Employment Relations at the Workplace Level in China: Two Contrasting Cases

This paper explores the pressures of standardisation and differentiation in employment relations in China. Using case studies from two companies that share the same ownership, industry, size, location and labour market, the paper will show that, despite moves by the state and internationalisation of production to standardise employment relations in different ways, there continues to be an opening at the workplace level to construct very different employment and worker relations

The case of Foxconn in Turkey: benefiting from free labour and anti-union policy

Starting from the 2000s Foxconn invested in Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary, Russia and Turkey, implementing a territorial diversification strategy aimed at getting nearer to its end markets. This chapter investigates the development of Foxconn in Turkey where the multinational owns a plant with about 400 workers. A few kilometres from the city of \uc7orlu and close to highways, ports and international airports, the plant enables Foxconn to implement an efficient global supply chain. We illustrate this process by examining the company\u2019s localisation within a special economic zone, underlining the economic advantages derived from such a tax regime, bringing labour costs down to the Chinese level and obtaining proximity to European, North African and Middle East customers, thus lowering logistic costs. We also analyse the roles of labour flexibility and trade unions. In order to impose far-reaching flexibility on its workers Foxconn put in place a range of strategies, including an hours bank system, multitask operators and the recruitment of apprentices thanks a special programme funded by the state. We show how these have been crucial for Foxconn\u2019s just-in-time production contrasting its labour turnover problem. Finally, we highlight how the company has been able to implement a flexible working pattern, weaken the trade unions and undercut workers\u2019 opposition, thanks to favourable labour laws approved by successive governments in the past thirty years

Flexible workforces and low profit margins: electronics assembly between Europe and China

This book investigates restructuring in the electronics industry and in particular the impact of a \u2018Chinese\u2019 labour regime on work and employ - ment practices in electronics assembly in Europe.1 Electronics is an extremely dynamic sector, characterized by an ever-changing organi - zational structure, as well as cut-throat competition, particularly in manufacturing. Located primarily in East Asia, electronics assembly has become notorious for poor working conditions, low unionisation and authoritarian labour relations. However, hostile labour relations and topdown HR policies are not unique to East Asia. They have become associated with the way the sector is governed more broadly, with a number of Western companies also coming to rely on such practices

Introduction

This book investigates restructuring in the electronics industry and in particular the impact of a \u2018Chinese\u2019 labour regime on work and employ - ment practices in electronics assembly in Europe.1 Electronics is an extremely dynamic sector, characterized by an ever-changing organi - zational structure, as well as cut-throat competition, particularly in manufacturing. Located primarily in East Asia, electronics assembly has become notorious for poor working conditions, low unionisation and authoritarian labour relations. However, hostile labour relations and topdown HR policies are not unique to East Asia. They have become associated with the way the sector is governed more broadly, with a number of Western companies also coming to rely on such practices

Integrating technology and organization for manufacturing sector performance: evidence from Finland

This dissertation investigates the complex factors shaping the future of manufacturing, focusing on innovation, competitiveness, and employment trends within the European context. Leveraging the extensive 2022 European Manufacturing Survey dataset, it models relationships between critical technological and organizational variables impacting manufacturing resilience using cross-lagged panel path analysis. Against the 2019–2021 economic and environmental backdrop, the research examines manufacturers’ integral survival strategies derived from challenges faced. Factors like business innovation models, organizational concepts, key technologies, and relocation approaches are assessed for performance. The study reveals competitive standards: automation, robotics, additive manufacturing, accessbased business models, maintenance services, and production organization. These discoveries have profound implications for enabling the transition to next-generation sustainable manufacturing through technology integration frameworks. The research marks the need for investments in cross-sectoral research coordination. As climate change intensifies, reimagining manufacturing is critical. While acknowledging limitations like sample size and scope, the dissertation offers a detailed understanding of the manufacturing system’s components and the relationships of success, forward strategies, and human-technology-environment interlinkages. This multidimensional perspective provides insight to catalyze the creation of integrated manufacturing ecosystems worldwide

Holonic Workforce Allocation To Reduce The Impact Of Absenteeism And Turnover

Holonic Manufacturing System (HMS) adopts Arthur Koestler’s generalisation on living organisms and social organisations into a novel paradigm that suits the manufacturing industry. Autonomy and cooperation are the prime attributes of holons. The holonic concepts have been applied to many areas, and yet, rarely attempted on workforce allocation. Hence, this scientific research is intended to develop a duallevel advisory model called Holonic Workforce Allocation Model (HWM) in order to deal with absenteeism and turnover

Investigating the antecedents and outcomes of work-life balance: evidence from garment industries in Indonesia

The garment industry is one of the main contributors to Indonesia's GDP. However, work-life balance has become a crucial issue for workers in this industry. This study aims to investigate the antecedents and outcomes of work-life balance among workers in the garment industry. More specifically, we examine the effect of asset ownership and working conditions (health conditions, compensation, and working hours) affect work-life balance. Furthermore, we also examine the effect of work-life balance on job satisfaction, life satisfaction, and turnover intention. We collected data using a survey of 3691 garment workers in Central Java, West Java, DI Yogyakarta, DKI Jakarta, and Banten. The analysis shows that work-life balance could increase workers' life satisfaction and job satisfaction. Interestingly, health condition is found out to be the important variable that could   improve work-life balance significantly.

A STUDY ON COMPETITIVENESS OF READY-MADE GARMENTS FOR EXPORT-LED ECONOMIC GROWTH IN BANGLADESH: ISSUES AND CHALLENGES

Abstract: Bangladesh achieved remarkable economic development in the last few decades, and the ready-made garment (RMG) industry played a vital role in this regard. The future economic development of the country depends on the success and continuation of such industrial sectors for export-led growth of the country. Considering the importance of the export-led economic growth strategy, this study assessed the global competitiveness of this industry. Michael Porter’s Diamond model of national competitiveness is used as the main analytical framework to assess the sources of competitiveness. A SWOT analysis is also conducted to identify future challenges and critical success factor for the continuing contribution of the industry. The study followed a mixed method approach to investigate the research questions. Secondary literature, consisting mainly of reports and documents from government and the private sector, were collected to comprehend the contemporary industry. A survey of 199 respondents from 150 RMG factories was conducted to assess effects and relative weights of different factors included in the National Diamond model and to understand the basis of the competitiveness of the RMG industry of Bangladesh. A further 30 face-to-face interviews with representatives from five different stakeholder groups including international buyers were conducted to get further explanations and insights of different factors of importance for achieving and maintaining the competitiveness of the RMG industry of Bangladesh. The findings of the study reveal that not all the dimensions of Porter’s National Diamond model contributed to the competitiveness of the RMG industry. Among the four main National Diamond dimensions, the RMG industry of Bangladesh appeared to enjoy competitiveness without having a favorable demand condition in the domestic market. The other three main dimensions—i.e., the factor conditions, related and support industries, and industry strategy, structure and rivalry—mostly played conducive roles in the development of the RMG industry in Bangladesh and provided the impetus to achieve competitive advantage in the global market. However, within factor conditions, the availability of a large unskilled workforce, strategic locations and reasonable infrastructure acted as sources of competitive advantage despite some limitations including a lack of highly skilled mid-level RMG professionals, limited access to adequate financing, and deficiencies in R&D activities. Similarly, regarding related and support industries, a large number of backward-linkage knitwear industries positively contributed towards competitiveness, though industry respondents indicated an absence of well-developed clusters as a limitation compared to other countries. In the case of industry strategy, structure and rivalry, collaborative actions by the industry association regarding compliance issues, as well as collective responses to buyers’ needs, were identified as sources of competitive advantage, while sub-contracting to non-compliant factories and a lack of systematic R&D (e.g., an absence of a common e-platform) were considered as limitations. The findings indicate that the positive impact of favorable factors of those three dimensions (factor conditions, related and support industries, and industry strategy, structure and rivalry) were relatively stronger than the negative impacts, and contribute to the achievement of competitive advantage of the industry. Other than the four main factors, the study also found that government support has played a significant role in the development of the RMG industry in Bangladesh. The government provided these supports through various policy initiatives, financial incentives, and the negotiation of favorable trade agreements including tariff and import-quota free access to the European Union under the Generalized System of Preference (GSP) scheme. The study also recognized that three chance events greatly influenced the development of the RMG industry of Bangladesh and positively affected growth in the sector: a quota system levied against traditional RMG exporters (e.g. South Korea, Hong Kong) in the 1970s; the Multi-Fibre Arrangement (MFA) that governed world trade in textiles and garments from 1974 to 1994 and provided beneficial access for Bangladeshi exporters; and compliance issues raised after the 2013 Rana Plaza garment factory catastrophe. The findings further highlight the importance of Porter’s double, multiple and rough diamond propositions in maintaining the continuous growth and development of the RMG industry in Bangladesh. It also briefly points out the potential impact of current COVID -19 pandemic on the RMG industry of Bangladesh. Finally, it proposes further research avenues to advance knowledge on competitiveness from different perspectives along with policy implications for the RMG sector of Bangladesh

Supply chain sustainability and resilience: The case of apparel industry in Bangladesh

This study develops a model of supply chain (SC) resilience and sustainability based on stakeholder theory and resource based view. The research uses mixed method research design where both qualitative (field study) and quantitative (large-scale survey) methods are employed. The results reveal that resilience has negative impact on SC vulnerability and positive impact on sustainability. Resilience also mediates the relationship between SC risk management and vulnerability. The findings have both theoretical and practical significance