The purpose of this study was to generalize the findings about market orientation, learning orientation, innovation and performance to the textile and apparel context in South Korea, specifically to SMEs, and, in addition, to investigate the role of informal relationships in SMEs within the presence of these other variables. This study postulates that market orientation, learning orientation, and innovation are related to performance. This study conducted a survey in South Korea, using a paper-and-pencil questionnaire, to determine the relationship of various management related variables with the SMEs' performance. Of the 200 questionnaires that were distributed, 183 were returned and178 were completed and usable for the research. Results of this study showed that components of market orientation and learning orientation were both significantly related to innovation and some components along with innovation were significantly related to South Korean apparel SMEs' performance. The proposed relationship of these factors to performance could be generalized to SMEs in the apparel industry, within the context of South Korea. / Master of Science

Although distribution and warehousing theory have been extensively studied in terms of optimisation and functional excellence the extension of these concepts into supply chain management has not been fully explored. In addition information at which decision level warehousing strategies are formed is limited. The purpose of this thesis is to investigate which supply chain drivers and subordinate variables that affect warehousing decisions and how these can be used for warehousing strategies. The findings will serve as a decision support in strategic warehouse network design. To fulfil the purpose of the thesis a case study was performed at a sportswear company contributing to the textile and apparel focus of the research. The case company is facing a potential restructure of its warehousing network as the current distribution strategy has created different constraints and complexities which have lead to problems. Through a literature review important supply chain drivers as well as warehousing variables have been identified and serve as the basis for the case company investigation conducted using interviews and a survey. The empirical findings contribute to the results by determining whether decisions regarding the variables are on a strategic, tactical or operational level. The result is a Decision Support System integrating supply chain drivers, warehousing variables and decision levels. The framework fills gaps found in the literature by defining different decision levels of warehousing and by integrating warehousing in the supply chain strategy. The Decision Support System is subsequently applied to the case company revealing areas which need to be considered and improved prior to a restructuring of its warehousing network. By using the Decision Support System a textile and apparel company can map its supply chain and warehousing strategy revealing strengths and weaknesses in the network. The Decision Support System facilitates decisions regarding warehousing and simplifies the process of moving from the strategy employed to the best practice strategy thereby increasing customer satisfaction and achieving a competitive advantage. / Program: Textilt management med inriktning styrning av textila värdekedjor

The thesis investigates the reasons behind the proliferation of non-governmental systems of labour regulation in the textile and apparel industry in the USA, European Union and Turkey. The aim of the study is to identify the main structural factors, strategies and agencies which drive the process for the emergence of these systems within the confines of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) discourse and assess their effectiveness and sustainability as a form of regulation. The thesis concludes that the incapability of the traditional institutions to regulate and equalize labour standards throughout the buyer-driven apparel value chains played a key role in the search for new regulatory mechanisms. Among many alternatives, the contests and compromises between different strategies constrained by the current structural factors resulted in the dominance of non-governmental systems of regulation resting on the extension of regulatory authority from the public to the private institutions. However, whilst filling some gaps between the organization of production and existing regulatory institutions through transforming into more collective forms, these systems tend to supplement the traditional institutions of regulation in a period of crisis rather than replacing them, since their scope fall short for solving the problems of standardization, equalization and generalization of the labour standards and their associated costs.

Title: Conscious purchasing - Securing the purchasing process in the apparel industry Authors: Jakob Bank, Emma Sjödoff and Helena Zebergs Tutor: Roger Stokkedal Examiner: Helena Forslund Background: There has been several scandals within the apparel industry and due to this brand owners of apparel companies has started to offer their customers’ alternative products, which has been manufactured in a more conscious and sustainable way. The purchasing process has thereby become more complex including multiple criteria such as social and environmental considerations which have to be fulfilled by their suppliers. Purpose: To describe how Swedish brand owners of apparel companies select their supplier for their conscious collections, which sustainability policies they include in contracts with their selected suppliers and how they evaluate these suppliers in regard to the brand owners’ policy on sustainability. Method: This thesis was conducted using qualitative semi-structured interviews and a deductive approach. Several sampling methods was used which led to the involved companies who were interviewed through both structured as well as semi-structured interviews. Conclusion: Swedish brand owners of apparel companies select their suppliers based on how well they fulfil their demands, and if there is a possibility to establish a long term relationship. They include different sustainability policies in their contracts, but all suppliers need to approve the brand owners CoC as well as use organic cotton. The evaluation visits are conducted, but the evaluation responsible, how often it takes place and the duration of the visit depends on the brand owner.

In September 2015, the world leaders gathered to endorse 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), demonstrating a paradigm shift for people and the planet build on shared values, principles, and priorities for a common destiny. In the process of consolidating the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) consultations with business representatives raised two issues related to the potential success of the goals. The first issue was to better measure and value true performance of business preconditioned by identifying the most significant impact areas. The second issue was concerned with integration of sustainability into core business strategies. Both issues lead back to the proclaimed paradigm shift built on shared values for a sustainable future as demonstrated by the SDGs and demonstrate challenges with implementation of the SDGs. Although comprehensive frameworks to help business integrate the goals have been developed, the complexity and sheer volume of the various targets and indicators hinder many companies from reporting on their performance and contributions. The textile and apparel industry, while endowed with enormous potential related to development of countries has drawn increased attention to its negative impacts along the value chain. The industry is also one of the first to integrate the SDG into their sustainability reports. However, critics point to the fact that simply linking sustainability activities to the SDGs is not enough and cherry-picking the goals that have the easiest business case will be insufficient. Thus, to address this potential discrepancy between communication and action, the aim of this study has been to investigate the perceived value of SDGs integration in sustainability reporting within the apparel industry. Through a critical discourse analysis, the study has reviewed six sustainability report by two Swedish apparel companies, Lindex and Filippa K, from 2015 to 2017. conceptual framework has been developed according to the SDG compass including two variables; communicated motives for SDG integration and methods to measure and report on goal fulfilment. The findings show that both companies are using the SDGs as a communicative tool to point to the conceptual motives which drives the sustainability work. Discursive strategies to frame the companies’ sustainability methods are made by utilizing the concept of “circularity”. The level of SDG integration differs between the companies. Lindex show discursive developments between 2015 to 2015 reflecting extended responsibility with correspondence between communication and action. While Filippa K does not show the same level of discursive maturity in terms of motive, the methods to address the sustainability issues related to circular fashion has accelerated significantly over the years comparatively to Lindex. The lack of communicated methods to address social issues is however evident. The findings further show that there is a correspondence between level of SDG integration and SDG contribution. This study corroborates with previous research arguing that the business world is more complex than something that can be assessed in a black and white dichotomy of hypocrisy versus sincerity and needs a much more sophisticated approach to the gap between promise and performance and that the SDGs have a transformative potential. It also provides insights on how the application of the SDGs can be seen through a spectrum between weak and strong sustainability depending on the maturity of a company’s sustainability management.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) är företagens ansvar för den sociala-, miljömässigaochekonomiska påverkan de har på samhället. Begreppet inkluderar även företagens förmågaatt självmant engagera sig mer än vad lagen kräver. Under de senaste åren har det uppdagats ettflertal skandaler som har lett till att det numera har blivit allt viktigare för företag att engagerasig inom CSR och kommunicera ut denna information till sina intressenter. Tidigare forskningvisar dock på att det finns begränsat med forskning kring företagens kommunikation av derasCSR-engagemang. Dessutom implementerades en ny lag i årsredovisningslagen i slutet av2016, vilket kommer att tvinga fler företag att hållbarhetsrapportera. Ungefär 1 600 företagberörs av lagändringen då Sverige har valt att inkludera fler företag än vad EU-direktiven kräver.Således har det blivit relevant att fortsätta diskussionen och studera konsumenters förtroendeför den information som företag kommunicerar ut. Syftet med denna studie är därmed attbidra till en fördjupad diskussion angående förtroendet till företags CSR-kommunikation. Studiensforskningsfråga har formulerats på följande sätt: Vad anser konsumenter vara förtroendeingivandeCSR-kommunikation gällande klädföretag?Studien är av kvalitativ karaktär med en abduktiv forskningsansats. Insamlingen av det empiriskamaterialet har skett genom en diskursanalys på fyra företags hemsidor; H&M, KappAhl,Haglöfs och Fjällräven, samt sju semi-strukturerade intervjuer. Vad gäller studiens analys hartidigare forskning samt två teorier tillämpats på det empiriska materialet; The pyramid of corporatesocial responsibility och Legitimitetsteorin.Det framkommer i studien att fokus vid kommunikation av företagens CSR-engagemang primärtbör ligga vid etiskt ansvar för att legitimitet ska erhållas. Studien visar på att klädföretagensfokus på denna ansvarskategori stämmer överens med respondenternas värderingar. Inometiskt ansvar bör företagen främst uppmärksamma de mänskliga rättigheterna i form av de anställdasförhållanden och en intolerans av barnarbete. Utöver detta är det relevant för företag attkommunicera ut ett engagemang inom företagens juridiska- och filantropiska ansvar för att ettförtroende ska genereras. Det är även av vikt att kommunicera ut information som är transparentoch som belyser både för- och nackdelar gällande verksamheten. Slutligen bör företag undvikaatt kommunicera ut information som kan uppfattas vara en förskönad bild av verkligheten samtinformation som kan tolkas ha ett marknadsföringssyfte. / Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a concept that involves the companies’ responsibilityfor the social-, the environmental- and the economic impact they have on the community. Italso includes the companies’ aspiration to do more than the law require them to do. During thelast years, several scandals have been revealed which have resulted in the importance of engagingwithin CSR for the companies. Furthermore, to communicate this information to the companies’stakeholders. However, previous research shows that there is limited research regardingthe companies’ communication of their CSR engagement. In addition, a new law was implementedby the end of 2016, which will force more companies to establish a sustainability report.Approximately 1 600 more companies will be affected by the change of law since Sweden havechosen to include more companies than the EU directives require. Consequently, it has becomemore relevant to continue the discussion and to study the trust of the consumers regarding theinformation that companies communicate. The purpose of this thesis is to contribute to the discussionabout what is considered as trustworthy information regarding the companies’ CSRcommunication. The research question of the thesis is: What do consumers consider to be trustworthyCRS-communications regarding apparel companies?The thesis is of a qualitative nature with an abductive research approach. The collection ofempirical data has been gathered through a discourse analysis on four companies’ websites;H&M, KappAhl, Haglöfs and Fjällräven and seven semi-structured interviews. When it comesto the analysis of the thesis, previous research and two theories have been applied to the empiricaldata: The Pyramid of Corporate Social Responsibility and Legitimacy Theory.In the thesis it appears that the companies primarily focus regarding the CSR engagement,should be to communicate the ethical responsibility to obtain legitimacy. The thesis shows thatapparel companies’ focus on ethical responsibility equals the respondents’ values. Within theethical responsibility the companies primarily should pay attention to the human rights such asthe conditions of the employees and an intolerance concerning child labor. In addition to theethical responsibility it is relevant for the companies to communicate an engagement regardingthe legal- and philanthropic responsibilities to obtain trust. It is also important to communicateinformation that is transparent and highlight both the pros and cons of the business. Finally,companies should avoid communicating information that may be perceived as a false image ofthe reality, as well as information that can be interpreted as having a marketing purpose.

Det finns i dagsläget inget tvingande regelverk kring hållbarhetsredovisningar vilket innebär att företag kan utforma sin information på vilket sätt de vill, om de ens väljer att ge ut någon alls. Organisationen Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) arbetar med att förbättra ramverket för hållbarhetsredovisningar och ger med anledning av detta ut riktlinjer kring vad en hållbarhetsredovisning bör innehålla inom de tre områdena ekonomi, miljö och social påverkan. Tidigare forskning visar att större företag utsätts för större granskning av media och högre press av sina intressenter och frågan är om detta medför en mer omfattande hållbarhetsredovisning än mindre företagen. E-handelsföretag står för en allt större del av den totala försäljningen och därför ansågs även denna aspekt vara intressant, speciellt med tanke på att tidigare forskning inom e-handelsbranschen inte berört just kläddetaljister vilket denna studie varit inriktad på. Syftet med studien var att erhålla kunskap om omfattningen och utformningen av hållbarhetsredovisningen hos 15 kläddetaljister. Studien syftade även till att kartlägga om och hur detta skiljer sig mellan världstäckande, europeiska, skandinaviska och e-handelskläddetaljister. Olika förklaringar finns till varför företag väljer att ge ut frivillig information. Det kan vara på grund av att de utsätts för exponering i media och därmed utsätts för press, att företagens intressenter har rätt till information, att företagen vill ha legitimitet eller att företag påverkas av och imiterar varandra. Resultatet av den kvalitativa innehållsanalysen av företagens hållbarhetsinformation bekräftar tidigare forskning då det är tydligt att mer exponerade företag (med butiker i hela världen) överlag har en mer omfattande hållbarhetsredovisning än mindre exponerade företag (med butiker i enbart Europa, Skandinavien eller på internet). Undantaget finns i den sociala kategorin där Europabaserade företag har ett något bättre snitt än världsföretagen. E-handelsdetaljisterna har generellt sett fått ett lågt resultat på alla områden. Flertalet e-handelsdetaljister skriver ingenting om sitt hållbarhetsarbete varken i någon hållbarhetsredovisning eller på sin hemsida. Detta är anmärkningsvärt då det rör sig om stora företag med hundratusentals kunder och det vore intressant att forska vidare på detta område genom exempelvis intervjuer med representanter för företagen. / At this point in time, there are no mandatory rules regarding sustainability reporting which means companies can choose to design their sustainability reports in any way they see fit, if they choose to provide any information at all. The organization Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) aims to improve the framework for sustainability reporting by supplying guidelines regarding what a sustainability report should contain within the areas economy, environment and social impact. Previous research has shown that bigger companies are exposed to bigger pressure from their stakeholders, which poses the question if this entails a more extensive sustainability report than smaller companies. Since e-commerce constitutes a growing part of the total sales this was also an interesting aspect to examine, especially considering no previous research has been made regarding the apparel industry, which this study aimed to look at. The purpose of the study was to gain knowledge about the extension and form of the sustainability reports from 15 clothing retailers. The study also aimed at exploring if and how these reports differ between worldwide, European, Scandinavian and e-commerce retailers. There are different explanations as to why companies choose to disclose voluntary information. It may be because of exposure in the media and the pressure that comes with it, stakeholders right to information, to attain legitimacy, or that companies affect and imitate each other. The result of the qualitative content analysis of the chosen companies' sustainability reports confirms previous research. It is clear that more exposed companies (with stores worldwide) generally has a more extensive sustainability report than less exposed companies (with stores in Europe, Scandinavia or online). There is one exception in the social category where companies with stores in Europe has a slightly better average result than companies with stores worldwide. E-commerce companies produce very low results throughout all three categories. Multiple e-commerce companies have no information about their sustainability work neither in reports nor on their websites. This is noteworthy since these are big companies with hundreds of thousands of customers and this would be an interesting topic for further research, for example by conducting interviews with representatives from the companies.

Purpose: This research aimed to identify and synthesize circular economy-oriented business model innovation opportunities for the textile and apparel industry of Bangladesh to position the business to its B2B customers by achieving a sustained competitive advantage.  Design/methodology/approach: In this study, we conducted a multiple case study, analyzing 3 case companies using an abductive method under the interpretive research philosophy. As a result of our research, we aim to understand the current perceptions of the circular economy in Bangladesh's garment industry and identify opportunities for business model innovation. Therefore, we designed a questionnaire to obtain valuable insights and opinions from 9 business practitioners. In order to gain an in-depth understanding of the respondents, semi-structured interviews and rating-based surveys were conducted. Results: As key results, three CE process has been identified as the most potential to bring BMI- are design (narrowing resource loop), production (slowing resource loop), and recycle (closing resource loop) based on which the T&A industry can position its business to achieve a sustained competitive advantage. Originality/value: To the best of the authors' knowledge, no previous research has been done on this topic. This paper establishes an integrated conceptual model which is first of a kind to integrate CE resource loops and resource-based view. The data presented here are all based on the respondents' perceptions. This thesis paper can help academics do further research on industries that face issues with value creation, and professionals can apply the suggested practical solutions implications in their industry. Key Words: Sustainability, Circular Economy, Business-to-Business Positioning, Business Model Innovation, Textile and Apparel Industry

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The purpose of this thesis is to increase the understanding of supply network configuration (SNC) for small series production in high-cost contexts in relation to the textile/apparel industry. SNC encompasses strategic structural and infrastructural decisions at the supply chain level, motivated by capabilities/priorities. The key configuration decisions addressed concern textile/apparel production in Europe, with associated context-specific advantages and challenges. The thesis takes a particular focus on how practitioners consider these configurations and motivations. The thesis begins with identification of motivations for locating textile/apparel production in high-cost contexts, to capture the driving priorities. Thereafter, the thesis extends the focus beyond location motivations to identify the key SNC aspects and characteristics for small series production in high-cost contexts. These configuration-related aspects and capabilities are elaborated upon and modelled to understand how they are interrelated in textile/apparel industry contexts. The empirical work uses mixed-methods and seeks to bring together the relevant topics using a SNC and capabilities approach. The specific methods, Delphi study and interpretive structural modeling, are focused on sensitivity practitioner perspectives. Findings show multiple key motivations/capabilities for high-cost textile/apparel production, specifically small series production (customization); which is closely linked with several other priorities, including quality and flexibility/delivery. Expanding the view to the SNC aspects, the findings confirm and extend the literature regarding complexities, multi-level characteristics, synergies and trade-offs, and industry/location contingencies. Regarding this European textile/apparel context, several interrelated considerations create challenges with respect to balancing configuration, capabilities and location; in particular related to multiple priorities such as flexibility/delivery, quality, innovation/sustainability, and the level of product variety/customization. Several relational characteristics are also crucial, including focus on trust and information sharing, although, with a few significant exceptions, limited supplier integration levels are found. These findings indicate the need to build upon existing relationships to develop end-to-end digital connections. The thesis approaches issues at the intersection of theory and practice, regarding configuring supply networks for small series production in high-cost contexts. Practically, it develops an approach to evaluate and model decision aspects, demonstrating how this can be used with a variety of textile/apparel companies. Several extensions are required to support current and future state mapping, including developments related to the method and the addition of performance considerations. The thesis contributes to theory by broadening the focus on high-cost locations to include small series production and the SNC perspective. Thus, the research confirms multiple priorities including innovation and sustainability; additionally finding several challenges associated with small series textile/apparel production in high-cost contexts. Further research should extend the focus to understand (re)configuration processes, and implications on priorities like sustainable innovation.