What question did this study set out to answer?

To examine the internal structure and differentiation of labor management regimes within Chinese apparel multinational corporations operating in Ethiopia.

August 16, 2026Journal of Industrial RelationsOpen Access

Trifurcated workplace regimes among Chinese clothing multinationals in Ethiopia

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Authors

YZYetebarek Hizekeal Zekareas HKHok Bun Ku

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Overview

Qualitative study reveals a trifurcated employment regime across multinational apparel workers, highlighting segmented labor control within global production networks.

Key Points

To examine the internal structure and differentiation of labor management regimes within Chinese apparel multinational corporations operating in Ethiopia.
Applied an Integrated Workplace Regime (IWR) theoretical framework to analyze factory-level labor dynamics and institutional influences from home, host, and buyer countries.
Collected qualitative empirical data through interviews and group discussions with 99 informants (N=99), including factory workers, management, government officials, and community members in Ethiopia's Hawassa Special Economic Zone.
Identified three coexisting labor regimes within the same enterprises: a dormitory regime for expatriate staff, responsible autonomy for core local workers, and market despotism for peripheral local workers.
Demonstrated that workplace regimes are actively co-constructed through micro-level workplace struggles between labor and management rather than operating as uniform top-down control systems.

Cite This Study

Zekareas et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a817a60f2fb91fc834ae30d https://doi.org/10.1177/00221856261477808

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August 16, 2026Journal of Industrial RelationsOpen Access

Trifurcated workplace regimes among Chinese clothing multinationals in Ethiopia

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark

Authors

YZYetebarek Hizekeal Zekareas HKHok Bun Ku

Discussion

Member takes

Overview

Qualitative study reveals a trifurcated employment regime across multinational apparel workers, highlighting segmented labor control within global production networks.

Key Points

To examine the internal structure and differentiation of labor management regimes within Chinese apparel multinational corporations operating in Ethiopia.
Applied an Integrated Workplace Regime (IWR) theoretical framework to analyze factory-level labor dynamics and institutional influences from home, host, and buyer countries.
Collected qualitative empirical data through interviews and group discussions with 99 informants (N=99), including factory workers, management, government officials, and community members in Ethiopia's Hawassa Special Economic Zone.
Identified three coexisting labor regimes within the same enterprises: a dormitory regime for expatriate staff, responsible autonomy for core local workers, and market despotism for peripheral local workers.
Demonstrated that workplace regimes are actively co-constructed through micro-level workplace struggles between labor and management rather than operating as uniform top-down control systems.

Cite This Study

Zekareas et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a817a60f2fb91fc834ae30d https://doi.org/10.1177/00221856261477808

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