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The clothing and textile industry has a significant impact on the world economy and has secured itself as one of the six most important industries in South Africa. This industry faces many challenges and over the years has been branded by economical changes, company closure, extensive job losses, low productivity, lack of investment in machinery, intensive competition from low-priced imports, trends toward outsourcing and growth in the informal sector (Pride&Ferrell, 1993:34). All of these factors had a direct impact on the South African clothing industry’s overall output. This study’s focus is primarily on the South African clothing production industry that has, despite its prominence in the country’s economy, shown considerable decline in the last decade. For South African clothing production to survive, it is important to connect to global value chains and to increase exports. To do this, clothing manufacturers and operational managers have to improve operational productivity and overall plant performance. Although companies are unable to control external and environmental factors, they can adjust internal factors within the company. Therefore this study explores the utilisation of a company’s resources in relation to their productivity. In this study the aim was to explore and describe the interactive contribution of resources (human, operational and physical) with regard to the operation and outputs of a South African clothing production system from a management’s and employees’ perspectives to formulate recommendations whereby the clothing industry could become more competitive in the current cut-throat environment. A clothing production company can be viewed as a social system with constant interaction with the environment. It does not operate in a vacuum and consists of a collection of interrelated parts of various subsystems (Spears&Gregoire 2004:24). The systems theory was adapted as a theoretical framework for this study, as it provides a basis for understanding how the various interactive resources are interrelated to the clothing production system and contribute to the overall outputs thereof (Spears&Gregoire, 2004:24). A case study research design was followed, which permitted a more flexible and multi-perspective approach to understand the phenomena under study (Maree, 2007:5). A combination of qualitative and quantitative data collection techniques was used with relevant data analysis procedures. The unit of analysis was a clothing production company in the Bronkhorstspruit area in Gauteng. The operational management, line supervisors as well sewing machine and cutting room operators participated in the study. Purposive sampling was used to select the case, and the individuals within the case study (Babbie&Mouton, 2003:166). Individual interviews were held with the operational management. From the focus group interviews, with the line supervisors, a questionnaire was developed. The sewing machine and cutting room operators participated in the completion of the questionnaire. Qualitative data analysis was done on the interviews and focus group interviews according to Miles and Huberman’s (1994:10) data analysis process. Overall 137 questionnaires were completed and was thereafter analysed by a statistician. Findings indicated that the internal resources in this factory were interrelated. Thus the optimisation of each resource individually contributed to a more efficient overall production output. Human resources were the core and heartbeat of any production company. Employees’ needed, employees’ satisfaction, training, and communication and feedback were crucial for optimal outputs. Resources that had a direct relation to human resources were performance appraisal, motivation, training and ergonomics. Optimum training was facilitated by motivating workers. Performance appraisal was directly influenced by training as management trained employees through a performance appraisal system. When the trained employees knew how to operate their equipment effectively it contributed to ergonomic posture and the optimum usage of equipment. Thus all four of these resources were closely interrelated on all levels. Operational and physical resources (technology, production planning, material handling and production system used) were all related to ergonomics and indirectly related to the other human resources mentioned. Quality control was incorporated into all the resources within the company and played a role within the use of every one of the above-mentioned resources. Human resources implemented quality control in their work on hand, which was facilitated by technology, production planning, material handling and the production system used. An investigation of a single resource would therefore not have reflected a true scenario in terms of strengths and shortcomings that could be attended to, to improve the outputs of a clothing production system. This study revealed the pertinence of all of the resources in terms of the success of a clothing production system but clearly indicated that failure to control one resource could jeopardise the entire system unless other resources are able to compensate for such shortcomings. In this particular study the potential role of human resources in terms of the success of a clothing production system was confirmed. Although not conducive in the long term, when properly trained and well-treated, employees could be motivated to overcome frustrations caused by poor working conditions created by poor ergonomic features and dated machinery. The hierarchy of resources and the interactive contribution of resources towards the output of the system should therefore be understood and acknowledged by management in order to succeed and to survive in a cut throat industry. / Dissertation (MConsumer Science)--University of Pretoria, 2011. / Consumer Science / unrestricted

Este estudo analisa a formalização dos empreendimentos industriais de confecção na cidade de Caruaru. A região do Polo de Confecções do Agreste Pernambucano é composta por diversos municípios, entre eles Caruaru, com uma significativa produção de artigos de vestuário. Esse aglomerado produtivo começou a se formar ainda na década de 1950 e, desde a origem, a maior parte das atividades é desenvolvida de maneira informal. Contudo, a partir de 1990 o aglomerado vem passando por processos crescentes de modernização, industrialização e uma imbricação cada vez maior com a dinâmica capitalista, atraindo a ação do Estado e do capital. Uma das principais transformações é a regularização fiscal das unidades produtivas. Frente a esta realidade nossa problemática se volta para o processo de formalização da indústria: oficinas, que iniciaram suas atividades predominantemente em domicílios, com mão de obra familiar e informal, e se tornaram fábricas de confecção. O problema de pesquisa parte do pressuposto de que a informalidade histórica e dominante, tanto das unidades produtivas como das relações de trabalho, está sendo reconfigurada pelo processo de formalização. A análise mobiliza a discussão conceitual sobre informalidade, flexibilização e precariedade. Sendo a flexibilização do processo produtivo e das relações de trabalho uma condição do capitalismo flexível, sendo o trabalho familiar, informal e precário uma característica histórica e constitutiva desta região, existindo o crescente movimento de imbricação com a dinâmica capitalista de cujos processos de formalização são uma expressão, perguntamos: qual o significado da formalização? A partir da formalização dos empreendimentos, o que está se constituindo como (novo) padrão em termos de relações de trabalho? O debate teórico central gravita em torno do conceito de processos de informalização, de Maria Cristina Cacciamali (2000, 2011), que servem de terreno para a discussão acerca da nova informalidade, a qual tem sido desenvolvida, principalmente, por Angela Maria Carneiro Araújo (2011), Maria da Graça Druck (2011a) e Roberto Véras de Oliveira (2011 a/b). A base metodológica está composta por entrevistas semiestruturadas, observação dos locais de produção e comercialização e coleta de dados em fontes secundárias. A partir da análise do processo de formalização dos empreendimentos industriais, acompanhada da retomada das transformações por que tem passado este aglomerado produtivo, concluímos que está se consolidando um padrão de formalização: a formalização institucional que engendra relações de trabalho informais. Nesse sentido, a informalidade tem sido capaz de se preservar, reproduzir, e, sobretudo, ser ressignificada pela ação dos empresários e por meio dos novos métodos de gestão empresarial, tais como os processos de terceirização e subcontratação da produção que, no contexto do Polo, encontram uma atmosfera favorável e fértil, devido à “naturalização” do trabalho informal. / This study analyzes the formalization of manufacturing industrial enterprises in the city of Caruaru. The region of Agreste Pernambucanoé's Clothing Complex is composed of several municipalities, including Caruaru, with a significant production of clothing articles. This productive cluster was formed during the 1950s, and its activities have been developing informally from the outset. However, since 1990, it has been undergoing increasing processes of modernization, industrialization and a growing overlap with the capitalist dynamic, attracting the action of the state and of the capital. One of the main changes is the tax regularization of productive plants. Considering this reality, we observe the industry formalization process: workshops which began operations predominantly in households with family and informal labor force and became confection factories. The research problem considers that historical and dominant informality, both of production units as of labor relations, is being reconfigured by the formalization process. The analysis mobilizes the conceptual discussion of informality, flexibility and precariousness. Considering that the flexibility of the production process and working relations has a current flexible capitalism paradigm, that the familiar, informal and precarious labor force is a historical and constitutional status of this region and that there is a growing movement of overlap with the capitalist dynamics whose formalization processes are an expression, we ask: what is the meaning of formalization? From the formalization of enterprises, that is constituted as (new) standard in terms of labor relations? The central theoretical debate revolves around the concept of informal processes, by Maria Cristina Cacciamali (2000, 2011), which serve as ground for the discussion of new informality, which has been developed mainly by Angela Maria Carneiro Araújo (2011), Maria da Graça Druck (2011a) and Roberto Véras de Oliveira (2011/b). The methodological base is composed of semi-structured interviews, observation of production and dealing sites and data collection on secondary sources. From the analysis of the process of industrial enterprises formalization and with the resumption of transformations that this production cluster has passed through, we considerer that a pattern of formalization is consolidating: institutional formalization that engenders informal labor relations. In this sense, informality has been able to preserve, reproduce, and, above all, be re-signified by the action of entrepreneurs and through new methods of business management, such as business process outsourcing and subcontracting production in the context of the Complex, and it also finds a favorable and fertile atmosphere due to the "naturalization" of informal work.

Este estudo analisa a formalização dos empreendimentos industriais de confecção na cidade de Caruaru. A região do Polo de Confecções do Agreste Pernambucano é composta por diversos municípios, entre eles Caruaru, com uma significativa produção de artigos de vestuário. Esse aglomerado produtivo começou a se formar ainda na década de 1950 e, desde a origem, a maior parte das atividades é desenvolvida de maneira informal. Contudo, a partir de 1990 o aglomerado vem passando por processos crescentes de modernização, industrialização e uma imbricação cada vez maior com a dinâmica capitalista, atraindo a ação do Estado e do capital. Uma das principais transformações é a regularização fiscal das unidades produtivas. Frente a esta realidade nossa problemática se volta para o processo de formalização da indústria: oficinas, que iniciaram suas atividades predominantemente em domicílios, com mão de obra familiar e informal, e se tornaram fábricas de confecção. O problema de pesquisa parte do pressuposto de que a informalidade histórica e dominante, tanto das unidades produtivas como das relações de trabalho, está sendo reconfigurada pelo processo de formalização. A análise mobiliza a discussão conceitual sobre informalidade, flexibilização e precariedade. Sendo a flexibilização do processo produtivo e das relações de trabalho uma condição do capitalismo flexível, sendo o trabalho familiar, informal e precário uma característica histórica e constitutiva desta região, existindo o crescente movimento de imbricação com a dinâmica capitalista de cujos processos de formalização são uma expressão, perguntamos: qual o significado da formalização? A partir da formalização dos empreendimentos, o que está se constituindo como (novo) padrão em termos de relações de trabalho? O debate teórico central gravita em torno do conceito de processos de informalização, de Maria Cristina Cacciamali (2000, 2011), que servem de terreno para a discussão acerca da nova informalidade, a qual tem sido desenvolvida, principalmente, por Angela Maria Carneiro Araújo (2011), Maria da Graça Druck (2011a) e Roberto Véras de Oliveira (2011 a/b). A base metodológica está composta por entrevistas semiestruturadas, observação dos locais de produção e comercialização e coleta de dados em fontes secundárias. A partir da análise do processo de formalização dos empreendimentos industriais, acompanhada da retomada das transformações por que tem passado este aglomerado produtivo, concluímos que está se consolidando um padrão de formalização: a formalização institucional que engendra relações de trabalho informais. Nesse sentido, a informalidade tem sido capaz de se preservar, reproduzir, e, sobretudo, ser ressignificada pela ação dos empresários e por meio dos novos métodos de gestão empresarial, tais como os processos de terceirização e subcontratação da produção que, no contexto do Polo, encontram uma atmosfera favorável e fértil, devido à “naturalização” do trabalho informal. / This study analyzes the formalization of manufacturing industrial enterprises in the city of Caruaru. The region of Agreste Pernambucanoé's Clothing Complex is composed of several municipalities, including Caruaru, with a significant production of clothing articles. This productive cluster was formed during the 1950s, and its activities have been developing informally from the outset. However, since 1990, it has been undergoing increasing processes of modernization, industrialization and a growing overlap with the capitalist dynamic, attracting the action of the state and of the capital. One of the main changes is the tax regularization of productive plants. Considering this reality, we observe the industry formalization process: workshops which began operations predominantly in households with family and informal labor force and became confection factories. The research problem considers that historical and dominant informality, both of production units as of labor relations, is being reconfigured by the formalization process. The analysis mobilizes the conceptual discussion of informality, flexibility and precariousness. Considering that the flexibility of the production process and working relations has a current flexible capitalism paradigm, that the familiar, informal and precarious labor force is a historical and constitutional status of this region and that there is a growing movement of overlap with the capitalist dynamics whose formalization processes are an expression, we ask: what is the meaning of formalization? From the formalization of enterprises, that is constituted as (new) standard in terms of labor relations? The central theoretical debate revolves around the concept of informal processes, by Maria Cristina Cacciamali (2000, 2011), which serve as ground for the discussion of new informality, which has been developed mainly by Angela Maria Carneiro Araújo (2011), Maria da Graça Druck (2011a) and Roberto Véras de Oliveira (2011/b). The methodological base is composed of semi-structured interviews, observation of production and dealing sites and data collection on secondary sources. From the analysis of the process of industrial enterprises formalization and with the resumption of transformations that this production cluster has passed through, we considerer that a pattern of formalization is consolidating: institutional formalization that engenders informal labor relations. In this sense, informality has been able to preserve, reproduce, and, above all, be re-signified by the action of entrepreneurs and through new methods of business management, such as business process outsourcing and subcontracting production in the context of the Complex, and it also finds a favorable and fertile atmosphere due to the "naturalization" of informal work.

Este estudo analisa a formalização dos empreendimentos industriais de confecção na cidade de Caruaru. A região do Polo de Confecções do Agreste Pernambucano é composta por diversos municípios, entre eles Caruaru, com uma significativa produção de artigos de vestuário. Esse aglomerado produtivo começou a se formar ainda na década de 1950 e, desde a origem, a maior parte das atividades é desenvolvida de maneira informal. Contudo, a partir de 1990 o aglomerado vem passando por processos crescentes de modernização, industrialização e uma imbricação cada vez maior com a dinâmica capitalista, atraindo a ação do Estado e do capital. Uma das principais transformações é a regularização fiscal das unidades produtivas. Frente a esta realidade nossa problemática se volta para o processo de formalização da indústria: oficinas, que iniciaram suas atividades predominantemente em domicílios, com mão de obra familiar e informal, e se tornaram fábricas de confecção. O problema de pesquisa parte do pressuposto de que a informalidade histórica e dominante, tanto das unidades produtivas como das relações de trabalho, está sendo reconfigurada pelo processo de formalização. A análise mobiliza a discussão conceitual sobre informalidade, flexibilização e precariedade. Sendo a flexibilização do processo produtivo e das relações de trabalho uma condição do capitalismo flexível, sendo o trabalho familiar, informal e precário uma característica histórica e constitutiva desta região, existindo o crescente movimento de imbricação com a dinâmica capitalista de cujos processos de formalização são uma expressão, perguntamos: qual o significado da formalização? A partir da formalização dos empreendimentos, o que está se constituindo como (novo) padrão em termos de relações de trabalho? O debate teórico central gravita em torno do conceito de processos de informalização, de Maria Cristina Cacciamali (2000, 2011), que servem de terreno para a discussão acerca da nova informalidade, a qual tem sido desenvolvida, principalmente, por Angela Maria Carneiro Araújo (2011), Maria da Graça Druck (2011a) e Roberto Véras de Oliveira (2011 a/b). A base metodológica está composta por entrevistas semiestruturadas, observação dos locais de produção e comercialização e coleta de dados em fontes secundárias. A partir da análise do processo de formalização dos empreendimentos industriais, acompanhada da retomada das transformações por que tem passado este aglomerado produtivo, concluímos que está se consolidando um padrão de formalização: a formalização institucional que engendra relações de trabalho informais. Nesse sentido, a informalidade tem sido capaz de se preservar, reproduzir, e, sobretudo, ser ressignificada pela ação dos empresários e por meio dos novos métodos de gestão empresarial, tais como os processos de terceirização e subcontratação da produção que, no contexto do Polo, encontram uma atmosfera favorável e fértil, devido à “naturalização” do trabalho informal. / This study analyzes the formalization of manufacturing industrial enterprises in the city of Caruaru. The region of Agreste Pernambucanoé's Clothing Complex is composed of several municipalities, including Caruaru, with a significant production of clothing articles. This productive cluster was formed during the 1950s, and its activities have been developing informally from the outset. However, since 1990, it has been undergoing increasing processes of modernization, industrialization and a growing overlap with the capitalist dynamic, attracting the action of the state and of the capital. One of the main changes is the tax regularization of productive plants. Considering this reality, we observe the industry formalization process: workshops which began operations predominantly in households with family and informal labor force and became confection factories. The research problem considers that historical and dominant informality, both of production units as of labor relations, is being reconfigured by the formalization process. The analysis mobilizes the conceptual discussion of informality, flexibility and precariousness. Considering that the flexibility of the production process and working relations has a current flexible capitalism paradigm, that the familiar, informal and precarious labor force is a historical and constitutional status of this region and that there is a growing movement of overlap with the capitalist dynamics whose formalization processes are an expression, we ask: what is the meaning of formalization? From the formalization of enterprises, that is constituted as (new) standard in terms of labor relations? The central theoretical debate revolves around the concept of informal processes, by Maria Cristina Cacciamali (2000, 2011), which serve as ground for the discussion of new informality, which has been developed mainly by Angela Maria Carneiro Araújo (2011), Maria da Graça Druck (2011a) and Roberto Véras de Oliveira (2011/b). The methodological base is composed of semi-structured interviews, observation of production and dealing sites and data collection on secondary sources. From the analysis of the process of industrial enterprises formalization and with the resumption of transformations that this production cluster has passed through, we considerer that a pattern of formalization is consolidating: institutional formalization that engenders informal labor relations. In this sense, informality has been able to preserve, reproduce, and, above all, be re-signified by the action of entrepreneurs and through new methods of business management, such as business process outsourcing and subcontracting production in the context of the Complex, and it also finds a favorable and fertile atmosphere due to the "naturalization" of informal work.

The objective of this paper is to research and present the motives which sustain the decisions of outsourcing in the clothing producers in the state of CearÃ. It also aims at qualitatively evaluating the practices of managing the human factor in outsourcing. Initially, technical approaches were made such as: organizations in networks and strategic contracting out; business strategy and managing the human element; the textile industry and the clothing sector. After looking over the bibliography, a field survey was taken using two semi-structured questionnaires and a guided interview in the larger clothing manufactures in CearÃ. After this, the information gathered was dealt with quantitatively and qualitatively. To do this the reversibility model was utilized. The survey enabled us to show that the decision to outsource, on the part of the companies surveyed, had a limited effect due to the inability to reduce costs and to the fact that quality was compromised. In this case, the fragility of the techniques in managing the human element in outsourcing is notorious. Although decisions to contract out are based, in general, on strategic criteria, the congruency between these decisions and the practices of managing the human element when outsourcing was not evident in the larger clothing producers in CearÃ. It is believed that investment in the technology of managing work which is outsourced could correct the dysfunctions which were perceived. / O presente trabalho tem como objetivo pesquisar e apresentar as motivaÃÃes que sustentam as decisÃes de terceirizaÃÃo nas empresas de confecÃÃo do Estado do Cearà e avaliar qualitativamente as prÃticas da gestÃo do fator humano terceirizado. Inicialmente, foram feitas abordagens teÃricas tais como: organizaÃÃes em rede e terceirizaÃÃo estratÃgica; estratÃgia empresarial e gestÃo do fator humano; indÃstria tÃxtil e o setor de confecÃÃo. ApÃs a revisÃo bibliogrÃfica, realizou-se uma pesquisa de campo, com a aplicaÃÃo de dois questionÃrios semi-estruturados e uma entrevista por pauta, junto Ãs grandes empresas de confecÃÃo do CearÃ. Em seguida, as informaÃÃes coletadas foram tratadas quantitativa e qualitativamente, sendo para isso utilizado o modelo de reversibilidade. A pesquisa permitiu constatar que as decisÃes de terceirizaÃÃo nas empresas pesquisadas tÃm alcance limitado pela incapacidade de reduzir custos e pelo comprometimento da qualidade. Onde a terceirizaÃÃo se afirma com forÃa, assume uma conotaÃÃo custos, com prejuÃzos para a qualidade. Neste caso, a fragilidade das tÃcnicas da gestÃo do fator humano terceirizado à flagrante. Embora as decisÃes de terceirizaÃÃo se pautem, em geral, por critÃrios estratÃgicos, nÃo fica evidente a congruÃncia entre as referidas decisÃes e as prÃticas da gestÃo do fator humano terceirizado nas grandes indÃstrias cearenses de confecÃÃo. Acredita-se que os investimentos em tecnologias da gestÃo do trabalho terceirizado possam corrigir as disfunÃÃes percebidas.

The aim of this thesis is to explore the development of Swedish fashion between 1930 and 1960 by examining the textile and clothing industry from the wider perspective of fashion production. It was during this period that Sweden was transformed into a leading industrial nation, which laid the foundation for increased prosperity in the post-war period. This historical and empirical study is predominantly based on systematic analysis of Swedish official statistics and close reading of the fashion press. The thesis applies a combination of approaches in the analytical chapters (chapter 2–4) that include three central aspects of fashion production: manufacturing, symbolic production, and the production of a national fashion.  Chapter 2 gives an account of the industrial production of clothing and examines the scope, size and structure of the textile and clothing industry. The results confirm its importance to the Swedish economy in the period. One important finding shows that a shift in production from tailored outerwear to lighter garments occurred as early as the mid-1950s.  Chapter 3 investigates the symbolic production of fashion by looking at the structure of the field of fashion in Sweden. The results show a French dominance where couturiers were celebrated as creative ‘artists’. A significant finding is how the idea of Swedish fashion was considered a process of creating economic value, as in clothing manufacturing.  Chapter 4 deals with fashion as an expression of national culture. The result reveals a significant fashion culture associated with an everyday wear fashion that followed the Social Democratic reforms aimed at equality in society during the period. One important finding is that the wool coat was the hallmark of Swedish fashion identity in the post-war period.  These results contribute to a broader understanding of fashion production and new insights into the history of its developments in Sweden between 1930 and 1960, which has gone largely unrecognised by previous fashion historians.