Recruitment Deception and the Organization of Labor for Exploitation: A Policy–Theory Synthesis

Responding to policy initiatives on fair recruitment and the eradication of recruitment fees, and research calls to focus on the labor supply chain, we provide a synthesis of scholarly and policy work on the issue of “recruitment deception” and its role in the organization of labor for exploitation. Recognizing that this topic is not explicitly theorized in management research, our analysis draws together concepts, arguments, and insights from across the social sciences and policy arenas to provide clarity on the meaning and prevalence of recruitment deception, with explanations on where and how it occurs, the actors involved and the mechanisms and tactics through which it is enacted. Attention is drawn to the key tactics and strategies labor recruiters use to exploit the labor of migrant workers; namely, misinformation, recruitment fees, identity document confiscation, debt, and grooming or trauma-bond recruiting. These tactics are organized into four exploitative capacities that we argue characterize a regime of enmeshment that starts with the abuse of vulnerability and then advances into recruitment deception, exploitation, and coercive control. The article concludes with an overview of initiatives and areas for future research that can help to reduce recruitment deception and pave the way for more responsible recruitment practices.