Power relations in global supply chains and the unequal distribution of costs during crises: Abandoning garment suppliers and workers during the COVID-19 pandemic

Mark Anner

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

28 Scopus citations

Abstract

In early 2020, apparel brands and retailers cancelled US$40 billion worth of orders, with critical consequences for suppliers and workers. Their actions illustrate the power asymmetries in global supply chains and the unequal distribution of costs during crises. This article explores these dynamics through original survey data, supplier questionnaires, stakeholder interviews, a time-line analysis and trade data analysis. Findings point to certain limits of buyer power, reflected in the effective collaboration between suppliers and worker rights advocates in the “#PayUp” campaign. Yet buyers retain the power to squeeze suppliers with adverse impacts on workers, thus leading to calls for binding agreements.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)59-82
Number of pages24
JournalInternational Labour Review
Volume161
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 2022

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Strategy and Management
  • Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management
  • Management of Technology and Innovation

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Power relations in global supply chains and the unequal distribution of costs during crises: Abandoning garment suppliers and workers during the COVID-19 pandemic'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this