The Labor-Supply Chain from South Asia to the United Arab Emirates And the Plight of Low-Skilled Workers

Abstract

This research aims to examine the dynamics of the labor supply chain from South Asia to the United Arab Emirates. Nineteen interviews were conducted with affiliates from government and executives in private organizations to provide expert perspectives on the labor supply chain from South Asia to the UAE labor-market and that of the plight of laborers. Three propositions can be advanced: P1: Labor migration from South Asia to the UAE is a voluntary relocation; P2: The labor-supply chain from South Asia to the UAE is based on a push or pull system; P3: The plight of these laborers lies in the complexity of the labor supply network from South Asia. The results show that the laborers are lured to their destination due to the economic, social, and political conditions that persist in their own countries of origin; however, for some, the anticipated success is never realized as they become victims of the debt bondage they incurred in their countries of origin prior to their departure to the UAE. This study extends the application of supply chain management to the labor supply; therefore, it broadens the scope of studies on this subject. The focus is only on low-skilled laborers without considering the condition of high-skilled laborers.