Influence of Dynamics of Actors and Information on the Organic Supply Chain

The agricultural sector throughout the world has seen shifting significantly by suitably using e-technology. A good number of studies have been conducted on agriculture and food security. The growth rate of world organic farming or business increases to more than the growth rate of traditional agriculture. In Bangladesh the pace of growth of organic agriculture is insignificant. The organic agriculture or organic supply chain in Bangladesh was scarcely studied. Hence, an intensive study is needed for the organic agriculture industry to pursue the organic supply chain that leads to a promising growth of organic business.  A great deal of research has been conducted to explore the factors that may influence the organic supply chain and growth of the organic business. Several theories such as the diffusion of innovation theory, theory of planned behavior, marketing system and price of organic products, and quality function deployment have been studied and proposed to enhance the understanding of the issue. The integration of all these literature and theories has attracted the researcher’s attention. Thus, this study aims to explore the influence of information systems, e-technology, and the dynamics of the actors (consumer, retailer, intermediaries, transporter, farmer, and basic suppliers) on the organic supply chain enhancing the growth of the organic business. By adopting secondary data with collected data (primary data) using self-administrated questionnaires the research work was evaluated. A total of 389 responses from the organic agriculture industrial actors, consumers, and transporters were collected using stratified random sampling methods. To inspect and analyze data, Path Analysis and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) techniques were used with AMOS. The results of the study indicated that the proposed model provided a good understanding of the factors influencing the organic supply chain.  From the result, it was also revealed that the organic supply chain has a significant impact on the growth of organic farming and organic consumers and the performance of organic businesses. The research objectives of this study were accomplished and all research hypotheses were supported. This study theoretically offers useful information and collected data might help to further research relevant to the organic supply chain. In addition, the study finds a way to foster a better understanding and knowledge of the organic supply chain. It is encouraged to do future research to study the factors and information and impact of the organic supply chain from various aspects.Keywords: organic supply chain, e-technology, organic agriculture, growth of organic business, SEM, AMO

Corporate Governance & Sustainability of the Global Value Chain: Bangladesh Ready-Made Garment Industry Post-Rana Plaza investigation into fairness of value appropriation by global apparel brands, manufacturers and labour

On 24 April 2013 more than 1,100 people died in the Rana Plaza garment factory collapse in Bangladesh. TV cameras focused on the victims of this horror – the garment workers, their unsafe and pitifully low incomes. Improvements were promised, by the factory owners, their international buyer customers, Bangladesh Government and civil society groups. This study sought to examine to what extent these promises had been delivered upon. Bangladesh is the world’s second largest exporter of ready-made garments. The industry has played a central role in the country’s economic development and poverty alleviation. It is widely agreed that labor safety and fair compensation are essential for the long-term sustainability of the industry. A global team of researchers created a framework for evaluating the way value is created and appropriated in the global garment industry, focusing on Bangladesh as the producing countries and the world’s largest global brands. The research team found that in Bangladesh significant value is being created through low production costs but these gains are disproportionately benefiting Bangladeshi manufacturers and Western consumers, rather than Bangladeshi workers. Current Government measures fail to rebalance this inequality, posing a threat to the long-term sustainability of the industry. The study recommends that the Government reviews its policies. It should provide incentives for the manufacturers to shift from low cost production to skill upgrading as part of a long term industrial policy of development and sustained growth. Global apparel brands also have a role to play. They should support the enforcement of unionization rights, prevent union-busting activities and ensure that the factory owners - their suppliers – adhere to international laws and standards

Factors influencing in selection of online banking products: a conceptual paper on Bangladeshi customer

Abstract The study has been led to research the components that impact the clients of electronic banking services to utilize internet banking in Bangladesh. In this study there has been utilizing diverse compelling components that has an extraordinary effect to rouse or impact the internet banking client in determination of their web based banking framework in Bangladesh will be examine and with different analytical procedures. It has been seen from the result of the literature that, the ease of usefulness is the most critical component that impacts the client in choice of internet banking. Different questions will be asked to determine the most influencing term under use of usefulness. On perception, a proper policy may go a long way to increase the ease use online banking system with the improvement of other related facilities which will help the online banking system to attract the new clients. Keywords: Ease of usefulness, online bank, Security and Privacy, Customer satisfactio

Ethical fashion

Given the increasing interest in ethical brands, the paper identifies and analyses the key issues within the fashion industry regarding ethics in modern society and economy. What exactly makes researches state that fashion is deadly, unsustainable and unethical? The article considers the issues on the basis of the human and animal rights, environmental impacts, governments' lack of regulation, fashion industry and its supply chain characteristics, and consumers' behavior. Globalization, outsourcing, geographically longer and extended supply chains and the lack of visibility and control, are some of the premises identified in causing ethical issues in fashion industry. Finally, it concludes with what are the features of ethical fashion in general. It uses secondary sources obtained mainly through the media and the literature to review the current debates within the industry

Sustainable Apparel: A Perspective from Bangladesh’s Young Consumers

Purpose – This study aims to understand Bangladeshi young consumers’ perceptions of sustainable apparel. Specifically, through the lens of the theory of reasoned action (TRA), this study investigates the impacts of man–nature orientation (MNO) and social influences on Bangladeshi young consumers’ intention to purchase sustainable apparel.Design/methodology/approach – Empirical survey-based research was conducted, and data were collected from 387 Bangladeshi college students.Findings – The findings of the study show that MNO significantly influences Bangladeshi young consumers’ attitudes toward purchasing sustainable apparel, which, together with social influences, impacts young Bangladeshi consumers’ intention of making efforts to purchase sustainable apparel.Originality/value – This study incorporates the specific cultural value– MNO with the traditional TRA model to understand young Bangladeshi consumers’ sustainable apparel purchase intention. The results of this study demonstrate the applicability of the TRA framework in understanding young consumers’ sustainable apparel consumer behavior in the context of Bangladesh, which is a developing country with a collectivistic culture. This study provides insights into how apparel brands and retailers should design their sustainability strategies in developing countries such as Bangladesh

Improving competitiveness of readymade garment (RMG) industry of Bangladesh - analysis of supply chains

This study attempts to develop a model of improving competitiveness through analysing the supply chain (SC) of RMG industry in Bangladesh. The main objective of this study is to investigate the influence of external stakeholders’ of RMG SC to the demand side and supply side issues for improving competitiveness. Mixed method research is adopted in this study and data are analyzed by Partial Least Square-based Structural Equation Modelling. This study revealed that stakeholders have influence to improve competitiveness

Making Chocolate Sweeter: How to Encourage Hershey Company to Clean Up Its Supply Chain and Eliminate Child Labor

Child labor is a complex issue that deeply permeates cocoa production in West Africa. Multinational corporations, such as Hershey Company, are often in the best position to address child labor because these human rights violations occur within their own supply chains. The U.S. legislature can encourage multi-national corporations to address child labor through mandatory public disclosure and due diligence. This mandatory disclosure may encourage multinational corporations to use fair trade certification or sponsorship programs—solutions that keep children away from hazardous occupations while still addressing the root cause of child labor, poverty

INTERNATIONAL FREIGHT TRANSPORT MULTIMODAL DEVELOPMENT IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES: THE CASE OF BANGLADESH

An efficient transport system is essential for an efficient supply chain to facilitate international trade. To utilise all cheaper resources, such as labour in Bangladesh, companies receive supplies from one coxintry (e.g. in Hong Kong), produce the products in another country, and sell them in other countries (e.g. European countries). Thus the production and consumption has turned into a global activity with transport filling the gaps among them. To perform the transport function a carrier may require the use of more than one mode, the so-called multimodal transport. Multimodal transport, an integrated systems approach, can be defined as the most cost- and time-effective way of moving goods from shipper to consignee by at least two different modes of transport under a single contract. The system has been operating for more than three decades in developed countries, but in developing countries the transport system is still operating in a conventional fragmented way where modal integration has not been achieved. In particular the inland part of the international transport haul has appeared as a barrier to establishing an integrated multimodal transport system. In general, the transport systems in developing countries have failed to contribute to effective international supply chain. Little research has been conducted in this field in developing countries, including Bangladesh. The present research attempts to fill this gap through a triangulation technique; an in-depth literature review of international freight transport of developing countries particularly Bangladesh and developed countries; two rounds of Delphi study among a Bangladeshi panel; and a quantitative study based on a survey. The research hypothesises that Uhe extent to which a fragmented freight transport system can be transformed into an integrated multimodal transport system depends on the present state of the country'. The validity of the hypothesis was established through triangulation. The research also found that there has been a significant freight transport multimodal development in Bangladesh but it has not been perceived by the stakeholders