Direct selling: tackling the challenge of women’s inclusion within the base of the pyramid (BOP) labour market during COVID era

ABSTRACT

The exclusion of women from the labour market continues to be one of the leading causes of poverty within the base of pyramid (BOP) labour market. Using Kabeer’s women empowerment framework, this research aggregates some support that direct selling may be a pathway to increase the inclusion of women within the BOP labour market and alleviate poverty; the complexities presented by the COVID-19 pandemic provide a unique context to test this proposition. Drawing on the social constructivist approach, we conducted semi-structured interviews with women engaged in direct selling in the BOP market in a Middle Eastern country. The study revealed four key themes throughout the participants’ narratives of their experience working in direct selling businesses within the context of COVID-19. These themes are agency, resources, achievement, and precarious work. Our study also explored how the pandemic facilitated the female labour force’s inclusion within the direct selling business in the BOP labour market. We concluded that engaging in direct selling has promoted the inclusion of women in labour markets; however, direct selling is still not considered a secure employment option, and direct sellers are exposed to poor pay, employment insecurity, and lack of employment benefits.

KEYWORDS:

• Women’s Empowerment
• labour market
• direct selling
• COVID
• BOP

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the Australian Institute of Business .

Notes on contributors

Mahan Poorhosseinzadeh

Mahan Poorhosseinzadeh is a senior lecturer in the Leadership and Human Resource Management discipline at the Australian Institute of Business (AIB). Before joining AIB, she worked as a researcher and academic in the Department of Employment Relations and Human Resources and as a research fellow at the Centre for Work, Organisation, and Wellbeing at Griffith Business School. Her research efforts revolve around the domains of women and career progression, focusing on women's underrepresentation in senior positions. Her diverse research interests encompass equal opportunity in the workplace, gender dynamics in professional settings, women's leadership, entrepreneurship among women and minorities, Indigenous employment, and inclusive leadership. Mahan actively publishes her findings to contribute to the academic discourse in these areas. Her research has been published in reputable journals such as the British Journal of Management and Labour and Industry.

Samaneh Soleimani

Samaneh Soleimani is a Lecturer at the Australian Institute of Business (AIB), Australia. She holds a PhD in business and management from the University of South Australia (UniSA). She has extensive experience in applying qualitative, quantitative, and mixed research methods. Her research and teaching interests include consumer behaviour, marketing, and tourism. She has published in international journals such as Current Issues in Tourism, Journal of Strategic Marketing, and Tourism Review.

Mulyadi Robin

Mulyadi Robin is an Associate Professor and the Associate Dean of Teaching and Learning at the Australian Institute of Business (AIB), Australia. His research primarily examines the impact of leadership on followers and organisational outcomes, and he is particularly interested in the unintended outcomes of good practices. Mulyadi’s works have been published in outlets such as The Leadership Quarterly, Journal of Business Ethics, and Personnel Review, among others.

Maryam Masoumik

Maryam Masoumik is a seasoned management consultant specialising in supply chain management with over 20 years of experience. She has dedicated her career to assisting companies in transforming their operations towards building more sustainable and resilient supply chains. With a PhD in the sustainable supply chain, her research interests revolve around circular supply chain management and socially responsible supply chains. Her research has been published in reputable journals, particularly in the area of green strategies and green supply chain management. In addition to her consulting career and research pursuits, Maryam served as a lecturer at the Australian Institute of Business, where she shared her expertise in supply chain and operations management. Currently, Maryam works at Deloitte, Australia as a senior consultant in the Climate and Engineering portfolio, where they assist companies in implementing transformative strategies to address climate-related challenges and integrate sustainability into their operations.