Covid-19 and global clothing retailers’ responsibility to vulnerable workers: NGO counter-rhetoric

Nglaa Ahmad; Shamima Haque; Muhammad Islam

doi:10.1108/AAAJ-08-2020-4794

Covid-19 and global clothing retailers’ responsibility to vulnerable workers: NGO counter-rhetoric

Nglaa Ahmad
, Shamima Haque^* (Corresponding Author)
, Muhammad Islam

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

24 Citations (Scopus)

23 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Purpose
This article aims to examine how non-governmental organisations (NGOs)' narratives portray the vulnerability of workers in global clothing supply chains during the COVID-19 crisis.
Design/methodology/approach
The research analyses the rhetoric in global clothing retailers' and NGOs' counter-rhetoric during the first seven months of 2020.
Findings
During this period, retailers employed rhetorical strategies to legitimise irresponsible actions (corporate hegemony prevailed), while NGOs embraced forms of counter-rhetoric trying to delegitimise the retailers' logic, stressing the role of neoliberalism in worsening the situation.
Originality/value
The authors contribute to the literature by providing new insight into the consequences of COVID-19 for retailers' neoliberal practices and the livelihood of workers in global supply chains. Findings of this study extend authors’ knowledge about retailers' COVID-19 measures: These have contributed to the plights of workers working for their supply factories in the global South.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	216-228
Number of pages	13
Journal	Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal
Volume	35
Issue number	1
Early online date	26 Aug 2021
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1108/AAAJ-08-2020-4794
Publication status	Published - 3 Jan 2022

Keywords

COVID 19
neoliberalism
NGO counter-rhetoric
Global clothing retailer
transparency
workers' vulnerability

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Ahmad_etal_AAAJ_Covid-19_and_global_AAM
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Accepted author manuscript, 951 KBLicence: CC BY-NC

Cite this

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title = "Covid-19 and global clothing retailers{\textquoteright} responsibility to vulnerable workers: NGO counter-rhetoric",

abstract = "Purpose This article aims to examine how non-governmental organisations (NGOs)' narratives portray the vulnerability of workers in global clothing supply chains during the COVID-19 crisis. Design/methodology/approach The research analyses the rhetoric in global clothing retailers' and NGOs' counter-rhetoric during the first seven months of 2020. Findings During this period, retailers employed rhetorical strategies to legitimise irresponsible actions (corporate hegemony prevailed), while NGOs embraced forms of counter-rhetoric trying to delegitimise the retailers' logic, stressing the role of neoliberalism in worsening the situation. Originality/value The authors contribute to the literature by providing new insight into the consequences of COVID-19 for retailers' neoliberal practices and the livelihood of workers in global supply chains. Findings of this study extend authors{\textquoteright} knowledge about retailers' COVID-19 measures: These have contributed to the plights of workers working for their supply factories in the global South.",

keywords = "COVID 19, neoliberalism, NGO counter-rhetoric, Global clothing retailer, transparency, workers' vulnerability",

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doi = "10.1108/AAAJ-08-2020-4794",

language = "English",

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AU - Islam, Muhammad

PY - 2022/1/3

Y1 - 2022/1/3

N2 - Purpose This article aims to examine how non-governmental organisations (NGOs)' narratives portray the vulnerability of workers in global clothing supply chains during the COVID-19 crisis. Design/methodology/approach The research analyses the rhetoric in global clothing retailers' and NGOs' counter-rhetoric during the first seven months of 2020. Findings During this period, retailers employed rhetorical strategies to legitimise irresponsible actions (corporate hegemony prevailed), while NGOs embraced forms of counter-rhetoric trying to delegitimise the retailers' logic, stressing the role of neoliberalism in worsening the situation. Originality/value The authors contribute to the literature by providing new insight into the consequences of COVID-19 for retailers' neoliberal practices and the livelihood of workers in global supply chains. Findings of this study extend authors’ knowledge about retailers' COVID-19 measures: These have contributed to the plights of workers working for their supply factories in the global South.

AB - Purpose This article aims to examine how non-governmental organisations (NGOs)' narratives portray the vulnerability of workers in global clothing supply chains during the COVID-19 crisis. Design/methodology/approach The research analyses the rhetoric in global clothing retailers' and NGOs' counter-rhetoric during the first seven months of 2020. Findings During this period, retailers employed rhetorical strategies to legitimise irresponsible actions (corporate hegemony prevailed), while NGOs embraced forms of counter-rhetoric trying to delegitimise the retailers' logic, stressing the role of neoliberalism in worsening the situation. Originality/value The authors contribute to the literature by providing new insight into the consequences of COVID-19 for retailers' neoliberal practices and the livelihood of workers in global supply chains. Findings of this study extend authors’ knowledge about retailers' COVID-19 measures: These have contributed to the plights of workers working for their supply factories in the global South.

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KW - transparency

KW - workers' vulnerability

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Covid-19 and global clothing retailers’ responsibility to vulnerable workers: NGO counter-rhetoric

Abstract

Keywords

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