Globalization, technological change, and governments’ policy choices continue to provoke massive structural changes in the world of work. These transformations pose unprecedented challenges for established institutions and modes of the governance of work. Unsurprisingly, they have been accompanied by a growing complexity and “hybridization” of regulatory modes and mechanisms. While governance remains a central responsibility of governments, public governance increasingly co-exists with private governance and social governance.

The hybridization and proliferation of forms and mechanisms of governance is a consequence of the fragmentation of production across national boundaries. As previously pointed out by the International Labour Organization, the emergence of global supply chains has provided new opportunities for many developing countries to participate in global trade, diversify their economies and generate employment. At the same time, production for global supply chains has raised new concerns about working conditions and the protection of workers’ rights.

This volume is the result of a collaborative effort involving recognized research experts from different disciplines. It aims to review current knowledge on developments in the governance of work in global supply chains. It also presents several in-depth case studies that analyse public, private or hybrid governance arrangements. This volume was produced with the financial support of the French Government, as part of the cooperation agreement 2015–2020 with the International Labour Office.