The purpose of the study is to map the current situation of Corporate Social Responsibility in the Estonian textile and clothing industry. As the importance of the Estonian textile and clothing industry is decreasing, CSR is becoming more important to implement as it is argued to increase competitiveness. The study investigates how CSR is perceived by the biggest textile and clothing companies in Estonia through analysing the understanding, attitudes, activities, drivers and barriers of CSR. A qualitative research strategy and multiple-case study research design was used when conducting the study. Six representatives of Estonian textile and clothing companies were interviewed using a semi-structured interview type. The data was analysed using a pattern-matching technique. In order to draw cross-case conclusions, a cross-case analysis was performed as well. The understanding of CSR is fairly extensive among the participating companies. CSR is perceived to be important for improving a company’s competitiveness and reputation. The activities that are considered most important to engage in include activities to improve the well-being of employees and contribute to the society and community. The strongest barrier to implementing CSR is its cost and lack of governmental support. The main drivers are considered to be attracting the best employees and improving the satisfaction of existing ones, improving reputation and gaining a competitive advantage.

Syfte och forskningsfråga Syftet är att undersöka vilka motiv mindre svenska e-handelsföretag inom herrkonfektion har vid internationalisering, hur de går tillväga och vilka handelshinder personer i ledningen anser försvårar internationaliseringen. 1. Hur internationaliserar sig mindre svenska e-handelsföretag inom herrkonfektion? 2. Varför internationaliserar sig mindre svenska e-handelsföretag inom herrkonfektion? 3. Vilka hinder upplever mindre svenska e-handelsföretags ledning vid internationalisering? Metod Uppsatsen är en kvalitativ branschstudie på e-handelsföretag inom herrkonfektion. Ansatsen är deduktiv med induktiva inslag. Empirin utgörs av sex semistrukturerade intervjuer med företag och två med experter inom området. Slutsatser Studien visar hur och varför e-handelsföretag inom herrkonfektion internationaliserar sig. Unga e-handelsföretag internationaliserar sig ofta stegvis från land till land, trots att teorier säger annorlunda. Slutligen visar studien på en ny typ av internationalisering där företag från början säljer globalt för att sedan minska till de attraktiva marknaderna. Nyckelord E-handel, Internationalisering, Konfektionsbranschen, Barriärer / Purpose and research question The aim of this study is to determine what objectives smaller swedish e-commerce companies within the male clothing industry have to internationalization. How does the companies act and what obstacles does the board experience obstruct internationalization?           Methodology This thesis is a qualitative study about the line of business within male clothing. The approach of the method is deductive with inductive elements. The experience-based knowledge is based on six semistructured interviews with companies and two with experts in the field. Conclustions The study shows how and why internationalization takes place for e-commerce companies within male clothing. Young companies still goes from country to contry despite that theorys often tell a different story. At last the studie shows a new type of internationalization where companies are global from the start and then decreases to the attractive markets. Keywords E-commerce, Internationalization, Male clothing industry, Barriers

The goal of this diploma is understanding and evaluation of the warehouse processes, the specification of problems and finding the best ways to deal with these drawbacks. The method used for the diploma is comparison. The theoretical part briefly focuses on the fashion logistics. The practical part then describes the distribution centre of the company Bonmarché Ltd. At first the functioning processes in all warehouse departments are specified and the problems are appointed. The second part focuses on the considered changes that would eliminate the problems. The final comparison will tell us whether these changes will solve the problems and enable the company to stay competitive on the British clothing market.

Cette thèse présente un cycle de vie de la relation de sous-traitance innovante, en étudiant la théorie néo-institutionnelle à travers le concept d'innovation partagée. En innovant, le sous-traitant augmente le différentiel d'information, de ressources et de compétences existant entre le donneur d'ordres et le sous-traitant. Le contrôle devient impossible et cède sa place à la confiance. Le sous-traitant gagne en pouvoir de négociation, sa dépendance diminue et celle du donneur d'ordres augmente jusqu'à atteindre une dépendance croisée partenariale. Au-delà du partenariat, le glissement de dépendance peut aboutir au développement du sous-traitant, qui finit par détenir les activités créatrices de valeur. Cette thèse s'intéresse à l'innovation dans le service de sous-traitance dans l'industrie textile habillement tunisienne. Sur un échantillon de 191 sous-traitants tunisiens, elle valide le rôle modérateur de l'innovation des sous-traitants sur la relation asymétrique. / This thesis presents a life cycle of innovative subcontracting relation, by studying the neo-institutional theory through the concept of open innovation. By innovating, the subcontractor increases the difference of information, resources and skills existing between the principal and the subcontractor. By becoming impossible, control is replaced by trust. The subcontractor improves his negotiation's power. His dependence decreases and that of the principal increases toward cooperative partnership. Besides partnership, dependence's slide leads to subcontractor's development, which ends up by value-creating activities. This thesis is interested in innovation on subcontracting services, in tunisian textile clothing industry. Relaying on a sample of 191 tunisian subcontractors, it validates the moderator role of subcontractor's innovation on asymmetric relation.

Nesta pesquisa, busquei entender como empresas da confecção de vestuário lidam com os resíduos resultantes do processo de produção. Para tanto, refleti sobre: o processo produtivo da confecção do vestuário em três empresas selecionadas, aqui nomeadas N, I e A; a geração de resíduos; as normativas legais que se aplicam ao gerenciamento de resíduos nas empresas de confecção; e as posições dos sujeitos que lidam cotidianamente com esse tipo de produção. Assim sendo, a hipótese que norteou a produção desta tese é a de que apesar de existir uma ampla normativa a regular o gerenciamento de resíduos e de tecnologias adequadas à produção, há procedimentos cotidianos do fazer que impedem um melhor funcionamento do processo. Como fundamentação teórica, convém compreender o que se entende por meio ambiente, desenvolvimento, desenvolvimento sustentável e moda. Além disso, com o intuído de apreender as práticas cotidianas dos sujeitos envolvidos com a produção do vestuário em relação aos resíduos, os conceitos de habitus e representação social são fundamentais. Utilizei uma metodologia de abordagem qualitativa, mais especificamente o estudo de casos múltiplos, e apliquei métodos de produção e análise de entrevista semiestruturada. A tese está estruturada conforme descrevo a seguir. No primeiro capítulo é apresentado o referencial teórico essencial à hipótese aqui formulada. Nele, explicito os conceitos empregados, assim como a metodologia utilizada para a realização da pesquisa. No segundo, abordo as normativas legais relativas ao gerenciamento de resíduos. No terceiro, apresento a especificidade do setor da confecção no município de Maringá. No quarto, contemplo o processo produtivo da confecção dentro das três empresas analisadas. No quinto, trago a análise do processo de gerenciamento de resíduos. No sexto, as percepções dos sujeitos sociais envolvidos no processo de produção. Por fim, apresento as considerações finais. Pude constatar que, de fato, ao passo que as normativas nacional e local pesam sobre o gerenciamento dos resíduos de forma a minimizar sua produção, ainda persistem formas de produzir que não só geram perdas significativas na indústria da confecção, como ainda resultam em uma destinação nem sempre correta dos resíduos gerados. Pude perceber que isso é decorrente da não assimilação das normas recomendadas nas leis nacionais e local, e que isso se explica pelo modo como os sujeitos envolvidos no processo de produção, como um todo, se apropriam dos entendimentos dessas normas e as representam em ações que mostram limites e possibilidades de atuações. Cabe considerar que as empresas estão inseridas no capitalismo e seguem as normas estabelecidas por esse sistema. Em relação às empresas estudadas, não as considero sustentáveis, mas menos impactantes ao meio ambiente, destacando a N, seguida da I e por fim a A. Também não vejo a possibilidade de se alcançar uma sociedade sustentável frente ao atual estilo de vida e a filosofia do capitalismo. / In the present research I sought to understand how businesses from the clothing industry deal with residues from the production process. To do so, I reflected on: the production process of clothing industries in the three selected companies, named here N, I and A; the residues generation; legal rulings which apply to residue management in the clothing industry; and the subject positions of those who deal daily with this king of production. Hence, the hypotheses which guided the theses is that although there is large legal ruling on residues management and proper production technologies, there are also daily procedures of doing which prevent the process from working better. As a theoretical base, it is relevant to understand what can be understood as environment, development, sustainable development and fashion. Supplementary, in order to encompass daily practices of the subjects linked with clothing production in relation to the residues, the concepts of habitus and social representation are paramount. I used a methodology of qualitative approach, namely the multiple case study, and applied production and analyses methods of semi structured interview. The thesis is structured as follows: in the first chapter the theoretical reference essential to the formulated hypothesis is presented. In it, I explain the concepts used as well as the methodology used to conduct the research. In the second, I discuss the legal ruling on residue management. In the third, I present the specificity of the clothing sector in Maringá town. In the fourth, I contemplate the production process of clothing within the three companies studied. In the fifth, I bring the analyses of the residues management process. In the sixth, the perceptions of the social subjects involved in the production process. Lastly, I present the final considerations. I could indeed verify that as there are national and local legal rulings weighing on the residues management in order to minimize its production, there still are ways in which production not only generates significant losses in the clothing industry, but also result in a not always correct destination of generated residues. I could realize that this results from subjects not assimilating the guidelines recommended in the national and local law, and that this can be explained by how subjects involved in the production process as a whole appropriate the understandings of the law and represent it in actions which show acting limitations and possibilities. It is important to consider that the companies are part of capitalism and follow the rules stablished by this system. As to the analyzed companies, I do not consider them sustainable, but with little impact on the environment, highlighting N, followed by I and A. I also do not see the possibility of reaching a sustainable society with the current lifestyle and philosophy of capitalism.

Magister Legum - LLM / The World Trade Organisation (WTO) is the only global international organisation dealing with the rules of trade between nations.1 The WTO agreements uphold certain principles; one such principle is the rule of the most-favoured-nation (MFN) obligation. This obligation requires WTO members, who grant certain favourable treatment to any given country, to grant that same favourable treatment to all other WTO members.2 However, there are several exceptions, three of which include:  actions taken against dumping (selling at an unfairly low price);  subsidies and special ‘countervailing’ duties to offset the subsidies; and  emergency measures, to limit imports temporarily - thus designed to ‘safeguard’ domestic industries. These exceptions serve as remedies both against fair - and unfair trade practices. An example of remedies against fair trade practices are safeguards, and examples of remedies against unfair trade practices are dumping and countervailing duties. Anti-dumping actions are trade remedies/mechanisms available to members of the WTO in facilitating the protection of the industries under certain circumstances. The WTO agreement, which sets out the anti-dumping remedy, is the agreement on the implementation of Article VI of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994 (GATT 1994), also known as the ‘Anti-dumping Agreement’.4 Article VI permits countries to take action against dumping and the ‘Anti-dumping Agreement’ clarifies and expands on Article VI. The two operate together. Dumping is viewed as price discrimination between the domestic and export markets and take place where the export price of a product is lower than the normal value of such product. The normal value is usually determined with reference to the domestic selling price in the exporting country. Adjustments have to be made to the normal value and export price for differences that affect prices at the time that such prices are set, including differences in terms and conditions of sale, taxations, levels of trade and quantities.

Las pequeñas y medianas empresas del sector textil y de la confección encuentran un problema de exceso de desperdicios, lo que tiene un impacto negativo en la rentabilidad de estas empresas. Por ello, se realiza un análisis de diagnóstico en una pequeña empresa utilizando el diagrama de Ishikawa con la finalidad de identificar las causas raíz y medirlas mediante indicadores. En base a estos resultados, se propone un modelo de gestión de cambios, que consiste en la implementación de herramientas de Lean Manufacturing, componentes del sistema de producción durante la aplicación piloto de 30 días. Luego, cada indicador se vuelve a evaluar para verificar la viabilidad de la propuesta Umbrella Model. Los resultados muestran que este modelo redujo la cantidad de residuos en un 81,21%. / Excess waste problem is encountered by small and medium-sized companies in the textile and clothing sector, which has a negative impact on the profitability of these companies. Herein, a diagnosis analysis is performed in a small company using the Ishikawa diagram to identify the root causes and they are measured using indicators. Based on these results, a change management model is proposed, which supports the implementation of lean manufacturing tools and production system components during the 30-day pilot application. Then, each indicator is reassessed to verify the feasibility of the proposed umbrella model. Results show that this model reduced the amount of waste by 81.21%. / Tesis

Background: Reshoring is a growing phenomenon that refers to a company’s decision to move production back from a previously offshored location. There are many drivers and barriers to such decisions that display an increased complexity for managers. It gets even more challenging in a world with high levels of uncertainty shown in the past decade.    Purpose:  This study aims to investigate the drivers and barriers of reshoring and how managers perceive the risk of disruptive events as a driver of reshoring.    Method: This study uses a qualitative method and deductive approach, where empirical evidence was collected through semi-structured interviews with eight managers at clothing companies.   Conclusion: The findings of this study confirm several already established drivers and barriers to reshoring in the particular context of the clothing industry. Furthermore, the study shows that managers perceive an increased willingness to reshore as a response to disruptive events. This was to a large extent due to long lead times and higher coordination costs. Managers can use the findings as support in making decisions of where to locate their production.

There is an increased public pressure on clothing brands to consider environmental and social issues when sourcing from suppliers in developing countries, and to ensure that their supply chain partners do the same. However, social, and environmental issues within the clothing industry are complex with many actors involved. Avoidance of compliance with social and environmental requirements are not uncommon and contributes to the continuing exploitation of humans and environment in the country of production, thus hindering the possibility of social change. This study investigates the perceived challenges with sustainability initiatives in supply chains within the global clothing industry and takes on a qualitative research approach with an interpretive basis. This study investigates the barriers to achieve social and environmental compliance through a content analysis of four global clothing brands supply chain governance strategies, and by interviews with two NGOs. The empirical findings shows that suppliers face increase compliance requirements with additional costs on their side, but with no financial support from clothing brands. Consequently, the perceived injustice between input costs and gains contribute to that suppliers avoid compliance to balance their additional costs.

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