NORTH SOUTH UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
AND ECONOMICS

Analysis of Communication Standards at Plummy Fashions Ltd.

Course Name: Business Communication

Course Code: BUS251

Section: 08

Semester: Summer 2022

Submitted To:

Instructor: Rumana Huq Luva

Initials: RHL

Designation: Lecturer, School of Business & Economics, North South University

Submitted By: Group- 01

Serial No. Name ID

01 Anika Nower 1722011030

02 Tanvir Hasan Khan 1731643030
03 Anika Zaman Oyshi 1812843030
04 Avipshito Roudra 2012342030
05 Monjurul Haque 2014088630

Date of Submission: August 21, 2022

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Letter of Transmittal

August 21, 2022

Rumana Huq Luva (RHL)

Lecturer

Department of Management

School of Business and Economics

North South University

Subject: Submission of the report on inspecting “Plummy Fashion Ltd.” from its business
communication perspective.

Dear Mam,

With due respect, we, the members of group-01 have prepared a report on Plummy Fashion Ltd.
analyzing their corporate communication schemes. We were able to utilize our expertise earned
from the course ‘Business Communication (BUS251)’ to complete this report. It was an
opportunity for us to relate our knowledge in the practical field, which we hope to enhance our
future career potentials.

We wholeheartedly appreciate your efforts to teach each concept of business communication

engrossingly. We would be delighted to have your valuable feedback on our report.

Sincerely yours,

Anika Nower

Monjurul Haque Ujjal

Tanvir Hasan Khan

Anika Zaman Oyshi

Avipshito Roudra
 Table of Content

Letter of transmittal............................................................................................... 01

Executive Summary............................................................................................... 03

Introduction........................................................................................................... 04

Organizational Overview.......................................................................................05

Areas of research...................................................................................................06-08

Purpose Statement...................................................................................... 06

Importance of Exploring The Problem.................................................... 07

Research Methodology........................................................................................... 08

Research Analysis..................................................................................................10-12

Labor Communication Gap…................................................................. 10

Ineffective Top-down Communication…................................................ 11

Cultural Communication Barriers…...................................................... 11

Labor Union Issues…................................................................................ 12

Recommendations.............................................................................................. 12-14

Conclusion.............................................................................................................. 15

References............................................................................................................. 16

Appendix..............................................................................................................17-20
Executive Summary:

This report aims to detect and provide recommendations for communication problems in our

chosen company-Plummy Fashions Ltd. In order to collect primary data, we conducted an

interview with the head of supply chain management of the company. Along with the interview

data, we did secondary research- took help from relevant peer-reviewed journal articles, the

company’s website, etc. Findings were then summarized and the problem/s regarding

communication that lies within the company were jotted down. The fundamental communication

problem Plummy Fashions Ltd. suffered from was establishing proper communication standards

and mediums to communicate with the labor force. A careful analysis of the problems and the

effects of the problem was then used to make realistic and feasible recommendations the

company could implement to solve its issues with communication.

Introduction

Plummy Fashion Ltd. (PFL) is one of Bangladesh's leading companies in the Knitwear Industry.

The company is serving its world-class renowned customers through the excellent services

provided by its skilled and efficient production experts, quality assurance managers, technicians,

industrial engineers, and specialists. PFL has international customers belonging to different

countries with different cultures. The company also deals with a huge number of laborers.

Despite this, it may cause some difficulties in maintaining the proper communication process.

This report has been constructed based on the secondary research and information collected from

the website for its research methodology. We interviewed Mr.Ikramul Haque Rayan, Head of

Supply Chain Management of Plummy Fashion Ltd. for our primary research. Our interview

session was held offline, and Mr.Rayan had been an amazing person providing valuable insights

for our report. We tried to utilize our researched information properly to find out the

communication process and communication gap, which helped us to reach our culmination

decision.
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Company Overview

Plummy Fashion Ltd. (PFL), located in Narayanganj, Bangladesh, is the number one greenest

garments factory in the country. The company lives in fashion by caring for the environment and

working green. The company produces all sorts of knitwear of excellent and exportable qualities.

PFL has started a groundbreaking project through 'The Green Knit Apparel Manufacturing Unit'

followed by the U.S. "LEED" principles and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The

business model of PFL has been constructed to pursue sustainable and accountable practices

benefitting every stakeholder.

The site of PFL has been chosen carefully and consists of award-winning designed buildings and

spacious gardens to fulfill their green initiative. The company has installed an incredible water

management system that efficiently recycles and reuses rainwater and ground surface water. The

company ensures a balanced ecosystem and has been awarded by USGBC (U.S. Green Building

Council) for its contribution to reducing energy use, water use, and carbon footprint, thus

building an eco-friendly work environment that helps the people to work in relation and

tranquility amid the busy world. Thus, the company gained the highest point scoring 'LEED

PLATINUM' apparel manufacturing facility worldwide.

Plummy Fashion Ltd. has world-renowned brands as their customers, such as – Tommy Hilfiger,

Calvin Klein, Juicy Couture, Zara, Okaidi Obaibi, Sergio Tacchini, DKNY, Kappa, Freddy, and

so on. The company is successfully handling its customers worldwide, maintaining cultural

issues.
PFL is managed by a highly experienced and professional team led by Mr.Fazlul Haque, who has

20 years of experience in the knitwear industry; he has built up a strong understanding of the

market and customers' requirements through working in the well-renowned organization of the

country for many years. The company cooperates with well-versed, experienced, and skilled

production experts, quality assurance managers, technicians, industrial engineers, and specialists

working to bring a milestone for PFL.

Areas of Research

This section consists of the communication problem that the company is facing at this point, and

provides a brief overview of the problem.

Purpose Statement

Problems that arise due to internal and external miscommunications in Plummy Fashions Ltd.

Industries in the RMG sector have to deal with blue-collar workers as the bulk of its employees

belong to this class. These are the kind of people who’re among the most underprivileged in

society and receive no to little formal education because of their financial limitations. The lack of

formal education is clearly reflected in their way of communication with superiors and managers.

When it comes to following a protocol for communication, the labor force is ignorant to follow

company guidelines. This, in turn, can create massive drawbacks for the company as unclear and

ineffective communication methods can give rise to operational and production problems.
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Another aspect of the communication problem we are attempting at is the communication gap

with external members. In the case of Plummy Fashions Ltd., the external communication gap

mainly happens between buyers from a different region of the world. These types of

communication problems occur because of the cultural difference between the buyer and

Plummy Fashions Ltd.

Importance of Exploring the Problem

RMG is one of the biggest industrial sectors in Bangladesh, only second to the Agriculture

industry. As a result of this, industries in this sector are highly competitive. Any kind of flaw

within the organization is bound to have a negative impact on its competitiveness, especially if it

is a communication gap. It is crucial for Plummy Fashions Ltd. to ensure proper communication

channels and modes to maintain clear communication among all its peers to keep ahead in this

competitive market. Besides, where unclear communication standards can create problems for

the company, clear and specific methods of communication can help build a rapport between the

company and its employees. This helps to boost employee morale and dedication towards the

company, which ultimately leads to better quality and quantity of work.

While there’s no denying that the internal communication gap is more important to explore and

solve, external communication gaps also can have adverse impacts on a company. Buyers of the

RMG sector are normally European or American clients and it is absolutely essential to establish

and maintain good communication with them, cutting through the clutter of cultural

miscommunications. Plummy Fashions Ltd. has already faced such an issue where a

communication gap because of differences in culture led to a dispute between the buyer and the
company. The dispute was over a matter regarding child labor. They were lucky enough that the

buyer didn’t leave the company, but in order to avoid repetition of such problems, Plummy

Fashions Ltd. must come up with a proper and effective communication method to communicate

with the buyers.

Research Methodology

In order to collect the necessary information for this research, qualitative research was done to

fulfill the requirements. The aim was to find out descriptive business communication process,

procedures, problems of plummy fashion LTD. We’ve applied qualitative research method

because in this approach, the information are available as prior researches and studies have been

done in the area that were relevant for this research. The qualitative approach is less generalized

and specific, which was relevant for this research. This methodology is also convenient for the

analysis of this research. Apart from that, we had conducted a full interview for this research. We

made proper questionaries along with follow up questions in order to make the interview more

informative and relevant.

We collected the data using both primary and secondary tools. The advantages of primary

tools (Interview, observation, data) are authentic, specific, informative and less generalized.

We also used some secondary data collection method to write the report.

Primary data collection methods were depicted here.

We conducted an interview with the head of supply chain of Plummy Fashion LTD. We did

our background research and made questionaries along with some follow-up questions to make

the interview as much informative as possible. Some of the questions were:

i. What communication mediums or channels do you use to communicate with

stakeholders? Example- emails, memo, letters, meetings, etc.

ii. How does this communication issue hamper your business?

We also used the observation method to verify the business communication model, process and

also find out the communication problems of the organization.

For secondary data collection method, we used books, slides, online journals, google scholar to

collect our data for this research.

In conclusion to this chapter, the qualitative research approach along with the primary and

secondary data collection method helped us to gather insights that are authentic and informative

which was crucial part of the research.

Analysis

A communication gap inside an organization can significantly impair the flow of information and

give rise to numerous issues. We'll talk about some of the problems Plummy Fashion had to deal

with because of the lack of communication and how they affected the organization.

The two biggest communication issues at Plummy Fashion are with workers and overseas

buyers.

Labor Communication Gap

Plummy Fashion currently has 2000 employees, and it’s not an easy task to manage such a large

labor force. There are multiple challenges faced by the company due to the communication gap

with its labor force. A prevalent issue is that the workforce does not comply with the company's

policies. Every organization has policies that must be followed in order to achieve the desired

result. If these policies are not followed, both management and employees may be dissatisfied.

There have been many issues regarding leave policy at Plummy Fashion. There are policies for

maternity leave that have to be followed to get the leave sanctioned, so once a pregnant lady

went to the management asking for a paid leave as every employee receives maternity leave that

is paid in Plummy Fashion. However, in order to receive that paid leave, the employee must

notify the company 15 weeks prior to delivery. But that lady had informed the management three

weeks prior to her delivery, and as per company policy, she could not be granted a paid leave.

This sparked a conflict between the management and labor, and as a result, the labor went on

strike, halting the production. All they need to do is be educated about the company's policies

and get the benefits by following the policies. Plummy Fashion has two distinct departments to

handle its workforce: the HR department and the Welfare department. These departments are
solely established for the workforce. All that the employees have to do is communicate and get

the issues resolved, but they always lack proficiency in communicating with these departments,

which results in conflicts. There have been times when the labor force chose to go on riot

rather than talk to the administration about their problems first.

Ineffective Top-down Communication

Plummy Fashions Ltd. also suffers from a poor design in their top-to-down communication with

the laborers. These kinds of communication problems arise when the management is unable to

pass on information properly to the working class. As a result of unclear or ineffective

communication from the management, the labor force cannot reciprocate the message well

enough. During our interview with the head of supply chain management at Plummy Fashions

Ltd., we found that the production has suffered as a result of this communication gap, which is a

huge disadvantage. For instance, if the shipment is due in a short time, the upper management

understands the urgency of the situation but fails to communicate that urgency to the employees

at the lower level of the hierarchy.

Cultural Communication Barriers

As it is an export-based RMG company, it has to deal with buyers from different countries. We

observe polychronic time; as Bengalis, we think it's normal to be a little late to a meeting

because it is not an issue in our culture. But cultures that prioritize punctuality do not take it in a

positive manner. During the interview, Mr. Rayan shared an event with us where he had reached

a meeting late due to traffic on his way, and to his surprise, he saw the meeting had already
started without him. By the time he arrived, the buyers had already started the meeting and had

done their part of the discussion. It was not an ideal approach to begin a relationship on a

positive note. This happened because of how individuals from various cultures perceive time.

Due to cultural differences, Plummy Fashion has also encountered the language barrier. They

typically encounter this issue with non-English-speaking European buyers. During meetings,

interpreters are present, but they frequently fail to express the emotional depth of the speech.

Labor Union Issues

The goal of a labor union is to protect and advance the interest of its members. The labor

union of Plummy Fashion Ltd. has been facing issues for lack of proper and honest leadership

role.

Prioritizing individual interests over group interests, the apathy of workers and politicization

became one of the major reasons for this collapse. Therefore, utilizing labor interest became

quite difficult, which has been creating more and more employee dissatisfaction.

Recommendations

Provide Business Ethics Training

The fact that the labors do not know much about business ethics is quite clear from the problems

Plummy Fashions Ltd. is facing at the moment. Simple training modules on business ethics can

be developed by the dedicated HR team of Plummy Fashions Ltd. The goal of these kind of

training modules is to teach the labor group how to communicate their concerns to the

management. They could implement programs to help educate their employees about business
ethics, corporate policies, and how to discuss their issues in a manner other than by going on

strike or inciting a riot.

Appointing Supervisors

Although Plummy Fashions Ltd. has a well-developed and maintained HR department, there

seem to be lackings when it comes to getting the message across of the labor force. Moreover,

the labor union leaders have been known taken advantage of their position from time to time. To

solve this problem, Plummy Fashions should keep the union leaders only for the sake of

maintaining peace within the organization. The union leaders will work and be paid like all other

workers in his pay grade. Since they have a labor force of 2000 people, it's hard for a particular

department like HR or Welfare to listen to everyone. So, they could recruit 20 supervisors (from

within their HR dept.) who would supervise 100 employees each; these 100 employees would

communicate with their designated supervisor, and the supervisor would convey their messages

to the management. In this way, the communication gap could be reduced. And the supervisors

can also play a significant role in enhancing top-down communication as well. The supervisors

will ensure that management’s decisions and policies are well received by the labor force. The

supervisors are expected to build a personal relationship with the labors so that the labors can

frankly pass on their concerns to them.

Hire full-time Translators

Among the top buyers of Plummy Fashions Ltd. are Zara and Okaidi Obaibi, both of which are

European buyers. Since Plummy Fashion has had problems due to the language barrier, we
would recommend they hire a full-time translator. They already hire translators for a particular

meetings, but if they hired one who would work with them, then it would build a better

understanding between the translator and management. It would help them to understand the

emotional depth of the speech while translating.

Introduce New Ways for Successful Communication

The management can plan and introduce new methods of communication with the labors. One

easy way would be to bring them to a common platform. Now a days, almost everyone has

access to smartphones. A short training module can be developed to train employees to

communicate through social platforms, such as WhatsApp group. The supervisors we

recommended appointing earlier have a crucial role to play here. They can provide basic

technological know-how training to ensure effective remote communication. This way, the labors

can somehow let the concerned supervisors know about their problems remotely. Supervisors can

also help to pass on the management’s decisions and play a role in addressing the top-down

communication issue. One of the key ways to ensure a continuous flow in the production is to

make sure the working class knows about the benefits they are getting. Plummy Fashions Ltd. is

already doing a lot to ensure worker rights in the workplace. They also have a green factory,

arguably one of the greenest in the country. But, it may be the case that the workers don’t even

know how a green working environment can help them in the long run. All the management

needs to do is better communicate the facilities and benefits the workers are already entitled to so

that they (the workers) feel valued.

Conclusion:

Plummy Fashions Ltd., an otherwise well-established garment factory has suffered quite a lot

because of communication problems arising within the employees, specifically the labor force of

the company. Production was halted, union leader led riots were organized and carried out, and

last but not the least, there were issues regarding communication with clients from the European

region. Applying the recommendations we suggested, the communication gap can be minimized

to almost zero. This will ensure the proper flow of information between management and the

labor force- the heart of the company. Solving the communication issues will also play a huge

role in management-labor conflict resolution, adequate management procedures, maintainable

product delivery schedules, and proper strategic plans, among others.

Government also has some responsibility to improve the situation by providing- proper policies

to protect the garment industries, such as quick loading facilities in the port, providing the proper

environment for work, and keeping the garment sector out of biased politics.
References

1. About us. (n.d.). https://plummyfashions.com/about-us/

2. Awal, M., Hossan, M., Aliullah, M., & Saidy, S. (2021). Green revolution in

ready made garments in Bangladesh: An analytical study. Elius and Aliullah,

Md. and Saidy, Shishir, Green Revolution in Ready Made Garments in

Bangladesh: An Analytical Study (June 15, 2021).

3. Akhter, S., Rutherford, S., & Chu, C. (2019). Sufferings in silence: Violence

against female workers in the ready-made garment industry in Bangladesh:

A qualitative exploration. Women's Health, 15, 1745506519891302.

4. Islam, M. A., Bagum, M. N., & Rashed, C. A. A. (2012). Operational

disturbances and their impact on the manufacturing business-an empirical study

in the RMG sector of Bangladesh. International Journal of Research in

Management & Technology, 2(2), 184-191.

5. Hossan, C. G., Sarker, M. A. R., & Afroze, R. (2012). Recent unrest in the
RMG sector of Bangladesh: Is this an outcome of poor labour practices?.

International Journal of Business and Management, 7(3), 206.

6. Bhuiyan, M. A. H. (2010). Employee participation in decision making in RMG

sector of Bangladesh: Correlation with motivation and performance. Journal

of Business and Technology (Dhaka), 5(2), 122-132.

 Appendix A

Interview Questions

1. When we think in terms of effective business communication, what are you referring to?

2. What are the best channels to communicate in business that seems to now be so

fast-paced?

3. How critical is it to get your message out there vs. being heard?

4. Why do businesses struggle with communicating in today’s environment?

5. What are some ways to improve communication in business?

6. Where do listening skills fall in importance in communicating?

8. When it comes to effective business communication, we often think of talking to our boss

or dealing with subordinates. How important is it to influence peers and business partners?

9. Whom do you have to communicate with in order to conduct your business?

10. Where are most of your international clients based at? (draw attention to the cultural

communication issue)

11. What communication mediums or channels do you use to communicate with them?

Example- emails, memo, letters, meetings, etc.

12. How do you break down the communication process for each communication medium?
13. Has the development of the internet and social media caused a change in the way you

communicate (quality, quantity, style etc.)

14. What sort of noise (problems) do you face in your business communication model?

15. How does this communication issue hamper your business?

16. Do you have a labour union of any sort to convey labours’ issues to you?

a) If not, how do the labours communicate their messages to management/ HR?

b) Do you support the formation of such unions? If not, why?

17.. How do you plan on solving the issue of miscommunication?

Appendix B (Interview Details)

Interview was taken through physical meeting regarding everyone’s convenience. Here is
the group photo of the interview –
Here is the visiting card of the Head of Supply Chain Management
Audio Recording Link of the Interview

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1DAQAXOPGWx8-cFkHP5EB3y-4zmr_aL0U?fbclid=Iw
AR0QbGbKKKDp0fgEKJZVKu9hEGeZiek69_nnF8n-V97Le8XJ_iZd4JkwxXM

Appendix C (Work Distribution)

Name Work

Anika Nower Analysis, Recommendations, Assistance in

compilation

Monjurul Haque Ujjal Analysis, Areas of Research, Compilation

Tanvir Hasan Khan

Conclusion, Reference, Appendix

Letter of Transmittal, Executive summary,

Anika Zaman Oyshi
Introduction, Company Overview

Research Methodology, Table of contents, Cover page,

Avipshito Roudra
Recommendations