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“The Low Price” of the textile discounter KiK – consequences for labour conditions in textile factories in Bangladesh: Difference between revisions
“The Low Price” of the textile discounter KiK – consequences for labour conditions in textile factories in Bangladesh (view source)
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This case study wants aims to highlight a special part of the worldwide globalisation movement. The It concentration focuses lies thereby on the textile industry of in low wage countries exemplified at by the case of Bangladesh. The Sstarting point for this study is the German garment discounter KiK and its pricinge politicspolicies. To bBuying cheap clothes in Germany is something really normal for us today, but most of us do not consider or take care about where these clothes come from, by whom they are produced at and under what circumstanceswhich circumstances, for example labour conditions. This case study should offers a first inside -view into the economic methods that lead to such cheap prices and the humanity aspects considered withthat accompany them it. | This case study wants aims to highlight a special part of the worldwide globalisation movement. The It concentration focuses lies thereby on the textile industry of in low wage countries exemplified at by the case of Bangladesh. The Sstarting point for this study is the German garment discounter KiK and its pricinge politicspolicies. To bBuying cheap clothes in Germany is something really normal for us today, but most of us do not consider or take care about where these clothes come from, by whom they are produced at and under what circumstanceswhich circumstances, for example labour conditions. This case study should offers a first inside -view into the economic methods that lead to such cheap prices and the humanity aspects considered withthat accompany them it. | ||
At the beginning of | At the beginning of Chapter 2 I give a short presentation on thef Bangladeshi economy and the social situation. It is important to see labour conditions not only in comparison to Western standards, but also to local living conditions based on the real actual basic needs of economic survival. Globalisation as an influencingtial criteriafactor on labour conditions is mentioned in the next paragraph. It will be shown that globalisation has had an impact on the Bangladeshi textile industry which was has been both positive ands negative for the economy and the workers. | ||
The | The Chapter 3 is dedicated to the German garment clothing discounter KIK and in general to the strategies huge discounters use to determine their primarye costs. The profile of the KiK company will be presented and its advertising promises will get be discussed. The market power of big discounter companies is the subject of the next paragraph. As an example, the different price components of a T-shirt are shown. Additional aspects of the interaction of garment clothing discounters and the textile industry at in low wage countries are the purchasing practises of the business companies. Three tendencies can be made updemonstrated that are ofhave a significant impact on the textile industry. Ans interesting last point in this chapter is the KiK company statement on their behaviour as bulk buyer will be shown. This implies the a code of conduct and how it is put into action and controlledmonitored. | ||
After Following the previous chapter which did presented what a discounter does to achieve little low prices and my introduction concerning Bangladesh as a place that offers cheap work, I like to focus on the Bangladeshi labour standards in detail in this | After Following the previous chapter which did presented what a discounter does to achieve little low prices and my introduction concerning Bangladesh as a place that offers cheap work, I like to focus on the Bangladeshi labour standards in detail in this Chapter 4. A research study gives concreteprovides specific inside views on into the insufficient inadequate labour conditions in garment factories which produce cheap clothes for the Western market, also including for the KIK company in Germany. | ||
The missing inadequate labour conditions lead me to the next and last final | The missing inadequate labour conditions lead me to the next and last final Chapter 5. It is dedicated to a final summary and a futuren outlook. In this chapter I want to discuss the usefulness of the code of conduct in general, and in particular to this example. During a the final outlook I like to present some possible strategies for the future, including, for example, more powerful conducts and under which political circumstances they can get active. | ||
=== 2) Bangladesh – economic and social facts === | === 2) Bangladesh – economic and social facts === | ||
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The auditor arrives at the factory unannounced and starts his audit by talking to the management and asking for some documents. Then he inspects the whole factory with regard to working conditions, safety aspects and health requirements. He also chooses workers for a later interview. These interviews are carried out in the absence of the factory authorities.<ref name="C" /> “This means that they can find out whether the maximum working hours are adhered to and whether their monthly wages, including overtime, are paid correctly.”<ref name="C" /> After this, the auditor evaluates the factory and talks to the management about any inadequate standards and a suitable procedure to achieve the desired state. The audit report is send to KiK’s head office. After a while a re-audit takes place where all the criticised points are examined again. | The auditor arrives at the factory unannounced and starts his audit by talking to the management and asking for some documents. Then he inspects the whole factory with regard to working conditions, safety aspects and health requirements. He also chooses workers for a later interview. These interviews are carried out in the absence of the factory authorities.<ref name="C" /> “This means that they can find out whether the maximum working hours are adhered to and whether their monthly wages, including overtime, are paid correctly.”<ref name="C" /> After this, the auditor evaluates the factory and talks to the management about any inadequate standards and a suitable procedure to achieve the desired state. The audit report is send to KiK’s head office. After a while a re-audit takes place where all the criticised points are examined again. | ||
I think the schedule describes a good audit and if it functions this way, it is definitely a good instrument to monitor adherence to the code of conduct. The next | I think the schedule describes a good audit and if it functions this way, it is definitely a good instrument to monitor adherence to the code of conduct. The next Chapter is based on a research study conducted in 2008 by the “Alternative Movement for Resources and Freedom” (AMRF), a Bangladeshi NGO at the request of the “Clean Clothes Campaign”. This study was made to reveal the real working conditions in the factories of the suppliers of KiK and Lidl. A team of researchers interviewed 136 workers in six factories. They answered questionnaires and 31 of them were asked in group discussions.<ref name="A" /> Chapter 4 will therefore present the opposite perspective to KiK’s claim. It shows how the rules and control-audits are circumvented and under what conditions the mostly female workers suffer. | ||
=== 4) Bangladeshi labour standards in supplier-factories of KiK === | === 4) Bangladeshi labour standards in supplier-factories of KiK === | ||