The implications of introducing shift work and flexible working hours into the UK clothing industry were examined, with special reference to the effects on personnel, plant utilisation and garment costs. A total of 37 garment manufacturing establishments, within 17 companies, were visited; 91 managers (for production and economic data)and 1018 supervisors and operatives, 87% female and 13% male, (for social data) were consulted. The main points arising from the survey are:- 1 . Social (i) The average age and length of service of respondents were respectively 30.4 and 7.1 for women and 40 and 13.9 for men. Nearly three fifths were married and over half of the women had children, most of them at school or pre-school stage. (ii) Over four fifths were committed to some kind of housework; 3 to 5 hours between 17.00 and 24.00 hours were usually spent on this task but about 9% spent more than 5 hours on it. (iii) Over half would be very much bothered by the inability to carry on their individual and/or group social activities. About two thirds would also be concerned by a change in the period of and time for sleep and meal times. Nearly two fifths used public transport for the journey to work. (iv) Only 15% had worked on multiple shifts previous to their present employment and 16% left their previous job because of being on shifts or unsuitable hours. About one fifth worked currently part-time and only 13% wanted to change their existing working system so that they might gain extra convenience and leisure in their working life. (v) The unsolicited personal choice of working systems were mainly shifts (13%), flexible working hours (14%) and part-time day work (30%); working only in school hours appeared to attract the choice of about 40% of the women. (vi) From the points above, it seemed that a high proportion of married female workers, mostly with dependent children and committed to housework, would probably react against shift work. The availability of part-time work together with the normal day work habit acquired would also affect the employees' attitudes towards the acceptance of even flexible working hours. 2. Production (i) The main problems involved with introducing shift work were considered to be sharing of equipment, bonus and piece rate payment and responsibility for quality failures. Dislike of sharing machines by operatives was considered to be a severe problem in sewing section and the extent of this dislike seemed higher in traditional rather than non traditional clothing areas; the operatives' age and length of service appeared to affect their attitudes. The smaller the period of time for each job then the less the problem of sharing payment and responsibility could become. (ii) Introduction of flexible working hours could create the difficulties of shortage and/or excess of supply of work within the production flow with interdependent operations; the extent of the problem could vary with the amount of work in progress and the period of time spent by each operative on the garment and/or its parts. Economic (i) Garment cost elements are material, labour, variable and fixed overheads (survey averages 50.6%, 24.9%, 8% and 16.5%), of which labour and variable overheads would be affected by introducing multiple shifts and only fixed overheads by flexible working hours. There should be a decrease in variable overheads per garment because of sharing a fixed amount of cost between shifts, an increase in labour cost due to shift premium and an increase in fixed overheads because of longer opening hours of the plant on flexible working hours. (ii) The capital employed on plant and machinery, C, could often be divided by the number of shifts so that this could help to increase profitability by a factor of 2 or 3. (iii) General formulae were established, using the most relevant variables, for calculating the profitability and profitability ratios of different working schemes. Generally, if the number of shifts are increased then the profitability of the plant could be very greatly increased. This was well illustrated from the calculated profitability ratios of about 2 and 3 respectively, when industrial survey values were used, for 2 and 3 shift systems replacing a single shift system. Profitability of flexible working hours would, theoretically, be less than that of single shift, but there might be some economic gains, such as reduced rates of labour turnover and absenteeism (which are currently high in the garment industry), arising from the introduction of flexible working hours.

No description available.

The companies have sought ever more efficient ways to organize to achieve their goals and, therefore, the search for a productive system that presents a good performance is one of important factors for the company to reach a stage really different efficiency. From this point of view, the main objective of this study is to develop a system for identifying production losses of small businesses in the garment sector Cianorte-Paraná, Brazil. Thus, from a survey of data from the factory floor, is intended to apply some tools of the Toyota Production System (STP) to suggest possible ways to eliminate waste and waste in the production process. Methodologically the research can be characterized as qualitative, quantitative and exploratory. For data collection visits were made to the company, where it was possible to maintain an informal dialogue with both the Production Engineer and with the staff directly involved with the production process and direct observation of the reality of the organization. The results show that the STP tools, mapping the value stream, identifies losses along the production process of the company, and, most importantly, the possibility of the production manager from this tool eliminate losses, tracing a new mapping, called future state, which relate opportunities for improvements in the production process, synchronized steps and leaving no gaps between them. / As empresas têm buscado maneiras cada vez mais eficientes de se organizar para alcançar suas metas e, para tanto, a busca por um sistema produtivo que apresente um bom desempenho é um dos fatores importantes para que a empresa atinja um estágio realmente diferenciado de eficiência. Sob este ponto de vista, o objetivo principal deste estudo é desenvolver uma sistemática que permita identificar as perdas de produção de empresas de pequeno porte do setor de confecções de Cianorte-Paraná, Brasil. Assim, a partir do levantamento de dados junto ao chão da fábrica, pretende-se aplicar algumas ferramentas do Sistema Toyota de Produção (STP) para sugerir possíveis caminhos para eliminar perdas e desperdícios no processo produtivo. Metodologicamente a pesquisa pode ser caracterizada como qualitativa, quantitativa e exploratória. Para a coleta de dados foram realizadas visitas à empresa, onde foi possível manter um diálogo informal tanto com o Engenheiro de Produção quanto com os funcionários diretamente envolvidos com o processo produtivo e observação direta da realidade da organização. Os resultados apresentados mostram que as ferramentas do STP, o mapeamento do fluxo de valor, permite identificar as perdas ao longo do processo produtivo da empresa, e, o mais importante, a possibilidade do gerente de produção a partir desta ferramenta eliminar as perdas, traçando um novo mapeamento, denominado estado futuro, onde se relacionam as oportunidades de melhorias no processo produtivo, sincronizados as etapas e não deixando folgas entre elas.

Orientador: Helen Babosa Rais Engler / Banca: Maria Lúcia Martinelli / Banca: Maurílio Castro de Matos / Banca: Mário José Filho / Banca: Ana Cristina Nassif Soares / Resumo: O presente estudo consistiu em trazer para a pauta de discussão do Serviço Social algumas reflexões sobre as condições de vida, de trabalho, assim como as estratégias de sobrevivência das trabalhadoras da confecção do município de Divinópolis, localizado na região centro oeste do Estado de Minas Gerais. Tal município tem grande destaque econômico no contexto regional devido ao setor metalúrgico e à produção do vestuário. Vale ressaltar que neste lócus o ramo confeccionista emprega em maior proporção o segmento feminino da população em detrimento de uma maior incorporação masculina na metalurgia. Com base nessa realidade, este percurso investigativo priorizou o universo da confecção com vistas a compreender as experiências e o cotidiano das mulheres que atuam como costureiras tanto no espaço fabril quanto no trabalho domiciliar, em um quadro de precarização das relações de trabalho, o que contribuiu para o agravamento da questão social. Para a compreensão dessa dinâmica societária, foi necessária uma análise sobre as assimetrias presentes nas relações de gênero e as profundas alterações ocorridas nos últimos decênios no mundo do trabalho frente à adoção da reestruturação produtiva, que trouxe implicações para as condições de vida dos trabalhadores. Nesse quadro, cabe mencionar que as mulheres ingressaram de forma massiva no mundo do trabalho, no momento em que se verifica o desmonte dos direitos trabalhistas, crescimento do desemprego, degradação das condições de trabalho e intensificação de atividades marcadas pela informalidade, diante das prerrogativas da acumulação flexível. Tal situação que ordena o mundo do trabalho na sociedade atual, caracterizada pela reestruturação produtiva, também passou a ser implementada no município de Divinópolis, em especial na indústria da confecção, universo desta pesquisa... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: The present study brought to the agenda of discussion of the Social Work some reflections on living conditions, work, and the survival strategies of working clothing in the city of Divinópolis, located in the central west of Minas Gerais. This city has great economic prominence in the regional context due to the metallurgical sector and the production of clothing. It is noteworthy that in this locus, the clothing branch employs a greater proportion of the female segment of the population at the expense of a greater incorporation male in metallurgy. Given this reality, this researching prioritized the world of the confection in order to understand the experiences and daily life of women who work as seamstresses as both work in the factory space and at home in a context of precarious employment relationships, which contributed to the aggravation of social problems. For a better comprehension of this societal dynamics, it was required an analysis of the present asymmetries in gender relations and the profound changes in recent decades in the working world before the adoption of the restructuring process, which has implications for the living conditions of workers. In this context, it is worth mentioning that women entered massively in the workplace, at a time that it saw the dismantling of labor rights, increased unemployment, deterioration of working conditions and intensification of activities marked by informality, given the prerogatives of flexible accumulation. This situation ordering the world of work in modern society characterized by productive restructuring also became to be implemented in the city of Divinópolis, particularly in the clothing industry, the locus of this research. As a competitive strategy, manufacturing industries have joined the precepts of the capital and intensified forms of outsourced work, which reflected significantly in the lives of workers in this area... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Doutor

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:35:15Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2010-11-30Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T19:24:44Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 guiraldelli_r_dr_fran.pdf: 908631 bytes, checksum: 7528a67916c8e968e8c4e4c8099bf423 (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / O presente estudo consistiu em trazer para a pauta de discussão do Serviço Social algumas reflexões sobre as condições de vida, de trabalho, assim como as estratégias de sobrevivência das trabalhadoras da confecção do município de Divinópolis, localizado na região centro oeste do Estado de Minas Gerais. Tal município tem grande destaque econômico no contexto regional devido ao setor metalúrgico e à produção do vestuário. Vale ressaltar que neste lócus o ramo confeccionista emprega em maior proporção o segmento feminino da população em detrimento de uma maior incorporação masculina na metalurgia. Com base nessa realidade, este percurso investigativo priorizou o universo da confecção com vistas a compreender as experiências e o cotidiano das mulheres que atuam como costureiras tanto no espaço fabril quanto no trabalho domiciliar, em um quadro de precarização das relações de trabalho, o que contribuiu para o agravamento da questão social. Para a compreensão dessa dinâmica societária, foi necessária uma análise sobre as assimetrias presentes nas relações de gênero e as profundas alterações ocorridas nos últimos decênios no mundo do trabalho frente à adoção da reestruturação produtiva, que trouxe implicações para as condições de vida dos trabalhadores. Nesse quadro, cabe mencionar que as mulheres ingressaram de forma massiva no mundo do trabalho, no momento em que se verifica o desmonte dos direitos trabalhistas, crescimento do desemprego, degradação das condições de trabalho e intensificação de atividades marcadas pela informalidade, diante das prerrogativas da acumulação flexível. Tal situação que ordena o mundo do trabalho na sociedade atual, caracterizada pela reestruturação produtiva, também passou a ser implementada no município de Divinópolis, em especial na indústria da confecção, universo desta pesquisa... / The present study brought to the agenda of discussion of the Social Work some reflections on living conditions, work, and the survival strategies of working clothing in the city of Divinópolis, located in the central west of Minas Gerais. This city has great economic prominence in the regional context due to the metallurgical sector and the production of clothing. It is noteworthy that in this locus, the clothing branch employs a greater proportion of the female segment of the population at the expense of a greater incorporation male in metallurgy. Given this reality, this researching prioritized the world of the confection in order to understand the experiences and daily life of women who work as seamstresses as both work in the factory space and at home in a context of precarious employment relationships, which contributed to the aggravation of social problems. For a better comprehension of this societal dynamics, it was required an analysis of the present asymmetries in gender relations and the profound changes in recent decades in the working world before the adoption of the restructuring process, which has implications for the living conditions of workers. In this context, it is worth mentioning that women entered massively in the workplace, at a time that it saw the dismantling of labor rights, increased unemployment, deterioration of working conditions and intensification of activities marked by informality, given the prerogatives of flexible accumulation. This situation ordering the world of work in modern society characterized by productive restructuring also became to be implemented in the city of Divinópolis, particularly in the clothing industry, the locus of this research. As a competitive strategy, manufacturing industries have joined the precepts of the capital and intensified forms of outsourced work, which reflected significantly in the lives of workers in this area... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)

As empresas têxteis e de confecção cada vez mais vem perdendo competitividade nos mercados interno e externo. Elas se encontram em um hiato no mercado global, onde não conseguem competir com os preços praticados pelos países asiáticos nos produtos de menor valor agregado e, dentre os artigos de alto valor agregado, concorrem pelos mesmos mercados com grandes marcas europeias e norte-americanas já consolidadas internacionalmente. Diante deste cenário, considera-se a participação no mercado internacional uma relevante alternativa para a sobrevivência de empresas que enfrentam a competição global, pois competir por mercados mais exigentes capacita as empresas a oferecerem melhores produtos e eleva o nível de inteligência empresarial, ou seja, um ambiente desafiador, característico de um mercado global, contribui para a evolução das empresas. Numa economia globalizada caracterizada pela alta competitividade, qualidade dos produtos e concorrência acirrada, cada vez mais o êxito empresarial depende da capacidade da empresa inovar, principalmente, tecnologicamente, lançando novos produtos no mercado, a um preço menor, com uma qualidade melhor e a uma velocidade maior do que seus concorrentes. A fim de avaliar o quanto as empresas estão preparadas para enfrentarem esta competição e se inserirem cada vez mais no mercado internacional, esta dissertação procurou identificar os fatores formadores de valor presentes nas empresas brasileiras produtoras de têxteis e confeccionados que impactam nos seus desempenhos em inovação para, então, analisar como tal desempenho pode influenciar na competitividade internacional, identificando possíveis gargalos e entraves. Para a obtenção dos resultados foi realizada uma pesquisa de avaliação (survey) com uma amostra de 63 empresas dos segmentos têxteis e de confecção participantes do Programa Texbrasil da Abit, exportadoras e não exportadoras. Para a coleta dos dados, foi elaborado um instrumento de - 7 - pesquisa (questionário estruturado) com base na literatura sobre o tema. Para complementar o trabalho, foi realizada uma etapa qualitativa, a partir de entrevistas semi-estruturadas com especialistas do setor. Os resultados indicam que o desenvolvimento de inovações tem relação positiva com o desempenho da amostra estudada no mercado internacional. As empresas exportadoras estão mais estruturadas em relação à presença de fatores facilitadores para o desenvolvimento de inovações, quando comparadas às empresas não exportadoras. Os testes de regressão linear demonstraram que os aspectos relacionados ao porte das empresas, definição e compartilhamento da estratégia, estabelecimento de parcerias e o lançamento de produtos inovadores são fatores que vem impactando positivamente na participação dessas empresas no mercado internacional. Contudo, elas ainda apresentam práticas incipientes com relação à estrutura de gestão para uma estratégia competitiva baseada em inovações. A baixa qualificação da mão de obra; o pouco conhecimento e uso de regras de propriedade intelectual; a ausência de recursos físicos e financeiros; a baixa atividade de P, D & I, e o pouco conhecimento e uso dos recursos públicos destinados ao apoio a inovação, são considerados entraves para o desenvolvimento de inovações nas empresas estudadas, tanto exportadoras, como não exportadoras, sendo este cenário mais evidenciado nas empresas de menor porte e pertencentes ao elo de confecção. / Brazilian textile and apparel companies are losing more and more competitiveness in domestic and foreign markets. They are on a hiatus in the global market, where they are unable to compete with the prices practiced by Asian countries on lower added value products and, among higher added value items, they are competing for the same markets with major European and North American brands that are already established internationally. In the face of this scenario, participation in the international market is considered to be a relevant alternative for the survival of companies that are facing global competition, since competing for more demanding markets enables companies to offer better products and raise the bar on corporate intelligence; in other words, the challenging environment that is characteristic of a global market contributes to corporate growth. In a globalized economy characterized by high competitiveness, product quality and heated competition, corporate success increasingly depends on a company\'s ability to innovate, especially in technological terms, launching new products in the market faster than its competitors can, at a lower price and with better quality. In order to assess how prepared companies are to take on this competition and mover further and further into the international market, this dissertation sought to identify the value-forming factors found at Brazilian textile and apparel production companies that impact their performance in innovation. Next, an analysis was performed of how this performance could influence international competitiveness, identifying possible bottlenecks and barriers. To obtain results, a survey was applied using a sample of 63 exporting and nonexporting companies in the textile and apparel industries that are members of Abit\'s Texbrasil Program. To collect data, a survey instrument (structured questionnaire) was created based on literature on this topic. To add to this work, a qualitative stage was carried out, based on semi-structured interviews with industry specialists. - 9 - The results indicate that the development of innovations is positively related to the performance in the international market of the sample studied. The exporting companies are more structured in relation to the presence of factors that facilitate development of innovation, as compared to non-exporting companies. Linear regression tests show that aspects related to company size, definition and sharing of strategy, establishment of partnerships, and the launch of innovative products are factors that have had a positive impact on the participation of these companies in the international market. Nevertheless, their practices are still incipient insofar as the management structure is concerned for a competitive strategy based on innovations. The labor force\'s low qualifications; little knowledge and use of intellectual property rules; a lack of physical and financial resources; low R, D & I activities; and little knowledge and use of public resources earmarked for support of innovation are considered to be obstacles to development of innovations at the companies studied, both for exporters and non-exporters, with this scenario being more evident at smaller companies that are part of the apparel chain.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:24:12Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2005-04-04Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T18:51:53Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 goncalves_mt_me_prud.pdf: 1380876 bytes, checksum: 0a3fa622054596c588b272b582c3aaae (MD5) / Realizamos neste trabalho um estudo centrado na análise do desenvolvimento da indústria do ramo de confecções de Cianorte, PR, tomando-o como elemento indutor da produção e articulação entre as escalas geográficas. Cianorte caracteriza-se por apresentar um forte processo de industrialização pautado no ramo de confecções, sobretudo a partir de meados da década de 1980, como saída para enfrentar a crise econômica de uma economia agrícola que predominava até então. Compreender como se deu esse processo de transformação funcional em Cianorte constitui uma das questões motivadoras deste trabalho. Neste sentido, analisamos o processo de transformação da organização industrial da área a ser pesquisada, resgatando como se deu sua inserção no sistema de acumulação flexível, além de discutir o processo de criação e articulação entre as escalas geográficas, tomando a indústria de confecções de Cianorte como elemento de articulação entre o espaço local e o global. As transformações no espaço urbano de Cianorte que se vinculam a este processo recente de especialização industrial no ramo de confecções também constitui foco de análises neste trabalho. Partindo da idéia de síntese de múltiplas escalas, procuramos valorizar o papel exercido pelas relações sociais de cooperação/competição entre os atores privilegiados naquela realidade local, a fim de verificar as implicações que vinculam a indústria de confecções como processo econômico e suas conseqüências espaciais em Cianorte. Neste caso, a criação do slogan Cianorte: Capital do Vestuário,.... / We carried out in this work a study focused on the analysis of the clothing industry development in Cianorte, PR, taking it as an inductor of production and articulation among geographic scales. Cianorte has a strong industrialisation process based on the clothing field, especially since the 1980s, as a way to face the economic crises of an agricultural economy which was predominant in that time. To understand how this functional transformation process happened in Cianorte is one of the questions that motivated the development of this work. Therefore, we analysed the transformation process of the industrial organisation in the area to be researched, bringing back how its insertion in the system of flexible accumulation happened, besides discussing the creation and articulation process among the geographic scales, taking the clothing industry of Cianorte as an element of articulation between the local and the global space. The transformations in the urban space of Cianorte which have been linked to this recent process of industrial specialisation in the clothing field is also a focus for analysis in this work. From the idea of synthesis of multiple scales, we try to value the role taken by the social relations of cooperation/ competition among the privileged actors in that local reality, so as to check the implications that link the clothing industry as an economic process and its spatial consequences in Cianorte. In this case, the creation of the slogan Cianorte: capital of clothing, of Expovest and wholesale shopping centres, has to be taken as a result of a struggle of interests...(Complete abstract, click electronic address below).

Thesis (MTech (Business Administration))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2007 / An assessment undertaken by the Clothing and Textile Centre in the Western Cape (Clotex) during 2002 revealed that there was a great need for quality in the clothing sector. Furthermore, the research undertaken by the Department of Science and Technology (2004) supports and recommends the development of simple, paper-based systems for implementation and measurement for quality and production systems. An analysis of the macro- and micro-environmental factors confronting the clothing industry revealed that substantial pressure was placed on the clothing industry due to unfavourable exchange rates, increased pricing and illegal imports. The result has been a decline in sales, profits and exports, which has lead to the closure of many clothing companies in the Western Cape during the period 2003 to present. Furthermore, this has resulted in the increase of SMME companies that have been established due to the increase in unemployment. A combination of qualitative and quantitative research techniques was applied during this study, namely focus-group sessions and survey questionnaires. Six focus-group sessions were held with participants from the retail sector, large manufacturers and small manufacturers with the purpose to establish the quality needs in the clothing industry and the type of quality systems utilised. The outcome of the focus group was the development of a questionnaire, using both a combination of scale response questions as well as dichotomous questions. As a result a research survey was conducted amongst the small manufacturing companies in the Western Cape who conform to the provisions contained in the National Business Act, 1996 (Act 102 of 1996). The research revealed that all the respondents had implemented quality control systems. Quality control systems are viewed as preventative systems in ensuring that goods not conforming to customer specifications are prevented from reaching the customer. The research analysis further revealed that communication between buyer and seller was an integral part of the success of the business. The research provides small-business with a framework, which will facilitate the evaluation of the current quality practices with the view to improving or implementing an effective quality assurance system.

Thesis (MTech (Quality)) -- Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2010 / Since 1996, the South African clothing and textile industries have been under tremendous pressure to improve the competitiveness of the industry. Various attempts to save the industry have been considered by both industry and Government. The attempts included the introduction of quotas with the aim to limit imports, the formulation of clusters, and improving the value chain between the clothing manufacture textile companies and the clothing retail companies. More specific, focus was leveled at the improvement of the industry’s productivity and quality management systems. In spite of these efforts, sectors of the South African clothing and textile industries are closing down. Although the clothing and textile industries are experiencing a decline in large companies, there has been a steady increase in the number of emerging Small Medium Enterprises (SME’s) commonly referred to as CMT’s (Cut Make and Trims) within the context of the clothing industry. The research question which was researched within the ambit of this dissertation read as follows: What actions are required for Total Quality Management (TQM) to be successful implemented within South African clothing manufacturing SME’s?” The objective of this research was to determine what challenges are facing South African clothing manufacturing SME’s, and the reasons for the lack of successful implementation of TQM systems within the South African clothing manufacturing SME’s. Furthermore, to determine if there is a relationship between the planning behavior of SME’s and lack of TQM implementation and to what extent the accreditation process impact upon TQM implementations within SME’s. The survey conducted within SME’s provided positive feedback with respect to quality processes being followed. In spite of this the following challenges were identified: The lack of employee involvement in decision-making, miscommunication between management and employees, and the dissatisfaction of employees.

I directed my project at strategic development in textile industry. I worked the project at an example of the company Prima Moda, s. r. o., which has headquarters in Cesky Krumlov. The textile industry can not compete with other branches. Although nowadays the textile industry has automated production already, people have to work by hands. There are high wage cost. It caused, that in developed states the companies canceled production and they transferred it to Eastern Europe.