World Bank2012-12-062012-12-062012-07https://hdl.handle.net/10986/11915This report describes labor practices in the Lao garments export sector as seen by both management and labor. The main objective of this report is to present the differing perspectives on working conditions between managers and workers, and to explore ways in which the Lao garment sector could break out of this unsustainable situation. More specifically, insights on management practices, working conditions and worker motivation, as well as industry technology and workflow practices, are drawn from the survey and recommendations made on what firms, industry, government and development partners can do to boost productivity in the sector. This study seeks to investigate further possible factors contributing to low-productivity including management practices, working conditions and worker motivation, as well as industry technology and workflow practices. In order for the garment sector to progress, this study points to possibilities to increase worker wellbeing, reduce turnover and improve productivity through mutually reinforcing actions. Possible interventions include: a transition support program and improved labor market information systems to support labor force entry; better worker representation and dispute resolution mechanisms; and, a factories improvement program that would include monitoring/certification systems to provide incentives for firms to improve conditions as a means of accessing elusive premium buyers.en-USCC BY 3.0 IGOACTIVE LABOURAGE OF MARRIAGEANNUAL LEAVEAPPAREL INDUSTRYAPPAREL SECTORATTRITIONBARGAINING POWERBASIC LIVING EXPENSESBASIC NEEDSBIG CITYBUSINESS DEVELOPMENTBUSINESS ENVIRONMENTBUSINESS OPERATIONSCAPITAL INVESTMENTCERTIFICATION PROGRAMCERTIFICATION SCHEMECHILD LABORCHILDBIRTHCOLLECTIVE BARGAININGCOMPENSATIONCOMPENSATION PACKAGECOMPETITIVE MARKETCONSUMER PRODUCTSCORE LABOUR STANDARDSDEPENDANTSDEVELOPING COUNTRIESDISABILITYDISCRIMINATIONDISSEMINATIONDISSEMINATION OF INFORMATIONDIVISION OF LABOURDOMESTIC MARKETDOMESTIC MARKETSDOWNWARD WAGE PRESSURESDRINKING WATERDRIVERSDRUGSEARNINGECONOMIC TRANSITIONEDUCATED WOMENEDUCATION FOR GIRLSEMPLOYEEEMPLOYER CONTRIBUTIONSEMPLOYMENTEMPLOYMENT OUTCOMESEXISTING WORKFORCEFACTORY FLOORFACTORY GATESFAMILIESFAMILY RESPONSIBILITIESFEMALE MIGRANTSFIRE SAFETYFIRM LEVELFIRM PERFORMANCEFIRM SIZEFIRM SURVEYFIRM SURVEYSFOCUS GROUP DISCUSSIONSFORCED LABORFORCED LABOURFOREIGN-OWNED FIRMFOREIGN-OWNED FIRMSFREE TRADEFREEDOM OF ASSOCIATIONGROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCTHEALTH CAREHEALTH INSURANCEHOUSEHOLD INCOMEHUMAN DEVELOPMENTHUMAN RESOURCESILO CONVENTIONSIMPROVED WORKING CONDITIONSINDUSTRIAL RELATIONSINDUSTRIAL RELATIONS SYSTEMINDUSTRIAL RELATIONS SYSTEMSINFORMAL SECTORINFORMATION SYSTEMSINTERNATIONAL LABOR ORGANIZATIONINTERNATIONAL MARKETSINTERNATIONAL TRADEINTERNATIONALIZATIONLABOR COSTSLABOR FORCELABOR MARKETLABOR ORGANIZATIONLABOURLABOUR COSTSLABOUR FORCELABOUR FORCE PARTICIPATIONLABOUR LAWLABOUR LAWSLABOUR MARKETLABOUR MARKET INFORMATIONLABOUR MARKET REGULATIONLABOUR MARKETSLABOUR PRODUCTIVITYLABOUR REGULATIONSLABOUR RELATIONSLABOUR SHORTAGESLABOUR STANDARDSLABOUR SUPPLYLIVING CONDITIONSLOCAL AUTHORITIESLOCAL COMMUNITYLOW LABOUR PRODUCTIVITYMALE COUNTERPARTSMALE WORKERSMANAGEMENT TECHNIQUESMARITAL STATUSMARKET ECONOMYMARKETINGMARRIED MENMATERNITY LEAVEMEDICAL CAREMIGRANTMIGRANT WORKERSMIGRANTSMINIMUM WAGEMINIMUM WAGESMINISTRY OF LABOURMOTIVATIONMULTI-NATIONAL COMPANIESNATIONALSNATURAL RESOURCENATURAL RESOURCESNUMBER OF WORKERSOCCUPATIONAL DISEASEOPPORTUNITY COSTSOUTPUTSOVERTIME REQUIREMENTSOWNERSHIP STRUCTUREOWNERSHIP STRUCTURESPATIENTPENSIONSPLANT CLOSUREPOLICY MAKERSPOPULATION CENSUSPRESIDENTIAL DECREEPRIMARY SCHOOLPRIVATE PARTNERSHIPSPRIVATE SECTORPRIVATE SECTOR WORKERSPRIVATE SECTORSPRODUCTION UNITSPRODUCTION WAGESPRODUCTION WORKERSPRODUCTIVITY LEVELSPROGRESSPUBLIC HEALTHPUBLIC HOSPITALSPUBLIC INFORMATIONPUBLIC SECTOR EMPLOYEESPULL FACTORPUNITIVE MEASURESQUALITY ASSURANCERATES OF GROWTHRECREATIONREGISTRATION SYSTEMSREMITTANCESREPLACEMENT WORKERSRETENTION RATESRETIREMENTRURAL AREASRURAL COMMUNITIESSAFETYSAFETY STANDARDSSANITATIONSANITATION FACILITIESSECONDARY EDUCATIONSELF-ESTEEMSEXSIBLINGSSICK LEAVESITUATION OF WOMENSKILL LEVELSKILLED LABORSKILLED LABOURSKILLS DEVELOPMENTSMALL BUSINESSSOCIAL ACCOUNTABILITYSOCIAL COMPLIANCESOCIAL DEVELOPMENTSOCIAL SECURITYSOCIAL STATUSSOCIAL WELFARESTATE-OWNED ENTERPRISESSUPPLIERSSUPPLY CHAINSURVIVAL RATESTOTAL WORKERTOXINSTRADE LIBERALIZATIONTRADE UNIONSTRAINING OPPORTUNITIESTRANSPORTATIONUNPAID FAMILY WORKERSUNSKILLED JOBSUNSKILLED WORKERUNSKILLED WORKERSURBAN AREASURBAN MIGRATIONURBANIZATIONVENTILATIONWAGE EMPLOYMENTWOMANWOMEN WORKERSWORK ENVIRONMENTWORKERWORKER HEALTHWORKER REPRESENTATIONWORKERSWORKFORCE SKILLSWORKING CONDITIONSWORKING HOURSWORKPLACEWORKPLACE CONDITIONSYOUNG WOMENWorld Bank10.1596/11915