, were offered health education, clinical breast exam, and free human papillomavirus (HPV) self-swab testing at their place of employment. Women testing positive for HPV were subsequently tested using visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) to inform treatment referrals, and treated with mobile thermocoagulation in factory infirmaries. Factory-employed healthcare workers were trained on cancer screening, including VIA and clinical breast exam. A total of 6843 out of 6983 (98%) female factory employees attended free reproductive health education sessions, and 4005 out of 4153 eligible women (97%) were screened using HPV self-swab testing; 5176 women received a clinical breast exam. Of the women screened for HPV, 1001 (25%) tested positive and 905 (90%) of HPV-positive women received VIA testing and thermocoagulation. The intervention had a total cost of US$76 000, over half of which was spent on an HPV testing machine. Innovative approaches to the prevention of cervical cancer are especially necessary in very low-resource, politically unstable environments like Haiti. Self-swab and screen-and-treat programs in the workplace were acceptable to employees and factory owners. This low-cost model was reached vulnerable women through a public-private partnership, and tracked them through screening and treatment. It could be implemented elsewhere or extended to include other health services.

The influence of stakeholder theory and Islamic faith on employee perception of CSR

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the influences of employee perception of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the Readymade Garment Industry (RMG). The RMG industry in Bangladesh has faced constant criticism of their working practices, and following some fatal incidents, the industry was faced with external pressures of implementing CSR practices and policies. Manufacturers invested and initiated CSR in their business and marketing strategy to survive in the global competition. Employees are internal stakeholders that help to implement and disseminate strategies successfully; however, there is not enough knowledge in the area of employee perception of CSR. Design/methodology/approach The paper is an exploratory study using the quantitative data collection method. In total, 128 responses have been collected from participants who are employees of garment factories in Bangladesh to understand their perception of CSR. Regression analysis has been conducted to ascertain the relationships between the factors that influence employee perception. Theories of stakeholder management, organizational citizenship behaviour, social exchange theory and employee engagement have been used to analyse the factors that influence employee perception. Findings The findings show that the factors that influence perception of CSR are not confined to the stakeholder’s initiatives but are significantly dependent on the employees’ direct involvement, engagement and personal values as a beneficiary and an executioner. In addition to the stakeholder’s initiatives that are a key deliverable to the marketing strategy, the employees are influenced by their personal beliefs and practices that can be associated with influences of religion, culture and the wider social landscape. Research limitations/implications The data is limited to a small number of factories located near the capital, Dhaka, this is a small sample compared to the 4,000 factories in Bangladesh. Further research can be conducted based on a larger data set, which could represent a wider range of employee perspectives from different factories relating to size, product category and geographical location. The study does not expand on the factors that influence employee perception specifically. Practical implications The findings of the study can help the employers understand that the organization’s priority and participation are not the only factors that influence the employee’s perceptions. The employees’ assessment of the stakeholder’s intentions of CSR, which are reflected in the organization’s priority, shapes employee perceptions that are influenced by their personal values and beliefs. The awareness of the factors that influence the employees will enable organizations to motivate them and deliver on expectations of the business partners. Social implications It is the practices aimed at the employees that enhance their engagement in CSR that enable them to reciprocate and influence their perception of the organization’s fair and genuine motives. The effectiveness of this aids the macro-marketing aspects of managing social concerns and the impact of businesses. Originality/value The data collected is primary data from employees of garment manufacturers. The hypothesized framework is developed by the authors, and the outcomes of the factors that influence the employee perception of CSR are escalated from the analysis conducted by the authors.

Balancing policy objectives: Cambodia's COVID‐19 emergency cash assistance scheme for workers

AbstractWelfare programs in emerging economies are, in most cases, highly selective. This article illustrates this point by exploring Cambodia's emergency cash assistance scheme coverage for workers affected by the COVID‐19 pandemic. Drawing on policy analysis and interviews with government officials, industry representatives, and garment and tourism unions, it analyzes the level of benefit and efficacy of the initiative for different groups of workers. Based on this analysis, we find that garment factory and tourism workers received better support than workers in other sectors as a consequence of industry lobbying and strategic decision‐making on the part of the government designed to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on those sectors. Our analysis also reveals, however, that the relatively informal nature of even formal‐sector workplaces in Cambodia meant that the scheme's impact was highly varied even among these targeted groups of workers. We conclude with a discussion of the findings' broader implications.Related ArticlesAsongu, Simplice, and Nicholas M. Odhiambo. 2023. “The Effect of Inequality on Poverty and Severity of Poverty in Sub‐Saharan Africa: The Role of Financial Development Institutions.” Politics & Policy 51(5): 898–918. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12558.Lachapelle, Erick, Thomas Bergeron, Richard Nadeau, Jean‐François Daoust, Ruth Dassonneville, and Éric Bélanger. 2021. “Citizens' Willingness to Support New Taxes for COVID‐19 Measures and the Role of Trust.” Politics & Policy 49(3): 534–65. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12404.Onyango, Gedion, and Japheth Otieno Ondiek. 2022. “Open Innovation during the COVID‐19 Pandemic Policy Responses in South Africa and Kenya.” Politics & Policy 50(5): 1008–31. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12490.

Potential challenges of collaborative robot implementation in Vietnamese garment manufacturing

Collaborative robots (cobots) are a new significant technology in the integration of Industry 4.0 (I4.0) and Industry 5.0 (I5.0). Working alongside humans in open environments, cobots can boost safety and productivity. However, manufacturers are facing some potential challenges in adopting cobots, such as technological challenges, social problems, cost barriers, and labor issues. Vietnam has a great potential for outsourcing in the top supply chains for many famous fashion brands globally, with thousands of textile and garment factories. The purpose of this study was to explore potential challenges of cobot implementations in the context of Vietnam’s garment factories from factory employees’ perspectives. Data were collected from 29 garment factory managers in Vietnam. Findings revealed a rapid change in fashion trends and many unskilled workers may limit cobots’ flexibility, precision, and innovation. Furthermore, cobot implementation is affected by the cost of cobots, infrastructure upgrades, and risks of possible failure in deployment. Cobot firms, application partners, technology programmers, and manufacturers need to discuss how to maximize cobots’ benefits in diverse aspects of the garment manufacturing setting. These insights could boost the industry’s economy and sustainability.

Work related Stress of Garment Workers in Bangladesh

The export-oriented Garment sector has made crucial contribution to the transformation of the Bangladesh economy. The number of garment industry is now about 5560 and provides employment to as many as 5.0 million workers. Job stress is one of the common problems that employees confront with increasing frequency. Recently job stress is becoming an epidemic in the work environment. This cross sectional study was carried out on a sample of 418 garment workers selected by non-probability sampling technique from two garment factories. The study was done from 1st July 2021 to 30th June 2022 with an objective to assess the level of job stress and related factors in garment workers. Job stress was estimated by using Occupational stress index (OSI) questionnaire; while socio-demographic, behavioral and work related information were obtained using semi structured questionnaire. Among 418 respondents, 71% were female and 21% were male, their mean age was 29.35±6.185 & they were mostly married (72%). 45.2% had no formal education The mean family income and individual income were Tk.13181.07±4826.598 & Tk.6812.10±1029.504 respectively. Among the respondents, 64.4% belong to cutting/sewing section, 79.2% of them were employed for 1 to 5 years & mean duration of employment was 3.78±3.083 years. Among respondents, 69.9% had moderate stress followed by 17% having low stress and 13.2 % with high stress. Among 12 subscale the mean scores of under participation (mean score = 4.33) and responsibility for person (mean score =4.22) was higher. It was found that monthly income and compulsory work over time produce odds ratio 0.401, 11.963 respectively. This indicates every additional unit of monthly income, respondents were 0.401 times less likely to develop job stress (OR=.401) and every additional unit of compulsory overtime, respondents were 11.963 times more likely to develop job stress (OR=11.963). There was a significant association of job stress and gender, smoking habit, monthly income and work overtime. Measures to be taken to alleviate these stressors which can promote the worker in greater contribution in their profession. J. of Sci. and Tech. Res. 5(1): 163-168, 2023

Creating a local managerial regime in global context: The case of the Bangladesh ready‐made garment sector

AbstractThis article analyses the strategic construction of a factory management regime as an instrument of local value extraction, set against an intensely competitive global value chain in the apparel sector. The article focuses on Bangladesh where, as elsewhere, work in ready‐made garment factories is characterised by long hours, poor pay, hostility to freedom of association and the suppression of independent collective bargaining. This article presents a long‐term study of the ways that managers who preside over such environments are identified, recruited and deployed. In the context of the global value chain in garments, this article shines a light on managerial regimes which squeeze labour and perpetuate inequality as part of extracting value at workplace level, in the context of a broader, internationally dispersed, industrial regime of exploitation.

Workers’ self-organisation under military rule: challenges and opportunities in post-coup Myanmar

In February 2021, the Myanmar military seized power in a coup, bringing to an end a decade of quasi-civilian electoral rule, during which workers in Myanmar had organised themselves into close to 3000 workplace unions. The coup and post-coup imposition of martial law thus upended what had been a vigorous domestic labour movement. Yet post-coup restrictions on worker mobilising have not extinguished workers’ collective struggles. We therefore investigate, in this article, the challenges and opportunities for workers’ self-organisation under post-coup conditions. We argue that despite heightened restrictions since the coup, industrial workers have exploited contradictions in the post-coup factory labour regime to press demands and make tangible, if limited, gains. To substantiate our argument, we present two cases of worker organising at garment factories on Yangon’s industrial outskirts. Empirically, we draw on interviews we conducted with workers involved in the two cases in question, and on our ongoing research into Myanmar’s post-coup labour conditions more generally.

Exploring the Relationship between Dispute Resolution and Organizational Performance: An Empirical Study on the Impact of Communication Climate

Ineffective communication is a dominant source of instability and significant worker dissatisfaction in the manufacturing industry, including the readymade clothing sector. Workers’ dissatisfaction at the workplace creates labor unrest. Consequently, productivity may be significantly affected by labor unrest, which is an inevitable component of any industrial operation. A harmonious work environment, free from conflicts among employees, should be a focus for every successful organization. This research suggests that the communication climate be implemented as a resolution technique for workplace disputes. Data was collected through structured questionnaire surveys and random sampling in this quantitative research. Data was obtained from the readymade garment factories in Bangladesh. One hundred twenty employees participated in the survey. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to analyze the data. According to the research, the primary cause of poor business performance at the workplace in the sector is due to inadequate communication. Additionally, the investigation assessed the industry's employees' perspectives regarding the advantages of communication climate in dispute resolution. This study finds a positive correlation between dispute resolution techniques and the communication climate. Pluralist theory served as the theoretical foundation for the investigation in order to substantiate the notion that it provides resources such as knowledge, constructive criticism, and opportunities for growth of the sector.

Job Satisfaction of Female Workers in Different Garments Factories in Dhaka City: An Intertemporal Comparison

Job satisfaction is an attitude that reflects the extent to which an individual is gratified by or fulfilled in his/her job. It is an affective or emotional response toward various facets of one’s job. This meaning of job satisfaction implies that job satisfaction is not a unitary concept. Rather a person can be relatively satisfied with one aspect of his or her job and dissatisfied with one or more other aspects. Thus, we can differentiate at least two aspects of job satisfaction ⎯ facet satisfaction and overall satisfaction. Facet satisfaction is the tendency for an employee to be more or less satisfied with various facets of his or her job. A large number of related research has been conducted in different countries including Bangladesh. Alam (1986) conducted a research on the job satisfaction of female workers in different garment factories in Dhaka City in 1983. He measured the level of overall satisfaction and analyzed the nature of facet satisfaction of 200 female workers. He concluded that a minor percentage of female workers in different garment factories are satisfied with their jobs, and there is a positive relationship between their level of job satisfaction and the level of wages/salaries and other identified factors. The objective of the present study is to measure the overall level of job satisfaction of female workers in different garment factories and to identify factors contributing to job satisfaction and factors contributing to job dissatisfaction. The present study also ranks all identified factors according to their relative importance by using a formula developed by Alam in 1983 (Alam, 1986). Finally, the present study makes intertemporal comparisons of overall job satisfaction level and of the nature of facet satisfaction over the twenty two-year period (between 1983 and 2005). Such intertemporal comparisons are necessary because of the fact that over the last twenty two years, as the garment industries of the country has expanded significantly, the nature of human resource management in this sector has changed in many aspects. As a result, job satisfaction status and the absolute as well as relative importance of factors contributing to satisfaction level are expected to change.

Labor welfare policy, practices, and deficiencies with the ILO: evidence from the garment industry of Bangladesh

ABSTRACT Labor welfare, aligned with the standards set by the International Labor Organization (ILO) and effectively practiced, plays a vital role in ensuring the optimal functioning and protection of the labor force within an industry. The garment supply chain is a significant contributor to the national economy in Bangladesh. However, labor welfare in this sector falls short of expectations due to inadequate access to facilities and benefits such as transportation, recreation, housing, and education. As such, it is of interest to see whether the labor welfare policies in Bangladesh’s garment factories align with ILO guidelines, how these policies impact workers’ overall well-being, and the extent to which the garment industry adheres to the prescribed labor welfare standards in the country. Using a mixed-method research design, the study reveals that nine welfare factors significantly correlate with worker well-being. Nevertheless, the study underscores the disparity between current labor welfare policies under labor law and those recommended by the ILO, revealing substandard labor welfare provisions and practices. The study’s outcomes can guide policymakers, business leaders, and stakeholders in enhancing labor welfare practices, ultimately aiming to improve worker well-being and work efficiency.

Family Planning Practices, Knowledge, Decision Making, and Factors Associated with Unplanned Pregnancies among Women Working in A Selected Garment Industry in Urban Bengaluru, India

Background: According to UN population estimates, India has surpassed China as the world’s most populated nation, marking the biggest upheaval in global demography since records have been kept. Providing universal family planning services is an important strategy to reduce maternal morbidity and to control population growth. Even though the country has multiple programs addressing family planning issues, they are missing out on working women. Thus, this study aims to estimate the prevalence of unmet needs of family planning and determinants for improper access to family planning methods among women working in a selected Garment industry in Urban Bengaluru. Methodology: A community based cross-sectional study was conducted in a selected garment factory for a period of two months. Women workers in Reproductive age group (18-49 years) and who gave voluntary consent to participate in the study were taken up. Total sample of 454 women were included. The data was collected using a semi-structured and validated questionnaire. Collected data was entered in Microsoft Excel and was analysed using SPSS version 16. Results: Among 454 participants, 42.3% (n=192) of them had used contraceptive method. Out of 192 women, most of them (72.9%, n=140) had chosen tubectomy as the contraceptive measure. Among 407 women, 14.3% (n=58), 13.3% (n=42), and 20.9% (n=9) of them had not planned for their 1st pregnancy, 2nd pregnancy, and 3rd pregnancy respectively. Conclusion: Less than half of them had used any form of contraceptive method. Among that half, nearly three-fourths had chosen tubectomy.

(114) HPV-AUTOMATED VISUAL EVALUATION (PAVE) STUDY: VALIDATING A NOVEL CERVICAL SCREENING STRATEGY. PRELIMINARY RESULTS OF PHASE 1 FROM CAMBODIA

Abstract Introduction The HPV-Automated Visual Evaluation (PAVE) Study is an international, multi-centric study designed to evaluate a novel cervical screen-triage-treat strategy for resource-limited settings as part of a global strategy to reduce cervical cancer burden as part of the National Cancer Institute’s Cancer Cures Moonshot Initiative. The PAVE strategy involves: 1) screening with self-sampled HPV testing; 2) triage of HPV-positive participants with a combination of extended genotyping and visual evaluation of the cervix assisted by deep-learning-based automated visual evaluation (AVE); and 3) treatment with thermal ablation or excision (LLETZ). The PAVE study has two phases: efficacy (2023-2024) and effectiveness (planned to begin in 2024-2025). The efficacy phase aims to refine and validate the screen-triage portion of the protocol. The effectiveness phase will examine implementation of the PAVE strategy into clinical practice, cost-effectiveness, and health communication. The study will enroll a total 100,000 women in 9 different countries. Objective The Cambodia section of the study will enroll a total of 10,000 women 25 to 49 years of age. Two different cohorts are being studied: lower-risk women who are employed (and screened) at garment factories, and higher-risk women living with HIV (WLWH) who are enrolled in the Cambodian National Centre for HIV/AIDS Dermatology and STDS (NCHADS) clinics. Very few women in either cohort have ever been screened for cervical cancer. Methods After an initial educational campaign including videos and written literature, eligible women were consented and performed HPV self-sampling. HPV testing was performed with the modified AmpFire HPV isothermal testing system (Atila Biosystems, California) which provides genotyping information in following groups: 16, 18/45, 31/33/35/52/58, 39/59/68/51/56/59. All women were informed of the HPV status via SMS. All HPV positive women had digital colposcopy with 5% acetic acid using an IRIS digital colposcope (Liger, Utah) and digital images were obtained. All women hrHPV+ had ectocervical and/or endocervical biopsies with SoftBiopsy or SoftECC brush (Histologics, California). Women with CIN2+ lesions then had LEEP. Results As of October 31st, 2023, 2097 Garment workers and 530 WLWH have been enrolled. From 259 of 2097 garment workers were hrHPV+ (12.4%). 10 of the 259 (3.9%) had biopsy confirmed CIN2+ lesions. Only 9 (3.4%) of the garment workers were lost to follow up after testing positive for hrHPV. 128 of 530 WLWH were hrHPV+ (24.15%), 101 of these 128 women presented for visual evaluation of their Cervices and 21 had a CIN2+ lesions and 11 had invasive cancer. Currently, 27 of the hrHPV+ WLWH have been lost-to-follow-up, though efforts continue to reach these women. Conclusions Women in low resource settings often have great socioeconomic barriers to cervical cancer screening. Screening and treating in garment factories appears to be a very successful strategy as high numbers of women can be screened in a short period of time. Additionally, there has been very minimal loss-to-follow-up even though HPV testing was performed up to one month prior to the visual inspection of hrHPV+ women. Screening WLWH, however, is a greater challenge as they often have to travel greater distances to get screened and frequently face greater economic burdens. Strategies such as arranging and paying for all transportation and compensation for lost wages will be used in the future to limit loss-to-follow-up. Disclosure Any of the authors act as a consultant, employee or shareholder of an industry for: Dare Bioscience.

Conflict management in garment manufacturing company

Conflict is an imperative issue- even considered as burning issue in many industries- that is inevitably needed to dissolve or minimize in order to operate the organization successfully. Many researches and studies of conflict management have been conducted on several industries, but this researcher eagerly recognized to present an exclusive literature review on garment manufacturing industry not only from theoretical perspective but also based on his valuable long work-experience in this garment industry. It is hypothetically deemed by the garment factory owners and top management in Bangladesh that, somebody should research on this real-world issue in light of his/her acquaintance pertinent to this industry. The main purpose of this literature review is to present the practical and pervasive state of conflict management in garment manufacturing companies, and to find the techniques of resolution according to this researcher’s practical experience. This study provides an extensive literature review on conflict management in the context of Bangladesh garment manufacturing industry. It described meticulously about conflict zones, conflict types, conflict process, and some treasured techniques of conflict control- especially applicable for garment factories. It is amplified that, to control or minimize conflict in garment factory, conflict resolution skills and attributes should be taken into consideration, and top management’s positive intention is required to establish an effective conflict management system. Furthermore, along with the literature review, this study recommends some pragmatic solutions incorporating to different perspectives of conflict patterns and styles, and the guidelines of this study will lead the garment organizations to formulate defacto conflict management strategies for their employees.

Role of multinational buyers in ensuring worker voice through social dialogue: an exploratory study of the export oriented garment industry

Purpose This study aims to explore how multinational lead buyers can play an active role in ensuring worker voices in garment supplier factories where workers have limited space to raise their voices, and how buyers’ involvement increases the possibilities of worker voices mitigating barriers to social dialogues and enhancing mutual interests of buyers and workers in garment factories. Design/methodology/approach Using a qualitative research approach and multiple embedded case study method, this study considered buyer−supplier dyads as the unit of analysis, i.e. two multinational lead buyers and their four corresponding suppliers in the garment industry of Bangladesh. Focus group discussion and key informant in-depth interviews were techniques applied to collect factory-level data, and within and cross-case analysis techniques were applied to develop an overall understanding. Findings The results of this study reveal that the opportunities for workers to voice their concerns through social dialogue in garment supplier factories are limited due to various obstacles. Similarly, the role of multinational lead buyers in addressing these issues is found to be less than ideal. This study also shows that buyers can take short-term and long-term initiatives to ensure social dialogues. Moreover, this study presents how social dialogues can meet the expectations of multinational buyers and their garment suppliers. Research limitations/implications While this study focuses exclusively on the garment industry, similar scenarios also exist across a multitude of other industries. Thus, future research could extend this study’s scope to various sectors, providing a more comprehensive understanding of the general state of worker voices in Bangladesh. This study stands to make significant contributions to literature in the fields of global value chains, human relations and international business. It will pose critical perspectives on how upstream value chain suppliers can fortify worker rights through social dialogue, and elucidate the means and motives for lead buyers to play a more active role in this endeavour. Originality/value This study is distinct in its approach, integrating buyer−supplier roles to pave the way for enhanced worker voice opportunities through social dialogue in garment supplier factories.

The Role of Civil Society Organisations for Migrant Workers in Tiruppur and Bengaluru Garment Factories: Gram Vaani and Radio Active 90.4

This article traces contemporary debates on labour regulation related to state-led labour laws and voluntary compliance in a macro context of de-regulation, dilution of workers’ rights and deterioration of labour relations, which have resulted in a decline in migrant workers’ access to trade unions. It argues that non-compliance of state-led labour regulations and compliance of voluntary governance exacerbated the precarity and well-being of migrant workers. It then explores the role of two civil society organisations (CSOs) in southern India—Gram Vaani and Radio Active 90.4—that use technology in redressing migrant workers’ grievances. In the empirical context of the pandemic, when both state and state-led labour laws and voluntary compliance failed in protecting workers’ rights, the article finds that CSOs have emerged as significant actors in bridging the gap between trade unions and migrant workers. The paper critically examines the strengths and limitations of such collaboration and advocates union revitalisation and coalition strategies to strengthen the voice of migrant labour in a post-pandemic world of work and employment.

Investigation of the bias tape roll change time efficiency in garment factories

Abstract In the ready-to-wear industry, bias tape is one of the many factors that affect the efficiency of the manufacturing process. In particular, the bias tape change period slows down production. The purpose of this study is to identify the effect of fabric length on the time of changing bias tape rolls. At most manufacturers, the bias tape is made by cutting an average of 1 m from the product’s own fabric. In this study, the effect of bias tape fabrics cut into three different lengths on the manufacturing process was compared with three models. By producing bias tape for each model, the time spent on cutting the fabric, sewing, and changing the roll in the bias holder that feeds the lockstitch machine was calculated. It was revealed that the difference in fabric length affects the efficiency of the sewing process. Namely, it was found that the time spent on changing the bias tape roll decreased between 4.31 and 8.98%. Based on these findings, it can be said that the time efficiency can be increased by increasing the length of the fabric of the bias tape roll to be produced, and thus the production process could be accelerated.