Gender differentiated working conditions : a comparison of foreign and locally owned garment factory in Dhaka Export Processing Zone (DEPZ), Bangladesh | |
| Author | Akter, Sahida |
| Call Number | AIT Thesis no.GD-02-13 |
| Subject(s) | Sex differences--Bangladesh Sex role in the work environment--Bangladesh |
| Note | A thesis submitted in the partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science,School of Environment, Resources and Development |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Series Statement | Thesis ; no. GD-02-13 |
| Abstract | It is known that the development of garment industries makes a significant contribution to the national economy of Bangladesh during the past decade. There is an increased number of female workers working in this sector in recent times. In order to stimulate rapid economic growth of the country through industrialization, the Government of Bangladesh established Export Processing Zones (EPZs) to attract foreign investment to Bangladesh. This study deals with the comparison of working conditions of garment workers of foreign owned and locally owned garment factory in DEPZ, Savar, Bangladesh. In this study, working conditions were analyzed from different facets: physical environment, social aspects and other supporting facilities. Comparison of working conditions between foreign owned and locally owned factory was made in order to understand how different performances of these factories were. It was found that the physical working conditions in the foreign owned factory were better than in locally owned factory. The foreign owned factory constructed new building with all modem and scientific amenities, and had bigger floor space per worker, adequate ventilation and other facilities. Due to consciousness of workers welfare for men and women, the working spaces, lights, toilets were equally distributed between men and women in the foreign owned factory. In the locally owned factory, the factory building was rented and it was not so big to accommodate everything nicely. The management has fixed their priority to set up office room and different sections and it goes to the men because male-privilege has institutionalized as a fundamental principle of this factory that affect their ability to produce outcomes beneficial to women. It was found a gap in social security and benefits between women workers of the foreign owned and locally owned factories. In the foreign owned factory women workers could take maternity leave for three months with their full wage. In locally owned factory, women were allowed to take 12 weeks maternity leave without pay. There is a big gap between two surveyed factories regarding childcare facilities as the foreign owned factory had a childcare center but the locally owned factory do not have. In local factory, there was a gender discrimination of men and women's work allocation in different sections based on perceived traditional ideology on men and women's role and capacity. Since men's work is more valued, men's wages are also higher than women. It is found that in local factory, the traditional male dominating ideology is deep rooted in the culture of factory management that creates gender unequal outcomes, which affects the women working conditions. In the foreign owned factory, to compete the global labor market in an international standard, the management has adopted strategic human resource management. "Affirmative Action Plan (AAP)"is a main component of the HRM strategy, which attributes the equal opportunity for men and women workers in the factory. |
| Year | 2002 |
| Corresponding Series Added Entry | Asian Institute of Technology. Thesis ; no. GD-02-13 |
| Type | Thesis |
| School | School of Environment, Resources, and Development (SERD) |
| Department | Department of Development and Sustainability (DDS) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Gender and Development Studies (GD) |
| Chairperson(s) | Kusakabe, Kyoko; |
| Examination Committee(s) | Earth, Barbara;Amin, A. T. M. Nurul; |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | Asian Institute of Technology (Partial Scholarship); |
| Degree | Thesis (M.Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2002 |