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This paper aims to critically engage with the premise of development at the “bottom of the pyramid” through consideration of the current and potential future status of the workers who dismantle end-of-life ships in the breaking yards of “less developed countries”, here with specific reference to the dynamic situation in Bangladesh.

The study applies “critical scenario method” (CSM) to explore different possible and plausible futures for the ship-breaking industry globally and locally.

The paper argues that the status of the workers in the ship-breaking industry of Bangladesh can be conceptualised as firmly set at the “bottom of the pyramid”, and that, for most if not all, this situation cannot be changed within any industry future without wider, radical change to socioeconomic and political structures both in the country and globally.

This paper offers a contribution to the discourse on consumption at the “bottom of the pyramid” as a development process.

Bangladesh is home to one of the world's leading ship breaking and recycling industries. Whilst these industries are booming in Bangladesh, it is not safe for workers or the environment. According to International Maritime Organization's (IMO) regulations, Bangladesh is lacking in a number of areas such as having a safe recycling plan and environmental protections reviewed by a competent authority. There is a need to develop safer working conditions, more stringent regulation and corporate responsibility programmes towards protecting human health and the environment. Possible solutions require stakeholders (industry, governments and the IMO) to work together in order to develop sustainable practice. This research contributes by taking a step forward by focussing on the implementation of sustainable practices in the supply chain of global shipping industries in a developing country. Using stakeholder theory, this research offers insight into the need and barriers to implementing social sustainable initiatives.

This paper, first, seeks to bring a discussion of the ship‐breaking industry of Bangladesh and other “less developed economies” (LDEs) into the academic arena, since almost no mention of it can be found in a journal database search. Second, in engaging with the multiple representations of the industry in a range of other media, from government and NGO documents, television and press reports, to photography and books, it seeks to contribute to discourse which considers the multiple stories of, amongst others, ship owners, environmentalists, journalists, photographers and, not least, those whose lives and work are the subject of others' observation – the ship‐breakers themselves. Third, it seeks to challenge a particular hegemonic “developed world” analysis of what is “good” and “bad” in relation to the industry.

This study is based upon alternative readings of secondary data, drawn from textual, photographic and video sources, in order to offer a range of interpretations.

From these multiple engagements, the paper seeks to show the complexity and ambiguity of the lives of those involved, and that their situation cannot be assessed by application of “developed” world notions of ethics, environmentalism, and “good” and “bad”. From this, it argues in support of ambivalence – as a contextual concern, rather than as apathy – as a necessary approach to analysis.

Attention is drawn to the lack of academic engagement with an industry which is of key economic importance to developing economies like those of Bangladesh, India and Pakistan, but is attacked as immoral and dangerous by developed country NGOs. The author considers the framework of (or lack of) international governance which enables its continuance in the face of this opposition.

This paper aims to revisit the author’s 2007 “Postcard from Chittagong” to reprise the past decade of activity related to the ship breaking industry of Bangladesh.

The study is based on content analysis of global and local source documentation. This includes academic works, research reports from non-governmental organizations and general and specialist media reports.

Over the past decade, there have been a number of international initiatives that seek to control the disposal and dismantling of redundant ships. However, based on evidence of ongoing environmental and health impacts in Bangladesh, the effectiveness of these is questioned.

The paper is intended to prompt debate on the ship breaking industry in Bangladesh and on the nature of global supply chains and logistics in the consumption society.

The paper revisits and updates a 2007 study that has been referred to and cited in a range of outlets. It is intended to continue and enhance discussion.

The shipbreaking sector in Bangladesh has spurred extensive academic and policy debates on relations between shipbreaking industries, environmental degradation and the health security of their workers. As shipbreaking is an economically significant industry in Bangladesh, it needs to implement both domestic and global mechanisms for environmental conservation and the protection of the labourers’ health from environmental risks. The purpose of this paper is to primarily explore the environmental and health security issues in shipbreaking activities in Bangladesh. It also identifies the challenges in implementing the rules and regulations for protecting the health of the workers at shipbreaking yards in Bangladesh and preserving the marine environment.

This is a qualitative paper based on secondary materials, including journal articles, books and national and international reports. It critically reviews the existing literature, rules, regulations and policing on shipbreaking with a particular focus on the environment and health security of the workers.

This paper finds that the implementation of the rules and regulations in shipbreaking in Bangladesh is complicated because of weak implementation mechanisms, political and economic interests of the yard owners, lack of coordination among different agencies, lack of adequate training and awareness among the workers and workers’ poor economic condition, which contribute to the degradation of marine and local environments and trigger health hazards among the workers. Therefore, degrading the environment and undermining occupational health and safety regulations have become regular; thus, accidental death and injury to the workers are common in this sector.

This paper is an important study on the issues of workers' health and safety and environmental hazards in the shipyard. It reports how the health security of the workers in shipbreaking yards in Bangladesh is vulnerable, and environmental rules are challenged. Finally, this paper frames some policy implications to safeguard the workers’ health rights and the marine environment.

This paper designs an optimal closed-loop supply chain network with an integrated forward and reverse logistics to examine the possibility of remanufacturing end-of-life (EoL) ships.

Explanatory variables are used to estimate the number of EoL ships available in a closed-loop supply chain network. The estimated number of EoL ships is used as an input in the model and then it is solved by a mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) model of the closed-loop supply chain network to minimise the total logistic costs. A discounted payback period formula is developed to calculate the length of time to recoup an investment based on the investment's discounted cash flows. Existing ship wrecking industry clusters in the Western region of India are used as the case study to apply the proposed model.

The MILP model has optimised the total logistics costs of the closed-loop supply network and ascertained the optimal number and location of remanufacturing for building EoL ships. The capital and variable costs required for establishing and operating remanufacturing centres are computed. To remanufacture 30 ships a year, the discounted payback period of this project is estimated to be less than two years.

Ship manufacturing businesses are yet to re-manufacture EoL ships, given high upfront capital expenditure and operational challenges. This study provides management insights into the costs and benefits of EoL ship remanufacturing; thus, informing the decision-makers to make strategic operational decisions.

The design of an optimal close loop supply chain network coupled with a Bayesian network approach and discounted payback period formula for the collection and remanufacturing of EoL ships provides a new integrated perspective to ship manufacturing.

Conventional international business (IB) theories generally view multinational corporations (MNCs) as agents of economic exchange and as ethically benign or neutral. This article explores a darker side of IB, with numbers of IB firms involved in activities that could be considered unethical or illegal, or both. Drawing on a taxonomy of ‘black international business’ (black IB), and both historic and recent examples, this article outlines such MNC activities. It explores impacts of these activities on stakeholders, including nation-states, businesses and individuals. The authors call for academics within the field of organizational studies to create awareness and understanding of such activities.

The purpose of this paper is to reflect on the origins of CPoIB and on events in the IB sphere over the decade since it was conceived.

The approach of the paper is one of personal critical reflection on events and their implications for the full range of involved and affected parties, informed by Aristotelian philosophy.

The author posits the need for a new generation of “academic activists” in support of a humanistic management manifesto.

The paper reinforces the philosophy of CPoIB and the need for its continuing growth and development.