Motivators of fair labor management and the role of top management in the US clothing/footwear industry

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of motivational factors (suppliers and workers are important stakeholders and corporate image concern) on fair labor management (FLM) and the mediating role of top‐management commitment in the relationships.Design/methodology/approachResponses from sourcing managers of US clothing and footwear companies were gathered through a mail survey and analyzed using a mediated regression analysis and a structural equation modeling technique.FindingsBoth the norms in which suppliers and workers are important stakeholders and concern regarding corporate image were significantly related to FLM. The relationship between corporate image concern and FLM was mediated by top‐management commitment and that the relationship between the importance of suppliers and their workers as stakeholders and FLM was partially mediated by top‐management commitment.Practical implicationsResults suggest that changes in the norm, where suppliers and workers are accepted as important stakeholders of the firm, have a direct influence on FLM and that top‐management is requisite in executing FLM orientation and actions in the firms as a response to changing norms and growing pressure in the society regarding labor issues.Originality/valueOrganizational condition for the two commonly cited drivers of FLM to work was discovered.

Educational Institution's Image: A Case Study

“…This does not apply only on schools, but also a lot broader. Corporate image can be projected by organizational communicative actions, and it also can be enhanced (or damaged) by external parties, particularly the media (Park and Rees, 2008).…”

Revolutionizing the Textile and Clothing Industry: Pioneering Sustainability and Resilience in a Post-COVID Era

“…In the market and economic category, it refers to driving factors such as the supply and demand for sustainable fashion products and barriers such as limited consumer knowledge of eco-friendly products (cost to consumers) and organizational complexities, which can impact the profitability of businesses manufacturing and selling upcycled products [15,17]. This category would also include issues concerning the costs and resource efficiencies of used garments for facilitating a circular system, the availability of skilled labor [18], and fair labor [19,20].…”

Sustainable practices and financial performance in fashion firms

“…Of studies that look specifically at sustainable practices in the fashion industry, Park and Rees (2008) used a survey to look at the motivators of fair labor management in 209 US clothing and footwear companies. They found evidence that a firm's image consciousness and consideration of suppliers and their workers as stakeholders influences fair labor management, and this effect is reinforced by top management's commitment.…”

“…In testing these hypotheses, this study builds on this previous literature by using publicly available financial data rather than surveys of financial performance (Park and Rees, 2008; Pedersen et al , 2018), and a larger sample size than many previous studies (Arrigo, 2013; Hayes and Jones, 2006). It also analyzes a broader range of sustainable practices than single certifications or agreements (Fan and Lo, 2012; Paik et al , 2017).…”