Role of Systematic Quality Control on Bangladeshi Garment Suppliers' Productivity, Profitability, Worker Welfare, Community Development and Relations with a Lead Buyer

Impact: Economic impact, Social impact, Quality of life impact

Description of impact

By considering the Danish fashion clothing company 'BESTSELLER' and their four Bangladeshi garment suppliers, we have investigated how systematic quality control (SQC) affects the product quality, productivity, economic return, and social performance of garment suppliers and the stability of buyer-supplier relationships. We have found that only following the systematic approach in quality control practices in the garment supplier factories can improve suppliers' product quality and productivity performance by reducing product quality defects. We have also found that SQC brings more economic return for the suppliers which motivates suppliers to take more welfare initiatives for workers and to contribute in community development. Workers also can produce more garment pieces due to their increased efficiency which help them to achieve production target and production/target bonuses as well. As suppliers can satisfy buyers quality expectations and deliver within given deadline, buyer-supplier relationships become more strong and stable.
We have shared our findings with the Danish buyer and their four suppliers. Both buyers and suppliers highly appreciate the new insights about the quality control practices. As SQC meets both the buyer and suppliers interest without incurring any new investment, BESTSELLER has instructed their suppliers to implement SQC, and the suppliers have already started to follow the SQC in their factories.
Impact date1 Jan 201631 Dec 2018
Category of impactEconomic impact, Social impact, Quality of life impact
Impact levelAdoption