Problem Since the globalisation has enabled apparel companies to purchase materialsand goods from all around the world, the constant challenge is to find themost beneficial country and supplier who can provide the highest value tothe lowest cost. There are however factors to be considered in the aspect ofsupplier selection and the decision is often made through assessment ofnation-specific resources like labour costs, deliveries, trade restrictions andquality. It is important for apparel companies to relate the outcome of asupplier evaluation to the own company strategy or product characteristicsas factors may be more or less crucial depending on the strategy or producttype the company possess. With wages now increasing in Europe, Ukraine ispredicted to become a new apparel-producing alternative for Swedishcompanies. However, there is no evident niche in Ukrainian apparelproduction, which can be set in the context of company and productcharacteristics.Purpose The purpose of this thesis is to perform a supplier evaluation of Ukraine anddiscuss what company and product characteristics that might be moresuitable for producing apparel in Ukraine.Methodology A qualitative research has been carried out on a MFS scholarship for eightweeks in Ukraine. The empirical findings are based upon semi-structuredinterviews with five experts and observations and interviews in six factories.A supplier evaluation model is created upon the existing theories and theempirical results are discussed in the context of company and productcharacteristics.Conclusion A company should consider evaluating multiple factors and theinterrelationships between the factors in ability to reach a fulfilling supplierselection. It can be argued that there are predominantly characteristics foundto suit companies with the cost leadership strategy or functional products.Furthermore, because of trade rules and a low access to materials mostUkrainian factories work on Cut-Make contracts with foreign customers.Problem: Globaliseringen av klädindustrin har bidragit till att klädföretag köper materialoch färdiga plagg från länder runt om i världen. Det är en ständig utmaning atthitta det landet och den tillverkaren som erbjuder det högsta värdet till den lägstakostnaden.Det finns många olika faktorer som man bör ta hänsyn till i ettleverantörsval och beslutet är oftast taget genom utvärdering av nationsspecifikaresurser som lönekostnader, leveranser, kvalitet och handelshinder. Det är viktigtför företag att utvärdera länder och leverantörer utefter företagets egna strategieroch produkternas karaktär eftersom olika faktorer vid leverantörsutvärdering kanvara olika viktiga beroende på företag och produkter. När lönekostnaderna stiger iövriga Europa framträder Ukraina som ett möjligt produktionsland som spås enframtid som ett alternativ för svenska klädföretag. Ukraina har däremot ingen klarnisch, vilket är intressant att titta närmare på i samband med olikaföretagsstrategier och produkttyper.Syfte: Syftet med studien är att göra en leverantörsutvärdering av Ukraina somklädproducent och diskutera vilka företagsstrategier och produkttyper som kanlämpa sig bäst för produktion i Ukraina.Metod: Uppsatsen är skriven på ett MFS-stipendium under åtta veckor i Ukraina. Detempiriska resultatet är baserat på semi-strukturerade intervjuer och observationer isex stycken klädesfabriker och intervjuer med fem stycken experter. En modell förleverantörssutvärdering är skapad från existerande teorier och det empiriskaresultatet av utvärderingen diskuteras i samband med olika företagsstrategier ochprodukttyper.Slutsatser: Ett företag bör överväga att utvärdera flera faktorer och deras inbördes sambandför att kunna uppnå ett tillfredsställande leverantörsval. Det har påfunnits flestkaraktärsdrag som passar företag med en kostnadsstrategi eller funktionellaprodukter. På grund av handelsregler och dålig tillgång till material jobbar deflesta ukrainska producenter med Cut-Make kontrakt mot utländska kunder. / Program: Textilekonomutbildningen

This thesis studies the impact of market orientation on the business performance of the Sri Lankan apparel manufacturing organizations in the post MFA environment. An attempt is made to enhance the existing market orientation theory by addressing a research gap and highlighting the importance of the relationship perspective in business to business marketing. A four dimensional market orientation construct is developed to overcome the limitations identified in the extant market orientation theories. The study also identifies resource availability as an antecedent of market orientation along with six other antecedents which are commonly discussed in literature. It further investigates whether the market orientation-business performance relationship is moderated by the prevailing business environment. The proposed modifications to the theory are empirically tested within the context of the apparel industry.

Bakgrund I takt med en ökad digitalisering sker handel idag inte endast i fysiska butiker. Fler och fler klädföretag använder idag e-handel som försäljningskanal för att sälja sina produkter, samtidigt som efterfrågan från konsumenter är i ständig förändring. Trycket på att tillgodose kundernas behov och skapa kundnöjdhet sätter press på företagsledningar att använda flera kanaler, känt som multikanalförsäljning. Som följd har begreppet multichannel customer management vuxit fram som lyfter vikten av att utvärdera sina kanaler för att i sin tur kunna allokera resurser till respektive kanal. Syfte Syftet med studien är att inom klädbranschen undersöka hur ett antal nyckelfaktorer påverkar kundnöjdheten inom fysiska försäljningskanaler respektive e-handelskanaler. Vidare ämnar studien förklara vilka av nyckelfaktorerna företag för respektive försäljningskanal bör fokusera på i syfte att uppnå kundnöjdhet och i sin tur kundlojalitet. Genomförande Med ett realistiskt perspektiv, en deduktiv ansats och en kvantitativ metod har 8 hypoteser tagits fram utifrån befintlig forskning. Den empiriska undersökningen bestod av en enkät som delades ut på Linköpings universitet och besvarades av 224 studenter inom Generation Y. Vidare användes programmet SPSS för att genomföra en statistisk analys av insamlad primärdata. Slutsats För att uppnå kundnöjdhet och i sin tur kundlojalitet visar studiens resultat att företag, för sin fysiska försäljningskanal, bör fokusera på faktorerna service, tillgänglighet, tid och säkerhet. Studiens resultat visar även att företag för sin e-handelskanal bör fokusera på produktgaranti, tid och säkerhet för att uppnå kundnöjdhet och kundlojalitet. / Background: Companies today are, due to an increased digitization, forced to use more than traditional stores to reach out to their customers. More and more retailers are now using online stores to meet an even broader market and to attain customer satisfaction. Using more than one channel has become known as multichannel retailing, from which a concept known as multichannel customer management has started to grow. The concept says that as the number of channels used increase, companies need to evaluate their channels in order to allocate resources to each one. Purpose: The purpose with the study is to examine how a couple of key factors, in the apparel industry, affect customer satisfaction in traditional and online channels. The study aims to explain which one of these factors each channel should focus on to achieve customer satisfaction and customer loyalty. Completion: With a realistic perspective, deductive approach and quantitative method 8 hypothesis have been tested. The empirical study was conducted by handing out a survey on Linköping University and in total 224 respondents within Generation Y answered. To analyze the collected data, the statistical software SPSS was used. Conclusion: In order to accomplish customer satisfaction and customer loyalty the study shows that companies, for their traditional stores, should focus on service, accessibility, time and safety. The results of the study shows that companies, for their online stores, should focus on product guarantee, time and safety.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-05-08T14:53:30Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 arquivototal.pdf: 1228003 bytes, checksum: ecee90ab4abb959d946fe2e48d182219 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-08-17 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / This thesis evaluates the use of production planning and control (PCP) in a sample of five small business apparel clothing based in Fortaleza. This is a descriptive and exploratory character. The research was done in small businesses, in accordance with the criteria of similarity of the productive process and organizational structure as well as the willingness to respond with any information necessary for the preparation of the work. Collecting information and data provided through structured interviews, questionnaires, covering topics related to the object of study. The results showed that: a) the companies structure their production system formally, using a "mix" of techniques involving those related to JIT and MRP system, strategically tailored to their realities; b) as regards the commercial area, the studied organizations are required to produce various collections during the year, each absorbs a portfolio of products with differentiated participation in the composition of production, considering color, size, accessories, and other, resulting from fluctuations in demand generated by natural aspects such as seasons, fashion trends and competitive actions that work directly or indirectly in setting up a business strategy that has the CFP a technique of rare importance in competitive reality, interfering so in production scheduling; c) companies use the faction and outsourcing in some stages of the production process, in order to meet the demand, in fact, there are large interference in production scheduling. Finally, the garment segment has specific features that require a robust PCP that can adjust to the characteristics of the sector, the lack of this technique generates consequences in bulk or in the diversification of products. The companies studied, although using the CFP system, some already computerized, not yet freed from manual control planning and production scheduling. / Esta dissertação avalia a utilização do Planejamento e Controle de Produção (PCP) em uma amostra de cinco pequenas empresas de confecções de vestuário sediadas em Fortaleza. Trata-se de uma pesquisa de caráter descritivo e exploratório. A pesquisa foi feita em empresas de pequeno porte, segundo os critérios de similaridade do processo produtivo e estrutura organizacional, bem como a disponibilidade em responder as informações necessárias para a confecção do trabalho. A coleta de informações e dados deu-se através de entrevistas estruturadas, mediante a aplicação de questionário, abordando temas relacionados ao objeto de estudo. Os resultados demonstraram que: a) as empresas estruturam o seu sistema de produção formalmente, utilizando um mix de técnicas envolvendo aquelas relacionadas ao sistema JIT e MRP, estrategicamente adaptadas às suas realidades internas; b) no que se refere ao atendimento à área comercial, as organizações estudadas são obrigadas a produzir várias coleções durante o ano, cada uma absorve um portfólio de produtos com diferenciada participação na composição dos lotes de fabricação, considerando cor, tamanho, acessórios, e outros, resultante das oscilações da demanda gerada por aspectos naturais, como estações do ano, tendências da moda e ações da concorrência que atuam direta e indiretamente na configuração de uma estratégia comercial que tem no PCP uma técnica de rara importância na realidade competitiva, interferindo assim na programação da produção; c) as empresas utilizam a facção e a terceirização em algumas etapas do processo de produção, para atender à demanda, com efeito, há grande interferência na programação da produção. Por fim, o segmento do vestuário possui especificidades que exigem um PCP robusto que possa se ajustar às características do setor, a inexistência desta técnica gera consequências no volume ou na diversificação dos produtos. Nas empresas estudadas, embora utilizem o sistema de PCP, algumas já informatizadas, ainda não se libertaram do controle manual do planejamento e da programação da produção.

The overall economic development during the nineteenth and twentieth century has left us with an interconnected global society. However, the pollution does not adhere to the boundaries of nation-states. Therefore, the sustainability issue calls for holistic solutions on all levels of society, from individuals to states, large NGOs, and in particular the companies that produce the goods we consume. Corporate initiatives on this matter are usually referred to as Corporate Social Responsibility, or CSR. Many large corporations have been under scrutiny from different stakeholders ever since the early 1990’s and it is no longer possible for them to neglect their responsibility for i.e. pollution or human rights. However, smaller actors do not receive as much attention as their larger competitors, due to lower stakeholder awareness. With this background, this master thesis aims at investigating how small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) within the apparel industry in Sweden perceive their opportunities and challenges when working with CSR in their global supply chain. Thus, the thesis hopes to help bridge a scientific gap, and also connects to Supply Chain Management, SCM. This was accomplished through a literature review that identified and categorized different aspects of the problem. Following this, a multiple-case study with eight different brands was carried out, interviewing representatives from the organizations. The results show, among other things, that for SMEs, top management and/or owner values and commitment are of significant importance. This is in line with the literature. On the other hand, aspects like difficulties with language and cultural barriers were not an issue, contrary to the current academic research on SMEs. This was said to be due to the organizations extensive implementation or use of social capital through long-lasting business relations, which is another characteristic of the SME sector identified by the literature. Existing industry initiatives and cooperation between brands can work, but external help to manage these projects is essential for their success. Available Environmental Management Systems (EMS) on the other hand are often considered too expensive, time-consuming or unknown to end-consumers to be implemented. On the contrary, harsher government regulation and enforcement, both in Sweden as well as in the production countries are advocated. This is particularly noticeable, since generally, private sector representatives tend to be against government regulations. / Mistra Future Fashion

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.

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.

Background and Problem: CSI is a topic with a limited amount of research despite it being a very relevant issue and that its counter pole CSR is one of today’s most popular subjects to study. In both areas there is a gap in the literature regarding the apparel industry where there CSI can be evident in many different aspects, especially in the production process. In the FMCG market, the demand for apparel that has been produced ethically has increased over the years. Still, the importance that the consumers place on ethical attributes in their purchase decisions is rather unknown. Purpose: The study's purpose is to investigate the young consumers’ emotions towards FMCG apparel corporations in order to see if CSI actions give them a negative attitude. It will further be explored to see if the attitude towards the corporations reflects in their intentional purchase behavior and their actual behavior. This will provide insight to the young consumers’ knowledge and interest for CSI, aiding corporations in their quest for excellence when it comes to consumer relationships. Method: This research is done through a deductive, qualitative research. A literature review is done to create a great understanding to the concepts of CSI, consumer attitudes and planned behavior. Four focus groups are conducted as a base for the empirical findings. Further, these two chapters are compared in an analysis to get an understanding about the young consumers’ attitudes towards corporations acting unethically and the affects it may have on their planned behavior. Conclusion: Based on the analysis, the study found clear evidence that the participants have a negative attitude towards corporations’ CSI activities. However, these attitudes did not, as theory suggests, have any effect on the participants’ intended and actual purchasing behavior. Instead it is shown that young consumers base their decisions on contextual factors, where the most significant one is price.

[pt] Os processos eletrônicos alteram os conceitos básicos do fazer artesanal e, portanto, o conceito de bordado também se altera. Diante dessa ruptura, surge a justificativa desse trabalho: a análise dos bordados, sejam manuais ou eletrônicos. Este trabalho busca investigar o bordado para debater as transformações ocorridas ao longo do tempo, incluindo a utilização de novas tecnologias, examinando se é coerente dizer que as máquinas eletrônicas bordam. A metodologia aplicada inclui diferentes etapas, iniciando pela checagem dos temas e dos contextos relacionados para examinar o bordado, aferindo os seus diferentes processos de produção: o trabalho manual e o sistema eletrônico. A pesquisa também tem por base uma revisão teórica dos conceitos apresentados. A discussão a respeito da evolução do artesanato no Brasil conduz o olhar para a nossa prática, ilustrando o debate com o trabalho realizado na Cooperativa de Trabalho Artesanal e de Costura da Rocinha Ltda - até recentemente reconhecida como COOPA-ROCA. A experiência aprofunda a reflexão a respeito de uma cultura metodológica relacionada ao bordado manual, elucidando o papel do consumidor. / [en] Electronic processes change the basic concepts of making crafts, and therefore the concept of embroidery also changes. Faced with this disruption, the justification of this work emerge: the analysis of the embroideries, either manual or electronic. This work seeks to investigate the embroidery to discuss the transformations that occurred over time, including the use of new technologies, examining whether it is coherent to say that the electronic machines does embroideries. The methodology was organized in different stages, starting with the checking of the topics and related contexts to examine the embroidery, assessing their different production processes: the manual work and the electronic system. The research is also based on a theoretical revision of the presented concepts. The discussion about the evolution of handicrafts in Brazil leads to a look at our practice, illustrating the debate with the work carried out at the Cooperativa de Trabalho Artesanal e de Costura da Rocinha Ltda - until lately recognized as COOPA-ROCA. The experience deepens the reflection about a methodological culture for the manual embroidery, elucidating the role of the consumer.

The main objective of this thesis is an evaluation of activities in multinational companies which lead to sustainable development. Furthermore, an analysis which aims to find out if these activities contribute to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) drawn up and approved by all member states of the United Nations in 2015. The theoretical part of the thesis introduces history starting with the industrial revolution and present situation in a globalized world. It explains specifics of apparel industry and sport apparel industry. It also presents individual SDGs, their meaning and the importance of all subjects being involved in their achieving, including private companies. The thesis evaluates how the three biggest multinational companies from sports apparel industry perceive the topic of sustainable development. These are adidas AG, NIKE, Inc. and Puma SE. In the analytical part, it evaluates their current and planned practices contributing to sustainable development, it compares them with the topics of SDGs and proposes measures that would help to successfully achieve them. The analysis shows that these three companies have already been engaging in the topic of sustainability. They take the SDGs into account but do not fully implement them in their business models yet. The company which has the most activities connected to sustainable development is adidas. Most of the activities these companies have are connected to the following goals: Responsible consumption and production, Clean water and sanitation and Partnership for the goals. There are several specific areas in the sports apparel industry that could be greatly improved. They are presented at the end of the thesis.