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Journal of Business Ethics
Published in: Journal of Business Ethics 2/2020

04-12-2018 | Original Paper

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

Authors: Fahreen Alamgir, Ozan N. Alakavuklar

Published in: Journal of Business Ethics | Issue 2/2020

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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.
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Metadata
Title
Compliance Codes and Women Workers’ (Mis)representation and (Non)recognition in the Apparel Industry of Bangladesh
Authors
Fahreen Alamgir
Ozan N. Alakavuklar
Publication date
04-12-2018
Publisher
Springer Netherlands
Published in
Journal of Business Ethics / Issue 2/2020
Print ISSN: 0167-4544
Electronic ISSN: 1573-0697
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-018-4080-2

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