Internal Communication in Bangladeshi Ready-Made Garment Factories: Illustration of the Internal Communication System and Its Connection to Labor Unrest

162 Pages·2016·1.734 MB·English

by  Helene Blumer (auth.)

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Helene Blumer
Internal Communication
in Bangladeshi Ready-
Made Garment Factories
Illustration of the Internal
Communication System and
Its Connection to Labor Unrest
Helene Blumer
Chur, Switzerland
Master’s Thesis University of Applied Sciences HTW Chur, 2015
BestMasters
ISBN 978-3-658-12082-5 ISBN 978-3-658-12083-2 (eBook)
DOI 10.1007/978-3-658-12083-2
Library of Congress Control Number: 2015955416
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5
Abstract
The purpose of this thesis is to illustrate the internal communication
system of Bangladeshi ready-made garment (RMG) factories by
determining the existence or lack thereof, intensity and forms of its
communication flows. Furthermore, taking the numerous incidents of labor
unrest as a starting point, the objective is to confirm/disconfirm a
communication barrier that would thwart any modes to predict and hence
prevent work disruptions. This study was conducted in Dhaka,
Bangladesh for the German Development Agency (GIZ). Twelve semi-
structured interviews with top and middle managers of RMG factories,
trade union representatives and other experts were conducted.
Additionally, twenty RMG workers were questioned in four group
interviews. The absence of a functioning formal channel within the factory,
the lack of effective labor representation and the rare physical presence
of the owners in the factories clearly confirm the existence of a
communication barrier. The findings finally suggest this barrier to be
unintended and to place it within the top management.
6
Acknowledgment
This master’s thesis would not have been possible without the support of
several people to whom I would like to express my deepest gratitude.
I could not overstate my sincere gratitude to my co-advisor Mr. Magnus
Schmid who made a substantial personal investment to make this thesis
with PSES possible. Also, I am very thankful to Ms. Sarwat Ahmad who
has provided me with guidance during the entire research process and
with the most valuable insights into the work of PSES, the RMG sector
and Bangladesh. I was welcomed and supported by the PSES team in the
most heartfelt way. A special thanks goes to Mr. Pius Gomes from the
administration department who has helped me coordinate and plan the
numerous travels to the interview partners, as well as to all PSES drivers
who brought me safely through Dhaka’s at times grueling traffic.
Furthermore, I would like to express my gratitude to my advisor Prof. Dr.
Lutz E. Schlange who, despite the geographical distance, supported me
in developing the research design. He showed a great deal of
understanding and openness, which helped me strengthen my self-
confidence to find my path through such an immensely different country.
I also owe my deepest gratitude to my family and my closest friends for
their support and their kind understanding during the formation of my work.
I would like to thank them with all my heart for greatly encouraging me on
this exciting journey.
ধন(cid:422)বাদ
– dhonnobad – a big Bengali thank you!
7
Table of Contents
List of Figures ....................................................................................................1 0
List of Tables..................................................................................................... 11
List of Abbreviations ....................................................................................... 12
1 Introduction .................................................................................................1 3
1.1 Context .................................................................................................1 3
1.2 Short introduction of GIZ Bangladesh and PSES ................................. 14
1.3 Research problem ................................................................................ 15
1.4 The author’s perspective: “Which hats am I wearing?” ......................... 17
1.5 Structure of work ..................................................................................1 9
2 Literature Review ........................................................................................2 1
2.1 The Bangladeshi ready-made garment sector ...................................... 21
2.1.1 Short overview of the sector ......................................................... 21
2.1.2 History and incidents of labor unrest ............................................ 24
2.1.3 Reasons for labor unrest .............................................................. 25
2.1.4 Workers’ representation ............................................................... 29
2.2 Internal communication ......................................................................... 34
2.2.1 The communication process ........................................................ 36
2.2.2 Forms and instruments of organizational communication ............ 38
2.2.3 Communication networks ............................................................. 40
2.2.4 Cultural aspect of communication ................................................ 42
2.3 Summary and identification of literature gap ......................................... 47
3 Research Purpose, Aim and Questions .................................................... 49
3.1 Research purpose ................................................................................ 49
3.2 Research aim .......................................................................................5 0
3.3 Research questions ..............................................................................5 0
8 Table of Contents
4 Research Design ......................................................................................... 51
4.1 Characteristics of the research design.................................................. 51
4.1.1 Research approach ...................................................................... 51
4.1.2 Reasoning of research ................................................................. 52
4.1.3 Options of research ...................................................................... 54
4.1.4 Research strategy ........................................................................ 54
4.1.5 Methodology ................................................................................. 55
4.2 Research method 1: Expert interviews ................................................. 56
4.2.1 Data collection .............................................................................. 56
4.2.2 Data analysis ................................................................................ 59
4.3 Research method 2: Group interviews.................................................. 61
4.3.1 Data collection .............................................................................. 61
4.3.2 Data analysis ................................................................................ 64
4.4 Quality criteria ....................................................................................... 64
4.5 Delimitations .........................................................................................6 6
5 The Proposed Internal Communication Model ......................................... 69
6 Results .........................................................................................................7 5
6.1 Data collection and analysis ................................................................. 75
6.1.1 Data collection .............................................................................. 75
6.1.2 Data analysis ................................................................................ 80
6.2 The internal communication system ..................................................... 80
6.2.1 Confirmation, disconfirmation and improvement of the proposed
model ........................................................................................... 80
6.2.2 Communication flows ................................................................... 81
6.2.3 Communication channels ............................................................. 91
6.3 The communication barrier ................................................................. 104
6.3.1 Evidences of the communication barrier .................................... 104
6.3.2 Nature of the communication barrier .......................................... 105
6.3.3 Labor unrest ............................................................................... 112
Table of Contents 9
7 Discussion .................................................................................................1 19
7.1 The final internal communication model ............................................. 119
7.2 Observations regarding the internal communication system .............. 123
7.3 The SPCM and its connection to labor unrest .................................... 131
7.4 Cultural aspects ..................................................................................1 38
8 Conclusion ................................................................................................1 43
8.1 Main findings ...................................................................................... 144
8.2 Theoretical and practical implications ................................................. 146
8.3 Limitations ..........................................................................................1 48
8.4 Recommendations for future research................................................ 151
References ......................................................................................................1 55
Appendices .....................................................................................................1 61