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Factors Influencing Female Progression in Leadership Positions in the Ready-

Made Garment (RMG) Industry in Bangladesh

Article · March 2018

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Journal of International Business and Management 1(1): 1-13 (2018)
Print ISSN: 2616-5163
Online ISSN: 2616-4655
 

RPA       JIBM
Journals     Journal of International Business and Management
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Factors Influencing Female Progression in Leadership

Positions in the Ready-Made Garment (RMG) Industry
in Bangladesh
Md Asadul Islam*1
Amer Hamzah Jantan, PhD2
Haslinda Binti Hashim, PhD3
Choo Wei Chong, DPhil4
Mirza Manirajah Abdullah, DBA5
Faculty of Economics and Management1,2,3,4
Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM)1,2,3,4
Riverbank Academy Sdn. Bhd. Malaysia5

ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study is to examine key influences that create barriers to
female employees’ progression in leadership positions in Ready Made Garments
(RMG) organisations. The area of enquiry is the ready-made garment producing
organizations based on qualitative research. 8 participants from one of the biggest
RMG organisations in Saver, Dhaka, Bangladesh were interviewed for the
research. Rich qualitative data provided by the participants were used to identify a
number of key factors influencing organisational behaviour and culture. The
organisational behavioural influences include lack of work-life balance, patriarchal
and bureaucratic structure, while cultural influences are gender stereotyping and
lack of self-confidence. Further analysis of findings revealed several ways to
overcome factors that create barriers for women holding leadership positions
including seeking mentors and building self-confidence. The study is specifically
valuable for females working in RMG organizations worldwide because it
examined an area of gendered leadership, which has received little attention among
academic researchers in relation to RMG industry. However, the scope of the study
extends to all RMG decision-makers and others who seek to increase the number
of females in leadership positions by identifying, employing and promoting the
most suitable and talented employees into these positions regardless of gender.

Key words: Influences, Organisations, Leadership, RMG, Gender

*Corresponding author: E-mail: asadul.uos@gmail.com

Submission Date: 10 February 2018
Revision Date: 14 March 2018
Acceptance Date: 18 March 2018
Any remaining errors or omission rest solely with the author(s) of this paper.
 
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 INTRODUCTION
This papers aims to examine an area of gendered leadership that has
received little attention among academic researchers in relation to ready-
made garments (RMG) industry. The industry is dominated by female
employees in different countries, where attires are produced in a large
scale due to cheaper labour cost (Rahman & Islam, 2016; Habib, 2014).
Despite the exponential growth in the number of male leaders or
managers within the sector over the last decades, female progression into
leading positions remains very low (Naomi, 2011; Habib, 2014). The
focus of the study is the ready-made garment organisation, qualitative
research undertaken into a single organisation in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
The RMG industry is a key manufacturing industry of the world
that has potentiality reached $650 billion at present, which significantly
increased from merely $483 billion in 2016 (WTO, 2016; Zamir, 2016).
This creates a clear and possible hope for Bangladesh to increase its
share in this industry. Bangladesh has targeted to earn more than $50
billion by 2021, whereby the country earned around $26 billion in the
year 2016 (BGMEA, 2017; Leahey, 2015). The industry employs around
4.2 million inexperience workers in 2017 (BGMEA, 2017), whereby
more than 85% of them are females. Hence, it is called an industry that
is powered and dominated by women in terms of the number of workers
(Habin, 2014; Zamir, 2016). However, in spite of the contribution and
number of female workers, their involvement in managerial positions
has been consistently lower than men. According to Robb et al. (2014),
to gain this target i.e. earning $50 billion by 20121, RMG organisations
have to ensure female participation in leading positions, which are
mainly controlled by their male counterpart, as indicated by the research
of Mori and Towo (2017) and John (2013), which interestingly outlined
that the presence of females in the leading roles contributed to increased
organisational performance and enhanced production level.
According to ILO (2011, 2014) only 5.4% of women were involved
in the middle and senior level managers in different organisations in
Bangladesh. Therefore, the result outlined that the involvement of
females in leadership positions in RMG organisations were not
encouraging? RMG organisations are, as researchers have noted (see
Rahman & Siddique, 2015; WB, 2017), a unique and potential
workplace for the women but these remain highly gendered, both in
terms of work culture and relative absence of women leaders. Therefore,
the questions underpinning this paper are:

2  
 v Which influences create barriers to female progression in
leadership positions in RMG organisations?
v How do female employees perceive these factors can be managed
to overcome to access in leadership positions?

CASE STUDY CONTEXT

There are more than 4000 small and big ready-made garments producing
organisations in Bangladesh (Uddin, 2015; Zamir, 2016). Most of these
organisations are exporting their products to the western countries, and
this has triggered the effort to improve women’s condition in this vital
industry by paying higher wages/salary, fringe benefits, and ensuring
equality and opportunity to grow in leading positions (Mickensey, 2011;
Zamir, 2016; BGMEA, 2017). The country’s industry is growing fast
and boarding new employees with minimum education and even without
experience; therefore, it is one of the key industries for women to take
part in the workplace in order to make them financially solvent.
However, there are very few female employees in the leadership roles
such as CEO, General Manager, Product Manager, Head of
Merchandisers Supervisors, HR Manager, etc.; in specific, there the
females constitute less than 10% of the above-mentioned position in the
garments manufacturing companies in Bangladesh (HRW, 2015;
Mckinsey, 2011; Ahmed, 2014).
This case study was conducted at one of the biggest garments
producing organisations located in Saver, Bangladesh, Dhaka. During
the research period, a total of 6000 employees were recruited at the
organisation, with 85% of them are women. It is very feasible to expect a
higher representation of women in the leadership positions; however, at
the time when the research was conducted, there were very few female
counterparts in leading positions in the organisation.

THEORETICAL POSITIONING
This study sought to explore the influences that create barriers to female
progression in the leadership positions in ready-made garment (RMG)
industry. Hence, this research has its roots in liberal feminism, which
urges to ensure equal human rights and as such, acquires support from
across the social spectrum. According to Appelrouth and Edles (2007),
and Lorber (2010), the theory provides an understanding of gender
inequality and urges that females should have equal opportunity in
different aspects including leadership. It also outlines that the females

3  
are working in a male-controlled and discriminatory society worldwide
(Appelrouth & Edles, 2007; Lorber, 2010; Jaafar & Othman, 2014).
Therefore, the theory creates a foundation to explain how females are
being undervalued despite their abilities.
According to Mannathoko (1992), the theory questions the
discriminating issues regarding females, and hence demands for equal
opportunities through the legal forms, obligations, and more female
counterparts in the decision-making platform. It also aims to include
females in leadership, overcome the glass ceiling to the senior roles, and
outline how much the overall society has discriminated the females
(Lorbor, 2010). It is also very crucial to outline that the theory demands
for equal opportunities for both females and males in workplace (Kanter,
1975; Mannathoko, 1992; Lorbor, 2010). On the other hand, this theory
demands that biological differences should be ignored to gain better
work performance and gender equality at organisations (Lorbor, 2010;
Baehr, 2008). Hence, it urges equal treatment for everyone in the
workplace regardless of their gender, apart from their determination and
talents.
The liberal feminist theory was considered in this study as it
supports to interpret the issues that damage female employees and
discriminate them in terms of their participation in leadership positions,
resulting in the demand for equality of males and females in RMG
organisations so that females can hold leadership positions. Many
studies that have been conducted in several countries found different
influences in relation to different industry contexts that create barriers
for female employees to get into leadership positions (see Coleman,
2010; Moorosi, 2007; Onsongo, 2004; Mwebi & Lazaridou, 2008; ILO,
2017). However, very little attention has been given to the influences
that are responsible for lower female progression into leadership
positions in the Ready-Made Garment (RMG) Industry, which is clearly
legitimate and relevant for further examination.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
The empirical basis for the paper was drawn from the qualitative
research undertaken in the case study organisation described above. The
interviews were conducted over the period of one month, and 8 female
employees holding bachelor degrees were interviewed. Degree holders
were selected because educated employees have more opportunities to
climb up in the leadership positions. This paper provides some of the
responses elicited from the participants. The research has strongly
4  
adhered to feminist approaches of not least being the requirement to give
a vehicle and opportunity for “a range of women’s voices” to be heard
(Domingo et al., 2015; Ramazanoglu & Holland, 2002). The participants
were grouped based on their years of working experience, with an
average of 8.87 years and an average of 7 years. The average age of the
participants was 36.5 years, with the median value of 36 years. A short
biography of each participant interviewed is provided below (names
were changed to protect their privacy:

1. Rumana, aged 39, is from Bikrupmpur. She holds a master degree

and has had a career in RMG organisations that spans 14 years.
2. Khalida, aged 38, is from Potuakhali. She holds an MBA degree.
She has been working in RMG organisations for 12 years.
3. Naina, aged 35, is from Kustia. She holds a Bachelor degree. She
has been working in RMG organisations for 7 years.
4. Khairunnesa, aged 34, is from Dhaka. She holds an MBA degree.
She has been working in RMG organisations for 8 years.
5. Dilara, aged 38, is from Saver. She holds a Bachelor degree. She
has been working in RMG organisations for 6 years.
6. Jebunira, aged 37, is from Narsingdi. She holds a master degree.
She has been working in RMG organisations for 9 years.
7. Kajoli, aged 38, is from Potuakhali. She holds a master degree.
She has been working in RMG organisations for 11 years.
8. Dula, aged 33, is from Munshiganj. She holds a Bachelor degree.
She has been working in RMG organisations for 4 years.

RESEARCH FINDINGS
This section covers the presentation and analysis of data collected
from the participants. It is structured into three themes, which are
organisational behaviour and influences, culture and influences, and
overcoming the influences that create barriers relating to the aim of the
study and the following research questions:

v Which factors create barriers to female progression in leadership

positions in RMG organisations?
v How do female employees perceive these factors and manage to
overcome them to access leadership positions?

5  
Organisational behaviour and influences
All the 8 participants outlined that the way followed in their organisation
is a significant influence as it creates barrier to the progress of females
into leadership roles. The lack of females in leadership positions is
identified as a significant influencing factor which creates a barrier in
itself, as mentioned by Jebunira, “Should there be more female
counterparts in the admin or board of director? If so, would it be more
effective team? My answer would be, ‘Yes’ on both counts”.
All the participants also felt that the expectation developed
through the culture of the organisation impedes the potential and ability
to experience a healthy work-life balance. In fact, Jebunira is depressed
when stating, “I don’t think that our organisation is run in the way to
ensure that we have a balanced work-home lifestyle”. She further added,
“Ever since I joined in the organisation, my feeling of how [the RMG
organisation] was run was that you work more than 100%”.
Meanwhile, patriarchy was identified as a key factor that hinders
the promotion of females into leadership positions in RMG organisations
by 7 of the 8 participants. Rumana outlined that, “We live in a male
dominated society in Bangladesh thus, the default leadership style comes
from being part of the patriarchal society, which is the custom. When we
don’t consider regarding custom, often female perceive that they have to
become more male in their leadership style to achieve respect”. Dilara
stated that, “The organisational leadership style is bureaucratic process
therefore it is just a very traditional model and the leadership position
are held by men in the organisation”.
The participants provided interesting insights when they were
asked why there were very few women in leadership roles. Dula,
Khairunnesa, and Naina opined that the reason was that not many
females had applied for the jobs. It was expanded on by Rumana, who
said that historical prejudices were in place, “from what I have noticed at
this organisation for the last 14 years is that frankly, did not found (sic)
capable female candidate comes up. Two occupy senior roles of two
departments, they left due to the huge pressure”.
Kajoli opined that since males were holding most of the leadership
positions, they are capable to eternise gender imbalance in the
organisation, “Higher management personnel, who are involved in
hiring process of employees in leadership roles, are mostly male
dominated. Therefore, it might impact whom they are taking into leading
roles”. This is supported and confirmed by Dula, who stated that “The
higher management team with all men, who are mainly traditional to
6  
take male into leadership roles that would be unappealing and
challenging”. Khalida opined, “Females are put off because male
dominated management board does not like taking leadership from
women”. She also felt that the issues in the process taking leadership
roles in organisations are not always related to gender when she said,
“they are more controlling, powering and bullying issues”.

Culture and influences

According to Rapport et al. (2002), and True et al. (2012), there is a
strong cultural prejudice in the South Asian (and even in Western)
countries that men are naturally born as leaders. This agrees with the
view of 8 participants and matches the results of Corporate Gender Gap
Report 2010 (Zahidi & Ibara, 2010). Khalida opined that, “Males are
driven to be more successful in the career so that they can earn
something for their family”. Dula added that “Both male and female feel
most comfortable when it is male leadership due to the gender
stereotypes in out mind-sets.
All the participants expressed the negative stereotype of females at
the workplace. Kajoli perceived that “Females’ prospect as leaders is
not identified because of their leadership style that is believed inefficient,
weak and non-assertive. The prototype of our society where we live is
the hegemonic male patriarchal society”. Rumana said that, “Both power
and ambition I believe are much more attractive and suitable to men as
their male traits therefore when female have those characteristics most
of the times they are viewed differently”. Dilara opined that “Men are
more tolerance (sic) to take pressure from multiple stakeholders;
therefore, they tend to take the leadership roles more than women”.
Jebunnesa perceived that “The feeling of men is somehow to be chief
income earner in almost all the families in our country, while I do not
think that women have this kind of feeling or aspiration. Therefore, they
attempt to enter in the leadership positions for higher income, which is
also another reason for the lack of women in leadership positions.”

Overcoming the influences that create barriers:

The participants suggested some areas, which could be applied to
overcome the influences that create barriers to female progression into
leadership roles in the RMG organisation:
1. Changing organisational behaviour,
2. Changing culture,
3. Changing individual mind-set.
7  
 According to Rappoport et al. (2002), workplace in the modern era
was created for and works for men. The participants outlined completely
different ideas to make specific improvement to this structure. Rumana
proposed by stating that, “We have to be more efficient about thinking
about our time for example scheduling shorter meeting and being more
intentional”. Dilara agreed to this and further suggested that, “To cut
about the one third of what they are doing-streamline”. The result
mirrors the studies of Beauregard (2007), Sepehri et al. (2010),
Subramaniam (2011), and Zhong et al. (2013) that the long hours at the
workplace is a significant factor which influences and creates obstacles
to women for their career progress in respective workplaces.
Most expectedly, out of the participants who were already married
(7 out of 8) at the time of this study, 5 commented on the fact that a
supportive partner/husband was very critical to seek promotion into
leadership positions in the organisation. This reflects the results of
Hakim (2004), Barsh and Yee (2012), Daft et al. (2010), Grant and
Thornton (2016) who found that females need inspiration to seek for
progress in their career. In this respect, only one single participant
related positive role models in her own father, and this is similar to other
two married participants. Kajoli and Naina said that “Their husbands are
very supportive to navigate them, successful into their career paths.
Dula, due to her supportive father, has been able to do whatever she
likes, stating that “I am blessed with a father, who believes in me and
allows me whatever I want to do”.
Dilara, Khalida and Rumana revealed that “Improving self-
confidence is a significant factor to overcome with influences, which
create barrier to climb up into higher/leadership positions in
organizations”. Khalida expressed that, “We have to learn much more
from the people, who are confident with their leadership position and
become successful in leading the organisational key roles”. In contrast,
Dilarae expressed that, “I was seeking counselling at the workplace to
improve my self-esteem but felt crushed and felt not valued because I
was bullied, emotionally and experienced a hard time recognising it and
finally I blamed myself’. In this regard, she advised that, “I think having
a good sense of who, I am and what I have to do or offer irrespective of
culture, ethnicity, or gender or even any of these pieces. It must be with
your own confidence and seek support for it and build it yourself”. On
the other hand, all the participants agreed with the significance of
mentoring to create a belief among that females that they can become
leaders in the organisations. It agrees with the results of the research
8  
works by Hansman (1998), Anderson (2005), Grogan and Shakeshaft
(2011), Heiskanen (2013), and Ibarra et al. (2013).

IMPLICATIONS
The findings reported in the current study have outlined some significant
implications for women executives and decision makers of RMG
organisations. The study identifies and facilitates a deeper understanding
of some key factors that create barriers for women to progress into the
leadership roles relating to organisational behaviour and culture. First,
the implications can be addressed from the perspective of organisational
behavioural influences, which include shortage of female counterparts in
leadership roles, lack of work-life balance, bureaucratic and patriarchal
leadership structure, negative perception of women due to legacy of
previous female leaders, bias employment process, and endurance
required. Secondly, this study offers insights into cultural influences
which include gender stereotyping, cultural expectations, lack of self-
confidence, and lack of mentoring. The study also found ignorance,
unwillingness and indifference on the part of the male leaders to change
the existing management board including females in top positions, while
the participants seemed to accept this tradition, although unwillingly,
since it has been the way things actually are in their organisations. Thus,
the study suggests to take the opinions presented by the participants to
overcome the identified factors, which create barriers for women to
progress into the leadership positions in the RMG organizations in
Bangladesh where women in leading position could facilitate the
economic growth of the organizations and the country.

LIMITATIONS AND DIRECTION FOR FUTURE

RESEARCH
The current study only managed to interview 8 employees of one RMG
organisation, and thus this implies the limitations of the research results.
In particular, the smaller sample size limits generalisation of the study,
and therefore the interpretation of findings must be viewed with caution.
Accordingly, future research could include more respondents from more
than one organisation so that a better generalisation can be produced.
Moreover, comparative analysis can be done with the other garments
producing countries to identify more factors that influence to the female
progression in the leadership positions in the RMG industry worldwide.

9  
 CONCLUSION
This paper has outlined the current condition of female workers’
positions in the leadership roles and the key influencing factors, which
have created barriers for them to access in the leadership positions in the
organisation. Most of the workers in the RMG organisations are females,
who are believed to contribute more significantly if they are in the
leadership positions in the organisation. Hence, from the research, it is
possible to suggest that the steps to be taken in order to overcome the
barriers for women progression into leadership positions are accelerating
workloads and modifying operational hours to bring changes in
organisational behaviour and findings supportive partners for inspiration
so as to meet with the cultural influences. Finally, the findings imply that
women need to take risks of their professional positions in order to take
up leadership roles by challenging the paradigm of obliviousness, inertia
and ignorance.

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