A performance evaluation on the detection and prevention of modern slavery in global supply chains

Ishaya, B (2025) A performance evaluation on the detection and prevention of modern slavery in global supply chains. Doctoral thesis, Liverpool John Moores University.

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Abstract

The United Kingdom (UK) is a destination country for vulnerable children, women, and men, primarily from Africa, Asia, and Eastern Europe, who are victims of modern slavery. Notably, over the last decade, only a few systematic academic studies have been conducted on modern slavery in the supply chain. Therefore, research into the topic is still in the early stages. Accordingly, this research aims to analyse the enablers of modern slavery that significantly determine the overall performance of global supply chains and proposes a novel benchmarking framework that will integrate various anti-slavery strategies.
This study involves empirical studies within the UK supply chains using the benchmarking methodology to assess modern slavery mitigation strategies in supply chains in a quest to meet the requirements of the research objectives. Modern slavery risk assessment is conducted through two stages of questionnaire surveys and evaluated through the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Total Interpretive Structural Modelling (TISM). Modern slavery mitigation strategies are identified through empirical studies and evaluated through MICMAC analysis. The findings of the AHP and TISM surveys indicate that “developing an advanced information technology and a benchmarking model will help in evaluating and tracking the production of goods from their source to final use and verifying the product origin, sourcing, and suppliers' workforce”.
This thesis complements the existing literature by proposing a comprehensive framework that provides abundant insights into the rapid increase in modern slavery in global supply chain systems. Practitioners and policymakers can utilise the findings of such a study to build up global supply chains more efficiently. The research design is divided into three phases; first, modern slavery enablers and mitigation strategies are identified through an exhaustive literature review; next, the enablers and modern slavery mitigation strategies are verified by experts through empirical studies, i.e., high-level surveys and face-to-face interviews. Finally, the weight of modern slavery risk factors is estimated using the AHP, While TISM, a theory-building analysis tool, is utilised to examine the relationship and influence of each modern slavery enabler.

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Modern slavery; Global supply chains; Benchmarking; Total interpretive structural model; AHP
Subjects:	T Technology > TA Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General)
Divisions:	Engineering
Date of acceptance:	21 May 2025
Date of first compliant Open Access:	24 June 2025
Date Deposited:	24 Jun 2025 10:46
Last Modified:	24 Jun 2025 10:46
DOI or ID number:	10.24377/LJMU.t.00026414
Supervisors:	Paraskevadakis, D, Bury, A, Bryde, D and Dubey, R
URI:	https://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/26414

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