Research Paper Number

51/2013

Transnational Business Governance Interaction and Competition between Standard‐Setting Initiatives: Labor Standards in Garment, Toys and Agriculture

Authors

Nicole Helmerich
Christopher Kaan

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2013

Keywords

agriculture; institutional design; Labor rights; manufacturing; Transnational business governance interactions

Abstract

This paper analyzes interactions within standard‐setting networks in the area of social and labor rights. We examine the shape of transnational business governance interactions (TBGI), pathways, and interaction mechanisms in three sectors: garments, toys and agriculture. Our comparative analysis of each of these sectors reveals meaningful differences in both the organization of regulation networks and the resulting level of competition among participants. Overall, we find that the creation of a more inclusive and more coherent standard in a whole business sector comes with the cost of weaker rules and less monitoring. These industry-specific observations provide a springboard for future studies of TBGI.

Recommended Citation

Helmerich, Nicole and Kaan, Christopher, "Transnational Business Governance Interaction and Competition between Standard‐Setting Initiatives: Labor Standards in Garment, Toys and Agriculture" (2013). Comparative Research in Law & Political Economy. Research Paper No. 51/2013.
https://digitalcommons.osgoode.yorku.ca/clpe/293