Ready-made Garment Industry In Bangladesh Research Articles

Role of participation committee in developing workplace condition, safety and welfare services in Ready-Made Garment Industry of Bangladesh

An abstract is a summary of entire paper should be written in Cambria with font size- 10. The Ready-Made Garment (RMG) industry in Bangladesh plays a crucial role in the country's economy. Nonetheless, it frequently encounters challenges concerning workplace conditions, safety standards, and welfare services. This study investigates the participation committee's (PC) role in ensuring sustainable working conditions, workplace safety, and welfare within Bangladesh's RMG industry. Employing a qualitative research approach, the study conducted interviews with 30 respondents using semi-structured questions and employed a convenient sampling technique to select participants. The findings reveal that the participation committee has notably enhanced workplace safety in the RMG industry. Through active involvement, the committee has fostered improved communication between management and employees, leading to better working conditions, the eradication of labor rights neglect, and strengthened enforcement of national employment and labor regulations. The paper concludes by stressing the necessity for collaborative efforts involving stakeholders at various levels to consistently enhance workplace conditions, safety standards, and welfare services in Bangladesh's Ready-Made Garment industry. Originality in a study on participation committees in Bangladesh's ready-to-garment industry lies in presenting innovative approaches, methods, or insights, addressing literature gaps, or exploring uncharted territories, thus enhancing welfare services and workplace health and safety.

Unleashing the power of manufacturing flexibility: enhancing performance in Bangladesh's ready-made garment industry

PurposeThis research aims to investigate how manufacturing flexibility can address the challenges of an ever-changing and unpredictable business environment in Bangladesh’s labor-intensive ready-made garment (RMG) industry, which is underserved and situated in a developing country.Design/methodology/approachUsing Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modeling, this study empirically evaluated the relationships between manufacturing flexibility, environmental uncertainty and firm performance. The analysis utilized 320 survey responses from potential RMG experts, representing 95 organizations.FindingsThe study achieved a decision-making model for implementing manufacturing flexibility in the RMG industry of Bangladesh with acceptable model fit criterion. The research pinpointed that workforce flexibility plays the maximum mediating among different types of manufacturing in coping with demand and supply uncertainty in the RMG sector.Research limitations/implicationsThe study made valuable contributions to theoretical and practical knowledge in the context of manufacturing flexibility in Bangladesh’s RMG and other underserved labor-intensive sectors in developing economies. It suggests that managers should shift from defensive and risky business strategies to more aggressive and proactive approaches by utilizing workforce flexibility resources adaptively to enhance manufacturing capabilities and align with dynamic market demand. Additionally, the study offers recommendations for future research to build upon its findings.Originality/valueThis study is unique in its approach because it presents a decision model for implementing manufacturing flexibility in a labor-intensive industry in a developing economy, specifically the RMG industry in Bangladesh, whereas previous research has primarily focused on high-tech industries in developed economies.

Steam Boilers in Ready-Made Garments Industry in Bangladesh: Existing Scenario and Scope for Development

Bangladesh's Ready-Made Garments (RMG) industry, historically prone to hazards including boiler explosions with numerous fatalities, has prompted the RMG Sustainability Council (RSC) to initiate boiler safety inspections. This study addresses the lack of empirical data on boiler operations in RMG factories, focusing on operational scenarios, risk factors, and remediation strategies. Conducted from March 2021 to March 2023, structured visual inspections across 1386 RMG factories assessed 2204 boilers. Key findings reveal that 34.99% of factories predominantly use a single boiler, 91.24% of boilers are government-registered, and the majority are imported (63.29%) with a steam generation capacity below 1,000 kg/hr (59.75%). Additionally, 63.11% were manufactured between 2010 and 2019, 79.63% burn fossil fuels, 54.60% are vertically oriented, and 82% use softened feedwater. The study also identifies 32 external risk factors across 11 categories, providing insights for decision-makers to enhance boiler operation safety and sustainability. By leveraging this inspection data, the research aims to bridge the empirical gap and offer a comprehensive understanding of the existing challenges in RMG boiler operations. Journal of Engineering Science 14(2), 2023, 89-105

Assessing compliance with International Labor Organization convention No. 100 in Bangladesh's ready-made garments industry for sustainable development goals

Assessing compliance with International Labor Organization convention No. 100 in Bangladesh's ready-made garments industry for sustainable development goals

Artificial Intelligence (AI) In Garment Design: Opportunities And Challenges In The Ready-made Garments (RMG) Sector of Bangladesh

This study looks at the pros and cons of using artificial intelligence (AI) in planning ready-made garments in Bangladesh's Gazipur district, where the garment industry is booming. Twenty designers from different institutions using AI and traditional software tools to create attires were involved in the study. The results show that applying AI to the field comes with both opportunities and challenges. AI has made garment creation more efficient, less expensive, more productive, more customizable, better at predicting trends, and more sustainable. However, it raises issues such as job loss, quality control, data privacy, dependence on technology, and ethical questions. This study shows how important it is to take a balanced approach to adopting AI, considering its possible benefits while addressing its risks, so that Bangladesh's ready-made garment industry can continue to grow and thrive.

Impact of Social Compliance on Conflict Management in the Readymade Garment Industry

In the global ready-made garment (RMG) market, there is intense competition. To combat ethical issues in the supply chain, vendors have created compliance regulatory standards. Suppliers must also monitor, enforce, and disclose compliance. Therefore, the global garment industry exerted pressure on suppliers from developing countries to implement a code of conduct (CoC) that emphasized social responsibility. The apparel industry has discovered that this Code of Conduct is a valuable instrument for monitoring the compliance activities of its suppliers. Compliance is essential to the prosperity of any RMG organization, according to studies. Studies indicate, however, that it fails in the apparel industry because purchasers may exert pressure on suppliers to prioritize cost savings over non-compliance. Also, demand places suppliers under unnecessary pressure. It cannot, therefore, be used in the fashion industry. Consequently, both positive and negative compliance studies inspired this study. This research is based on contingency theory. The findings of this study illuminate the significance of the connection between social compliance and labor instability in Bangladesh's RMG industry. This study also proposes that Bangladeshi textile companies should have normally utilized lean manufacturing techniques to increase output in accordance with new regulations, despite social compliance challenges. The data in this quantitative investigation were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) and Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). Simple random sampling was used to acquire data from 384 employees using survey techniques.

Analyzing the key barriers of adopting Industry 4.0 in Bangladesh’s ready-made garment industry: an emerging economy example

PurposeSince Industry 4.0 (I4.0) is a new idea in Bangladesh, this study supports I4.0 adoption. Companies struggle to implement I4.0 and fully profit from the fourth industrial revolution’s digital transformation due to its novelty. Although barriers to I4.0 adoption are thoroughly studied, the literature has hardly examined the many aspects that are crucial for I4.0 adoption in Bangladesh’s Ready-Made Garment (RMG) industry. So, the purpose of this study is to investigate the barriers of adopting I4.0 in relation to Bangladesh’s RMG industries to enhance the adoption of I4.0 by developing a framework. Ultimately, the goal of this research is to improve the adoption of I4.0 in Bangladesh.Design/methodology/approachThrough a comprehensive analysis of the existing research, this paper aims to reveal the barriers that must be overcome for I4.0 to be adopted. For evaluating those barriers, a decision analysis framework based on the combination of Delphi technique and Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) method has been developed. The use of DEMATEL has led to a ranking model of those barriers and a map of how the barriers are connected to each other.FindingsThe findings reveal that “I4.0 training”, “Lack of Motivation” and “Resistance to Change” are the most significant barriers for adopting Industry 4.0 in RMG sector of Bangladesh based on their prominence scores.Research limitations/implicationsThese findings will help the people who make decisions in the RMG industry of Bangladesh, such as company owners, managers and the executive body, come up with a plan for putting I4.0 practices into place successfully. The decision-making framework developed in this research can be utilized by the RMG industry of Bangladesh and other similar industries in developing countries to figure out how important each barrier is for them and how to get rid of them in order of importance.Originality/valueAs far as the authors are aware, there has not been a comprehensive study of the barriers inhibiting the adoption of I4.0 within the scope of Bangladeshi RMG industry. This work is the first to uncover these barriers and analyze them using the combination of Delphi technique and DEMATEL.

Empowering workers’ involvement: Unveiling the dynamics of communication, recognition, productivity, and decision-making in the RMG sector

Purpose: This study investigates the relationship between workers' perspectives on communication, recognition, productivity, and their involvement in the Readymade Garment (RMG) sector policymaking. Research Methodology: A sample of 226 individuals from the RMG sector in Bangladesh was surveyed using a well-designed questionnaire. The data were examined, and the study's hypotheses were tested, using the statistical program SPSS V.25. In IBM SPSS, the chi-square test and other statistical techniques were used to examine the data. The study investigates the relationship between the independent variables, including communication, employee recognition, and productivity, and the dependent variable, worker perception, using a conceptual framework. Results: There is a positive and significant relationship between employees' perceptions of communication and their involvement in the decision-making process. The study also shows that there is a positive and significant association between workers' perceptions of employee recognition, productivity, and involvement in decision-making in Bangladesh's RMG industry. Additionally, the organization's decision-making process is significantly impacted by employee participation. Limitations: While many studies examined the workers’ participation in decision-making in the various sectors, only a few studies have focused on the RMG sectors to explore the effects of communication, employee recognition, and productivity on the workers’ participation in decision-making. Contributions: The study reveals that the organization’s total effectiveness is reflected in how deeply workers are involved in decision-making. The degree of involvement is a key determining element since encouraging people to engage instead of just dragging them along is essential for enhancing performance and ensuring commitment.

Is the Fifth Dimension of the Balanced Scorecard Approach Imperative for the Readymade Garment Industry of Bangladesh? A Conceptual Framework

Is the Fifth Dimension of the Balanced Scorecard Approach Imperative for the Readymade Garment Industry of Bangladesh? A Conceptual Framework

Effects of Internet of Things, supply chain collaboration and ethical sensitivity on sustainable performance: moderating effect of supply chain dynamism

PurposeThe survival and growth of the ready-made garments (RMGs) sectors in Bangladesh depend on sustainable supply chain performance (SSCP). The purpose of this study is to analyse the effects of Internet of Things (IoT), supply chain collaboration and ethical sensitivity on SSCP. Also, supply chain dynamism was tested as a moderator.Design/methodology/approachThe framework of this study has been developed to enrich the understanding of technology usage in the supply chain. In developing the framework, previous studies in the supply chain context were considered. The model was tested by using data collected from 290 executives that were employed by different RMG companies in Bangladesh. This study used a 29-item structured questionnaire measured on a 6-point Likert scale to collect the data. Covariance-based structural equation modelling (SEM) was utilised to test the data.FindingsThe results showed that there were statistically significant and positive relationships between IoT and supply chain collaboration, social performance, economic performance and environmental performance. Ethical sensitivity also influenced social and economic performance. Supply chain collaboration was found to be related to social, economic and environmental performance. However, no link was found between ethical sensitivity and environmental performance. The result also showed that supply chain dynamism acted as a moderator.Research limitations/implicationsBy considering theories and interpreting the results, this study provides some theoretical and practical implications which will enhance the SSCP. The results can also facilitate strategic planning by companies.Originality/valueThis research has identified and analysed the effect of IoT on SSCP in the RMGs industry in Bangladesh where this industry serves as the main economic contributor.

Applying Lean Tools to Improve the Sewing Line Efficiency: A Case Study

In a garments manufacturing industry for selling as well as exporting ready-made-garments, quality improvement is a vital task. Industry will not be able to build up a good business relationship with the buyer if they fail to timely dispatch quality samples and finished product to buyers.
 This paper aims to investigate the changes in various aspects such as productivity, efficiency, capacity etc. of a readymade garment industry in Bangladesh by applying the 5’s lean tool. There is an improvement in production, WIP (work in progress) inventory reduction, space utilization, transport by applying the lean tool compared to conventional method. This study is based on both primary and secondary data. Here, quantitative method for data analysis is used. Data are tabled firstly in accordance with traditional operation break down, then according to lean line operational breakdown. Here data for jacket operation are shown. Results are compared with the help of bar charts.
 In this study the production data of Knitted Jacket are taken. The SMV data in two phases are considered, one with the traditional production process and the other one is with the implementation of Lean technique. Beside SMV (Standard Minute Value) data it has been shown productivity, efficiency, capacity etc. By comparing these data, it is assured that it is more preferable to choose Lean techniques to ensure better productivity level. This study is worked with 5’s and the 5’s will help a manufacturing company to increase its improvement and the company will turn into a self-improving company.

Forecast of Apparel Export for Year 2025

Bangladesh's Ready-Made Garment Industry (RMG) holds a larger foreign exchange market share and has emerged as a potential financial player in the national economy. This industry earns around 84% of Bangladesh’s overall export and employs nearly 4.22 million workers. Bangladesh is currently the second-largest apparel exporter in the world after China. However, COVID-19, known as a pandemic, has recently been impacting the global economy. The RMG sector of Bangladesh was significantly affected by this phenomenon. Nonetheless, after the pandemic situation, RMG exports get a boost. The purpose of this article is to prepare a statistical database with information related to RMG to enhance the bright future of this sector and to forecast the total RMG export for 2025. In this study, data of previous RMG export is collected from the BGMEA website and forecasting is done with the linear regression method. The study shows that in 2025 RMG export will be nearly $70 billion. These results will help the stakeholders to take their due actions to meet the target.

Bangladesh's ready-made garments sector rebound: Revisiting gendered labor precarity and dependency

Thousands of ready-made garment (RMG) workers, frequently seen as Bangladesh's lifeline for economic growth and poverty alleviation, were sacked arbitrarily just weeks after the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak. The widespread cancellation of existing orders, followed by factory closures and worker layoffs, triggered an unprecedented crisis for RMG workers, the vast majority of whom are women. As the industry is slowly recovering from the initial upheaval and on its way to rebound, this article revisits the impacts of the pandemic on the RMG workers in Bangladesh, who predominantly hails from impoverished rural regions of the country. Using first-hand data and secondary literature, this article offers a compelling account of the pandemic outbreak's disproportionate impact on female RMG workers. As we examine the effects on workers, we also look back at the structural hierarchies and power asymmetries embedded in this sector—a quintessential feature of the contemporary global economy. The article offers three distinct contributions to the emerging literature on the Covid-19 pandemic and its impacts on the changing labor spectrum in the global South. First, it explores the pandemic's broader gendered implications, revealing how it unevenly affected women. Second, it underlines how the pre-existing power dynamic within the global supply chain further exacerbated inequality, marginalization, and workers' precarity in Bangladesh's RMG industry. Lastly, it underscores the unequal interdependence between "core" and "peripheral" countries in the global production and labor landscape, highlighting the asymmetrical nature of their relationship.

Rights of the Women Worker of Readymade Garment Industry in Bangladesh: Gaps Between Law and Practice

Readymade garment industry is one of the most important sources of foreign currency of Bangladesh as well as this sector is the largest employment sector of women. There are more than 5000 garment factories in Bangladesh where 85% of the workers are women. There is legal framework to protect the rights of the women worker but in practice their rights are violated. The working condition, health and safety, minimum wages, working hours, maternity welfare facilities, difficulty to form trade union are the key areas where the rights of the women worker are violated most. Violation of the rights have thrown the women worker to vulnerable situation. This paper attempt to find out the rights of women worker and how the practice of violation of rights projected them to vulnerability. It also seeks to find out the cause of violation of the women workers rights and finally concludes with recommendations to implement the law in practice. This study has suffered from some limitations. Simple Random Sampling method used in this study may cause the problem of getting data from one part beside others which may have an effect on getting accurate results. Beside this, many women worker provide wrong information without understanding the fact.

Effect of Psychosocial Safety Climate on Organizational Citizenship Behaviours of Operators in the Ready-Made Garment Industry in Bangladesh

This study aimed to explore the effect of four dimensions of psychosocial safety climate (PSC) on organizational citizenship behaviour toward individuals (OCBI) and organizations (OCBO) of operator-level employees of the ready-made garment (RMG) industry in Bangladesh. Despite having plenteous research in the PSC and OCB literature, the development of theoretical models and validation were the gaps that required attempts to investigate the role of specific dimensions of PSC on the employees’ positive behavioural outcomes. The study followed quantitative, co-relational and cross-sectional approaches to examine the responses of 327 sample participants. The population of this study was all operating employees of the RMG organizations registered with BGMEA located in Dhaka. The study collected data through a structured questionnaire following the survey method. The present study developed a theoretical model and employed the PLS-SEM technique to justify the reliability and validity (convergent and discriminant) of the measurement model and test the study hypotheses through the structural model assessment. The study employed SPSS v.20 and Smart PLS v.3.3.3 for common method variance and the descriptive and inferential statistical assessments. The study results supported six hypotheses out of eight and unveiled that the employees’ perception of three dimensions of PSC (PSCMS, PSCOC and PSCOP) had positive impacts on OCBI and OCBO. Besides, the other two hypotheses were not supported by the study results, where the impacts of PSCMP on OCBI and OCBO were examined. The study discussed its findings in alignment with previous research reports and presented suggestions for future researchers and practitioners. This study poses theoretical implications in developing and corroborating a new conceptual model in PSC and OCB literature that cover the impact of each dimension of PSC on employees’ OCBI and OCBO. The findings of this study will contribute practically by sending a message to the higher authority of Bangladeshi RMG organizations that the employees’ psychosocial well-being oriented managerial support, communication, and participation will persuade the employees to expose the greater extent of OCB.

Commitment or Conspiracy? A Historical Exploration of Freedom of Association in the Readymade Garment Industry of Bangladesh

The historical texture of the trade union movement in Bangladesh is the struggle for survival and subordination. Now garment workers are enjoying the rights of eight-hour working days, weekly holiday leave, maternity leave, and so on, thanks to the struggle of the trade union movement. But the trade union movement in Bangladesh was historically weakened by its division into multiple federations, each aligned with a different political party as its labour front. This study will seek to understand the factors that restrict the freedom of association of garment workers in Bangladesh. The necessity of finding and analysing obstacles regarding the formation of unions in the garment industry and ensuring the environment to foster effective trade unionism in garments can be determined through the outcomes of this research. This article presents a brief historical overview of trade union movement conditions under different regimes, from British India to modern Bangladesh. It also incorporates a clarification of the workers’ freedom of association barriers and the recent changes in perceptions in this regard. The objective of the study was to learn about the practise of trade union organising in the garment industry in Bangladesh. This study will be significant for establishing the right to associate for workers in our society. This article also contributes to the debate on how national legislation undermines workers’ freedom of association.

Impact of Wages and Social Compliance on Employee Job Satisfaction in the Readymade Garments Industry of Bangladesh: The Mediating Role of Employee Motivation

Despite rapid expansion, the ready-made garments (RMG) sector in Bangladesh is struggling to keep its workers satisfied. The purpose of this research is to examine the intermediary function of employee motivation in the relationship between wages and social compliance and job satisfaction in Bangladesh’s RMG sector. This study’s overarching goal is to examine the mediating function of employee motivation in the connection between wages, social compliance, employee motivation, and employee job satisfaction in the RMG sector of Bangladesh. This study uses a quantitative methodology, collecting data from 475 workers in the Bangladeshi garments sector, and analyzes it with partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data, and SmartPLS 4.0 was used for statistical analysis. The results show that wages and social compliance have a beneficial influence on worker drive and contentment. In addition, in the RMG sector of Bangladesh, the connection between pay, societal conformity, and job satisfaction is mediated by employees’ levels of motivation. The study suggests that RMG factories should focus on providing fair wages and ensuring social compliance to improve employee motivation and job satisfaction. Additionally, it is recommended that management should encourage employee motivation through training and development programs, recognition, and rewards to enhance job satisfaction.

Roles of Government Agents in Industrial Relations in Ready-Made Garment Industry of Bangladesh: A Qualitative Approach

Roles of Government Agents in Industrial Relations in Ready-Made Garment Industry of Bangladesh: A Qualitative Approach

Law to Combat Harassment in Bangladesh RMG Industry

In 2014, the apparel sector employed approximately 60 to 75 million people worldwide. It is a significant, expanding sector driven by powerful retailers and marketers. Women account for at least three-quarters of all garment workers worldwide, making the garment industry a significant source of formal employment for women. Workplace harassment against both men and women is a widespread problem that affects all industries and occupations. It is especially prevalent in the garment industry, where many women work in lower-paying, lower-power positions. Bangladesh’s Ready-Made Garment (RMG) industry plays a major role in the global apparel industry, ranking as the world’s second-largest supplier of ready-made garments. The industry employs over 4 million people, with 80 percent of them being women. Harassment is prevalent in the RMG sector for all workers, with female workers specifically encountering sexual harassment due to their gender. The article will concentrate on the underlying causes of harassment and evaluate the adequacy of labour and national laws, exploring gaps in both legislation and their implementation. It will also provide recommendations for amending existing laws and enacting new legislation to enhance the safety and security of female workers in factory environments.

Ograničen uticaj produktivnosti na izvoz gotove konfekcije i ekonomski rast u Bangladešu

This study investigates the moderating role of labour productivity on the relationship between readymade exports and economic growth in Bangladesh using annual time series data from 1983 to 2019 using the ARDL method. This study examines the moderating impact of labour productivity on the link between readymade garment (RMG) exports and economic growth in Bangladesh taking time series data from the year 1983 to 2019 using the ARDL model. The most important factor that is impacting the competitiveness of Bangladesh's RMG industry is poor labour productivity trends. A long-run positive relationship between RMG exports, labour productivity, and economic growth is observed. The RMG export earnings are significantly improving the economic growth of the country both in the long and short run. The policy implication is improving labour skills, providing training, and the use of information technology in the RMG sector will promote economic growth.