Small apparel retailers face extreme competition with larger retailers. Large retailers have the upper hand in resources to stay updated with various trends, specifically social media. Social media has lowered the barriers to enter the retail industry. However, once these small retailers enter, half of them fail because they don't attract and retain customers. Small-medium enterprises (SMEs) greatly impact the economy, so it is important to study various facets of their business to increase performance. The purpose of this study is to investigate customer's development of social capital (i.e. affiliation, responsiveness, shared values, norm of reciprocity) in small apparel retailer's Instagram page that ultimately lead to purchase intentions for the retailer. Perceived benefits (i.e. perceived usefulness, perceived enjoyment) are also investigated in relation to purchase intentions. More specifically, social bonding, brand identification and trust are examined as mediating variables between the perceived level of social capital, perceived benefits and purchase intentions. Over a 3-month period, 200 responses were collected from students at a southern university. The findings reveal that younger customers develop a relationship with retailers on Instagram and it transfers to behavioral outcomes towards the retailer. The theoretical contribution of this study draws from the lack of literature for small apparel retailer and social capital built in Instagram, leading to purchase intentions. Managers can implement the findings into their social media marketing strategies to improve business performance. Lastly, this study has methodological limitations that creates opportunity for future studies.

Background: The increased attention to the subject of sustainable development within the fashion industry is frequently explained by how the fashion industry has become global, connecting brands, producers, manufacturers, businesses, and consumers across the entire globe. This has further led to the need for new constellations of global multi stakeholder collaborations. In 2009, a rather remarkable collaboration was announced; Patagonia and Walmart are pairing up to fight for a sustainable apparel, footwear, and textile industry. The collaboration is called The Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC) and is today representing nearly half of the entire volume of global production for apparel and footwear. Purpose: The purpose of this research is to identify key decision points and actions in the development of SAC and the Higg Index. The aim is to understand how to create a foundation for sustainable development within the fashion, apparel and textile industry on a global scale. Methodology: The research has been conducted through an exploratory case study of qualitative character, focusing on the development process of SAC and the Higg Index. The data has been collected through in-depth interviews with participants having prior knowledge, insight, participation, and experience of the development process of SAC and the Higg Index. Further the data has been analyzed through an inductive thematic analysis. Result & Analysis: Several interesting themes arrived in the result. However, these were narrowed down to four key factors for the development process of SAC and the Higg Index; Industry collaboration through democratic organizational culture, Getting the right people on the bus, then teaching them how to drive it, Trustworthy standards, communication and transparency throughout the supply chain, and Striving for global sustainable development = good for business. Research Limitations & Suggestions for Future Research: Due to the exploratory character of the study, conclusions have been drawn with caution and has rather aimed to focus on the contribution of new insights, a deeper understanding and increased knowledge of the development of SAC and the Higg Index. The main suggestion for future research is to conduct a study which includes the perspective of the manufacturers and workers within the supply chain. This type of study could assist with gaining further insights of obstacles and potential solutions for how to globally adopt the Higg Index within all levels of the supply chain in the most successful way.

Hösten 2017 introducerades en ny storleksstandard SS-EN 13402-3:2013 (Swedish Standards Institute 1922a). Standarden är tänkt att hjälpa klädföretag inom Europa att förtydliga för konsumenter vilken storlek som passar baserat på individens kroppsmått. Insatta nyckelpersoner intervjuades gällande standardens bakgrund och utformning i syfte att uppskatta storleksstandardens relevans för konfektionsindustrin. I enlighet med detta upprättades två enkäter vilka uppgav grundläggande information kring standardens avsikt. 230 konsumenter fick därefter ta ställning till att om den nya storleksstandarden implementeras av företag, hur skulle detta påverka processen till att hitta rätt klädstorlek medan befintliga yrkesverkande fick motsvarandefrågor om företagets syn på att införa detta i deras system. Denna studie beskriver den övervägande anledningen till konsumenternas svårigheter att hitta rätt klädstorlek och deras åsikter om företag skulle tillämpa denna standard. Utifrån analysering av svaren från företag, konsumenter och bistånd från tidigare forskning har en slutsats genomförts. Studien reflekterar över olika möjligheter för vidareforskning, hur företag kan gå tillväga för en effektiv storlekskonvertering och varför en storlekskonvertering kan gynna ett företag i längden. / The fall of 2017 a new size standard was introduced SS-EN 13402:3-2017 (Swedish Standards Institute 1922a). The standard is intended to help clothing companies in Europe to clarify for consumers what size is appropriate based on the individual’s body measurements. Well-informed influential people were interviewed regarding the background and configuration of the standard in order to estimate the relevance of the size standard for the clothing industry. In accordance with this, two questionnaires were established which explained the basic information about the purpose of the standard. 230 consumers were then asked about there view about if the new size standard was implemented by companies, how would this affect the process of finding the right size of clothing while existing professionals got similar questions about the company's view of introducing this into their system. This study discloses the predominant reason for the consumer's difficulty in finding the right clothing size and their thoughts if companies would apply this standard. Based on analysis of the responses from companies, consumers and reinforcement from previous research, a conclusion has been made. The study reflects on various possibilities for further research, how companies can proceed to make an effective size conversion and why a size conversion can benefit a company in the long run.

The apparel industry is one of the first industries being criticized and publicly shamed for not taking enough social responsibility for the workers in their supply chain. Today, most of the apparel production takes place in developing countries such as Bangladesh, China, Cambodia and Vietnam. Social issues in the apparel supply chain are often related to health and safety, minimum wages, overtime, child labor and the lack of freedom of association. Controlling these social issues is difficult since the apparel companies and their suppliers are geographically and culturally separated. Furthermore, the production of apparel takes place in countries with weaker legal frameworks not being strict enough to protect the workers' rights. Hence, the apparel companies face major challenges in controlling the fulfillment of international standards from the International Labor Organization and United Nations. There is a lack of research on the topic related to social sustainability practices in the supply chain and researchers state that it requires more attention, by focusing on how companies' code of conducts (CoC) and international standards can be used more effectively in the context of sourcing and social responsibility. To address the research gap, the purpose of the study is to understand how brand-owning apparel companies in Scandinavia control social sustainability in their supplier networks. Based on those findings, we will compare the relation between the empirical data and what theories and international standards illustrate as critical aspects for controlling social sustainability. In the study, we have conducted semi-structured interviews with seven Scandinavian apparel companies. Since social sustainability can be a sensitive topic for companies to share information on, we have also conducted an interview with Nina Wertholz, working at the non-profit organization Fair Action, providing a different perspective. By using a thematic analysis, two main themes have been identified that together answer the research question, namely control measures and factors affecting control. Firstly, control measures relate to what the companies' control consists of and our findings demonstrate risk assessments, code of conduct, audits, and measurement as the main tools. Still, we conclude that these control measures are not sufficient to control social sustainability in the supplier network. Secondly, factors affecting control can explain the outcome of controlling social sustainability. Findings advocate that a good collaboration, providing support and a shared interest can facilitate a higher degree of control. Additionally, our findings shows that companies with smaller order quantities have less influence and control over their supplier's social sustainability practices. We also infer that the number of suppliers and which countries the companies choose to source from will affect the obtained level of control. Furthermore, decisions regarding the supplier base and the sourcing country are active choices made by the companies. Lastly, we conclude that the companies' purchasing behavior can affect the level of control related to wages, incomes, and overtime for the workers in the apparel supply chain.

The rapid growth and development of cities have brought new mobility challenges, which the emergence of micro-mobility solutions, such as Personal Mobility Vehicles, has addressed. However, the increase in the use of these vehicles has also led to a rise in the number of accidents and injuries due to the inadequate use of protective equipment. Consequently, the sales of safety apparel have increased (Smith, 2022), creating a more competitive market where marketing strategies have become essential to successfully sell the product. This study aims to investigate the purchase behavior of safety apparel products, using the Theory of Planned Behavior as a framework to analyze the factors that affect the intentions of consumers to buy safety apparel. The research considered both product and societal factors that motivate or discourage the purchase of safety apparel. The results of the study revealed that the characteristics of the safety apparel product were the most significant factor that motivated the purchase. Consumers preferred discreet aesthetics and dark colors; low prices were also important factors. In addition, fashion, the influence of specialists in stores and on social networks, and the role of authorities were also found to be significant factors. However, the ability of buyers to carry out this behavior was subject to product compatibility, affordability, and availability. The findings of this research will help manufacturers and retailers to develop better marketing strategies that will increase the effectiveness of campaigns and enhance the motivation, importance, and priority to buy safety apparel. The study's contributions also have implications for other organizations that market safety-related products or want to promote their use. Overall, this study sheds light on the understanding of safety apparel customers and aims to contribute to improving marketing strategies in the safety apparel industry and promoting the safety culture among city commuters.

In this comparative study, the design elements and visual merchandising approaches employed in window displays by high-end and fast-fashion retailers are investigated. The study utilizes a visual content analysis method with standardized evaluation criteria to analyze the window displays of six high-end and six fast-fashion stores located in Paris. By adopting an analytical framework adapted mainly from Morgan (2015) and Diamond and Diamond (2007), the research aims to uncover shared patterns and distinguishing factors in the approaches of these two sectors. The findings reveal clear differences in purpose, layout, visual weight, focal points, color schemes, and prop usage between highend and fast-fashion retailers. These insights offer valuable practical implications for enhancing the visual appeal of window displays in the highly competitive retail landscape

Denna studie undersöker hur ett alternativt graderingssätt baserat på förhållandet mellan midja och stuss kan implementeras för att förbättra passformen på dambyxor. Ett vanligt förekommande passformsproblem är att kvinnor som har en rakare eller kurvigare kroppsform upplever svårigheter med att uppnå god passform i både midja och stuss, vilket leder till att en stor del av befolkningen har svårt att hitta byxor som passar. Studien baseras på data från 3D- skanningar av drygt 1000 testpersoner med stussmått som motsvarar storlek 32–48. För att undersöka passformen för kvinnor med varierande kroppstyper delades testpersonerna in i kategorierna rak, medel, och kurvig baserat på förhållandevärdet för midja och stuss, och målet var att förbättra passformen för personerna i samtliga tre kategorier. Resultatet visade att bara genom att byta till ett förhållandebaserat graderingssätt i ”medelserien” kunde fler av testpersonerna uppnå god passform jämfört med det tidigare måttbaserade graderingssättet. När storlekssystemet sedan utökades med den raka och kurviga serien kunde 90% av testpersonerna i studien uppnå god passform. / This study explores how an alternative way of grading based on the ratio between waist and hip can be implemented to improve the fit on women’s trousers. A common fit issue is that women with curvier or straighter body shapes experience difficulties achieving good fit in both waist and hip, which results in a major part of the population having a hard time finding well-fitting trousers. The study is based on data from 3D-scannings of over 1000 test subject with a hip measurement that equals size 32–48. To evaluate fit for women with varying body shapes, the test subjects were divided into the three categories straight, medium, and curvy based on their hip-to-waist ratio, and the goal was to improve the fit for all three groups. The result shows that by only switching to a ratio-based way of grading in the “medium group”, a bigger portion of the test group could achieve good fit compared to the old measurement-based way of grading. When the size system was then extended with the straight and curvy series, 90% of the test subject could achieve good fit.

South Korea is a country that is poor in natural resources and capital and remains behind many other nations in technological development; however, South Korea's unique development strategy has led its economy to high growth over the last three decades. During 1997, South Korea began to experience a serious financial crisis, including bankruptcies of many of its conglomerates, a drastic depreciation in the international exchange rate of the South Korean currency, and an increasing foreign debt. Currently South Korea is struggling to compete with products from both industrialized nations and newly industrializing nations. The current crisis has occurred as South Korea has been engaged in extensive market-opening. Knowledge is lacking about South Korea's intricate and rapidly changing political and economic climate. The purpose of this research was to explore and clarify the interrelated factors that have contributed to South Korea's present economic problems, especially those facing South Korea's retailing industry. The qualitative methodology of "grounded theory" was used in this study. Grounded theory is a general methodology for developing theory that is grounded in data which are systematically gathered and analyzed. Theory evolves during the research process through a continuous interplay between analysis and data collection. This research attempted to discover the factors, or themes, that have affected the South Korean economy and retailing industry. The following factors were identified: (1) foreign direct investment; (2) the price-gap between imported goods and domestic products; (3) South Korea's trade deficit; (4) perceived over-consumption of luxury items by South Korean consumers; and (5) the chaebol, or South Korean large conglomerates. The economic factors that have led to the current difficulties facing the South Korean retailing market are complicated and interwoven. South Korean retailers will have to address these factors in the future, and attempt to find solutions. It is hoped that the knowledge resulting from this will be of benefit to South Korea's attempt to compete in a global marketplace. / Master of Science

As the globalisation process accelerates there is a growing need for individual countries to understand the bases for effective performance in international trade. Because it makes up such a large share of world trade, it is especially important to understand what determines effectiveness in exporting. Despite much empirical research, especially over recent decades, the state of knowledge on this topic remains fragmented, unclear and unsatisfactory. The motivation for the present study was therefore twofold: dissatisfaction with the present state of knowledge in this vital area and the importance to the UK economy of improving its export performance in a world of increasing competition. Its aim was to contribute to the resolution of both. In addition to finding what appeared to be quite serious methodological problems in a group of earlier studies, our review of the literature indicated that the best prospects for identifying the determinants of effective exporting were to be found, not at national or sectoral level but at that of the individual firm. Accordingly, an empirical survey research project was developed. To minimise unquantifiable inter-sectoral variability, it was focused on a single sector of industry. For a range of reasons, including the limited amount of information available about its current export activity and prospects, the UK knitted apparel industry was chosen.. Special care having been taken to assemble the fullest possible sampling frame and to develop a suitable instrument (which included an export performance model), a mail survey in the form of a stratified random sample of exporting UK manufacturers of knitted apparel was carried through from late 2000. Persistent follow-up by mail and telephone generated a response rate of 70 per cent, comprising close to half of the sampling frame, that was representative of all company size bands, levels of exporting and products. The overall quality of the responses was good; tests of non-response did not find any indications of non-response bias. Data analysis, designed to test thoroughly our 10 export-determinants hypotheses, relied primarily on Pearsonian correlation at the bivariate level then sequentially on Multiple Regression Analysis, Canonical Correlation Analysis and Partial Least Squares. A perhaps slightly novel aspect of the research was that it was not solely cross-sectional in format; a longitudinal element was provided by drawing on the researcher¿s earlier surveys ; and a panel element by following-up, in 2007, the main 2000 field survey. Where possible, these data were drawn upon in the analysis and interpretation. There did not appear to be any conflict between the three multivariate techniques employed and indeed their findings were not dissimilar. The outcome of the data analysis was to uphold, to varying degrees, most of our hypotheses about the determinants of effective/ or successful exporting. Those that did not find support were three: firm size, product adaptation, and price determination method. Most strongly supported as determinants were promotional intensity, serving many markets and visits to trade fairs/ exhibitions; others which were statistically significant, included management commitment, special staff skills and the use of Commission Agents. While the conclusions must remain a bit tentative they are encouraging.

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