The threads of time in Bangladesh's garment industry: coercion, exploitation and resistance in a global workplace

In this paper I discuss the work in Bangladesh's Ready-Made Garment industry by focussing on the work process itself, on the moralities surrounding it as well as the spatial and temporal structures framing it. My aim is to show how relations of authority, inequality, gender and class are made on the shop floors of the garment industry by managers, supervisors and the workers themselves and how this "making" is shaped by demands from global corporations, i.e. the ever faster and cheaper production of garments. These demands result in extraordinary intensive and long work-days and in the spatial arrangements allowing for the tight control of the workforce, which garment workers describe as "garment-time" and “garment-world”. I will argue that these notions of the industry's distinct world and time indicates its distinctly non-local, global character

The Threads of Time in Bangladesh’s Garment Industry: Coercion, Exploitation and Resistance in a Global Workplace

In this paper I discuss the work in Bangladesh’s Ready-Made Garment industry by focussing on the work process itself, on the moralities surrounding it as well as the spatial and temporal structures framing it. My aim is to show how relations of authority, inequality, gender and class are made on the shop floors of the garment industry by managers, supervisors and the workers themselves and how this “making” is shaped by demands from global corporations, i.e. the ever faster and cheaper production of garments. These demands result in extraordinary intensive and long work-days and in the spatial arrangements allowing for the tight control of the workforce, which garment workers describe as “garment-time” and “garment-world”. I will argue that these notions of the industry’s distinct world and time indicates its distinctly non-local, global character

Monetary policy restriction and dividend behavior of Pakistani firms: an empirical analysis

Studies upon impact of macro variables on firm’s dividend policy are very limited and specifically rare in Pakistan perspective. Main purpose of this research paper is to observe impact of restricted monetary policy on dividend behavior of Pakistani firms. During restricted monetary policy, cost of external funds increases and firms prefer to utilize internal funds leading to reduction in dividend payout. Behaviour of 100 listed firms, selected purposefully, has been observed for the period from 2001 to 2009 by using Lintner’ modified model.. During the research period of nine years, monetary policy has been gone through both loose and tight phases. Proposed model is dynamic one as lagged dependent variable has been used as explanatory variable. Due to certain limitations with selection of monetary policy instrument, overall stance of State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) in its annual reports has been used as a dummy variable in the model. Results of all the three estimations reveal almost same results. First lagged dividend has been proved to be most deterministic factor of dividend policy followed by current earnings. Monetary policy and lagged dividends interactive variables provide mixed results. First interactive variable has negative coefficients in all three, fixed effect, random effects and GMM, models but with insignificant p values. Second monetary policy interactive variable has positive coefficients with significant values in random effects and GMM model. Firms seem to follow relatively stable dividend policies with lower adjustment factor. As model is dynamic, GMM estimation is preferred. Monetary policy has not been observed as significant determinant of dividend policy of Pakistani firms.Dividend payment, Monetary Policy

Beyond factory safety: Labor unions, militant protest, and the accelerated ambitions of Bangladesh’s export garment industry

This article explores the relationship between labor unions and labor precarity in Bangladesh’s garment industry. After a string of high-profile factory disasters—including the 2013 collapse of the Rana Plaza garment factory building—Bangladeshi labor unions have played a central role in new global initiatives to improve factory safety. These initiatives have provided an opportunity for unions to influence the governance of labor standards in a context of low levels of factory unionization. We argue that such global initiatives have deepened an existing divide between the conciliatory stance of mainstream, politically connected Bangladeshi unions and workers’ more radical responses to precarity. Militant protests have advanced workers’ interests historically, but are increasingly delegitimized and subject to violent crackdowns. This article contributes to our understanding of the fraught relationship between precarious workers and traditional labor unions by showing that when unions devote themselves to the technocratic improvement of labor standards without confronting the structural conditions of precarity itself, workers can be made more vulnerable—a situation that becomes heightened in a context of fast industrial expansion

Palestinian curriculum from an Israeli perspective

The article explores the Palestinian curriculum from an Israeli perspective. The reality of the school and the Palestinian textbooks are the subject of controversy and debate in Israel. Promotes and encourages a reality that is observed another look askance if no sound basis for agreement and respect between the two peoples. The article defends the right of every people to design their curriculum. Similarly, states that supports the exercise of this right from a national identity with the active work for the understanding and knowledge as a basis for trust. Inquire about the two main positions that arise out of Palestine. The article studies the two main positions that arises out of Palestine for or recognizing the Palestinian right to design education and curriculum materials, or, against, and suspicious of these materials and their consequences. Identifying the main arguments put forward in the debate. He concludes with a scenario of knowledge and inquiry for mutual understanding and respect. It promotes a new analysis of the curriculum and the current Palestinian textbooks, which will be his doctoral thesis: "The Palestinian Curriculum and Identity Representation of Palestine in 2010"

Monetary Policy Restriction and Dividend Behaviour of Pakistani Firms: An Empirical Analysis

Dividend behaviour has extensively been reviewed by many researchers from time to time across different countries. Empirical evidences observed in most of the studies reveal equivocal results about dividend theories [Bhattacharyya (2007)]. Since, in absence of any unanimous findings, need for future research has not been restricted, theoretically. In developing countries like Pakistan, where limited research is available on corporate dividend policy, need for future research is more looked for. Most of the available research papers, address only firm specific determinants of dividend policy. Do macroeconomic variables influence corporate financing decisions? The need to address this question is the prime motive of this research paper. Major objective of this paper is to observe dividend behaviour of listed firms in Pakistan under monetary policy restrictions and this is the first attempt of its kind in Pakistan to the best of my Knowledge. This study is very relevant in present scenario since State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has been persistently pursuing restricted monetary policy since 2005 to control inflation

Development of Metals Corrosion Maps of Arkansas and Maintenance of Cross-Drains

Corrosion potential of metallic structures in alluvial soils is governed by chemical and electromagnetic properties of the soils. Geotechnical engineers are generally more concerned about different types of soils and their physical and mechanical properties than the chemical aspects. The main objective of this study is to analyze the geotechnical, electrochemical and electromagnetic properties of soils in Arkansas. Important parameters (e.g., soil resistivity) related to corrosion potential of metal culverts have been predicted through neural network (NN) models. The developed NN models have been trained and verified by using laboratory test results of soil samples collected from Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT), and survey data obtained from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ). Finally, the Geographic Information System (GIS) based corrosion risk maps of three different types of metal pipes have been developed based on the available soil properties, metal properties, and water quality data. The developed maps will help ARDOT engineers to assess corrosion potential of metal pipes prior to the new construction and repair projects and use proper culvert and cross drain materials

The Threads of Time in Bangladesh’s Garment Industry: Coercion, Exploitation and Resistance in a Global Workplace

In this paper I discuss the work in Bangladesh’s Ready-Made Garment industry by focussing on the work process itself, on the moralities surrounding it as well as the spatial and temporal structures framing it. My aim is to show how relations of authority, inequality, gender and class are made on the shop floors of the garment industry by managers, supervisors and the workers themselves and how this “making” is shaped by demands from global corporations, i.e. the ever faster and cheaper production of garments. These demands result in extraordinary intensive and long work-days and in the spatial arrangements allowing for the tight control of the workforce, which garment workers describe as “garment-time” and “garment-world”. I will argue that these notions of the industry’s distinct world and time indicates its distinctly non-local, global character

Derangement in Serum Inflammatory Biomarkers Among Patients with End Stage Renal Disease

Background: End stage renal disease is an important public health problem. Renal replacement therapy, dialysis and transplantation are used to provide relief from the symptoms of end stage renal disease whilst also preserving the life of the patients though they are not curative. Haemodialysis is the widely used method although it produces a negative impact on quality of life of the patients. Hypoalbumianemia has been reported to be frequently present in haemodialysis patients and correlates strongly with mortality and morbidity. Objective: To determine the frequency of deranged  inflammatory biomarkers in patients with end stage renal disease on hemodialysis, in Nishtar Hospital Multan. Material and methods: One hundred thirty-one cases with ESRD were selected from Hemodialysis Department, Nishtar Hospital Multan and  3ml of venous blood sample was taken before starting a session of hemodialysis and sent to central laboratory of Nishtar Hospital Multan. Serum Albumin was obtained by an automatic analyzer, and serum CRP by slide test, free of cost, to measure deranged inflammatory biomarkers. Data was analyzed by using SPSS version 20. Results: Of these 131 study cases, 85 (64.9%) were male patients while 46 (35.1%) were female patients. Mean age of our study cases was 42.37 ± 5.98 years. Of these 131 patients with ESRD on hemodialysis 33 (25.2%) were diabetic, 65 (49.6%) were hypertensives and 13 (9.9%) were obese. Mean duration on hemodialysis was 19.51 ± 7.59 months, 80 (61.1%) had to undergo hemodialysis twice a week and 51 (38.9%) had to undergo three times a week. Mean serum albumin level was noted to be 3.37 ± 0.59 g/dl. Mean serum C-reactive protein level was noted to be 20.73 ± 15.84 mg/l. Frequency of deranged inflammatory biomarkers in our study was noted to be in 109 (83.2%) of the study cases. Conclusion: Very high frequency of derangement in inflammatory biomarkers have been noted in our study. This derangement in these inflammatory biomarkers was significantly associated with female gender, increasing age, increased duration on hemodialysis and increased frequency of hemodialysis. The early diagnosis of these derangements followed by preventive measures can help decrease disease morbidity and mortality among targeted population. Keywords: Inflammatory biomarkers, deranged, end-stage renal disease, hemodialysis