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.

Thesis (DTech (Design))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2016. / This thesis is an investigation into environmental sustainability in the South African fashion industry, with a particular focus on the role of design therein. The fashion and textile industry is a significant contributor to the South African economy and a major user of human and natural resources. It is through the use of resources – natural, constructed and human – that the industry is also supposedly damaging to the natural environment and the people working within it. Notable authors on environmentally sustainable design and, in particular, environmentally sustainable fashion design, seem to suggest that a holistic approach to environmental sustainability is fundamental to the implementation thereof. Design has the ability to direct change, and thus design and designers have the potential to drive holistic sustainable practices in the fashion system.The question this research therefore poses is what the role of environmental sustainability should be in a design-driven approach in the South African fashion industry; interrogated through an exploratory and descriptive case study. The case study consists of three purposively selected sub-units that operate within an environmentally sustainable focus in their fashion businesses, and that design, produce, and retail fashion products. The aim of the research was to explore, through a snapshot of the South African fashion system, the implementation of environmental sustainability in the fashion industry in South Africa, in order to determine what role fashion design practice can have in developing environmental sustainability in the fashion system.The most notable finding of the research highlights the immense difficulty of operating as a fashion business from an environmentally sustainable focus in South Africa due to the lack (and unsuitability) of resources that can be considered environmentally sustainable. The declining textile industry of South Africa makes it either almost impossible, or very costly, to work within an environmentally sustainable framework, and is a major impediment in the implementation of environmental sustainability in praxis. Therefore, those businesses that decide to operate within an environmentally sustainable framework do so because of inherent personal values and ethics.The second aspect identified in the survey of scholarship and underpinned by the findings, is a need for a transformative approach with regard to design praxis and how design praxis can influence consumer eco-consciousness. The research concludes with a recommended framework that suggests a holistic and integrated approach to design-driven environmental sustainability in the South African fashion industry, and elaborates on the role of the fashion designer in the implementation of environmental sustainability in the fashion system. The holistic and integrated approach should extend into fashion design education, requiring a fundamental shift in current fashion design education in South Africa. / University of Johannesburg

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Management Sciences: Business Administration, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2016. / Small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) play a pivotal role in the economy of a country through job creation, development and dealing with the issue of unemployment, all of which affect the government and its citizens. Therefore, it is important that SMMEs operate efficiently and run their businesses effectively in order to grow within their respective sectors. The low rate of success amongst SMMEs in South Africa (SA) over the years indicates that there are factors hindering the efforts of the country’s SMMEs from operating efficiently (Turton and Herrington 2012: 48). One of the factors is poor operational performance which is frequently quoted as a leading cause of failure amongst SMMEs within the manufacturing sector (Urban and Naidoo 2012: 146). Furthermore, the Economic Development and Growth in eThekwini (EDGE) (2013: 37-38) reveals that SMMEs within the textile and clothing manufacturing sector in the eThekwini district generally do not innovate and suffer from a lack of access to financial services. The study population was 94 small and micro enterprises (SMEs) in the textile and clothing manufacturing sector in the eThekwini district. The researcher could not find a data on medium enterprises as prospective participants in the study and obtained only 80 SMEs. A quantitative approach was used in the context of a census study. The study was descriptive and conclusive in nature. The results of the study indicate that SMEs apply innovative processes in their businesses and work at a favourable physical environment within eThekwini district. However, SMEs do not have sufficient access to government financial incentive schemes (GFIS) which could be a factor inhibiting their growth and development. Furthermore, despite the fact that many of the SMEs in the study agreed that assistance from government schemes can enhance their operational performance, almost half of them were not aware of relevant schemes. Therefore, it is important that the government, that is, the Department of Trade and Industry (dti) and Small Enterprise Development Agency (seda) and other relevant government agencies, reach out to as many of these SMEs as possible. This is an opportunity for the SA government to improve their efforts to create more jobs for SA citizens. / M

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The purposes of this study were (1) to determine the validity, reliability, and item quality of a program-specific, assessment instrument designed to measure student mastery of core knowledge in the discipline, (2) to evaluate the effectiveness of the instrument for determining student outcomes from the value-added perspective, and (3) to determine whether performance on the instrument and other measures of achievement was affected by student involvement characteristics. The instrument contained 100 multiple-choice items relating to five core courses. For portions of the study, the instrument was divided into five subtests and administered as a pretest on the first day of classes in the five core courses and as a post test on the last day of classes. The instrument in its full form was administered to upper class clothing and textiles majors and to under class clothing and textiles majors. Interviews related to the instrument were conducted with a subset of students who had taken the subtests and the full exam and with faculty who taught the courses. The split-half and the KR-20 reliability estimates for internal consistency of the full test were above .70. The increase in student performance from pretest to posttest and the correlation between information obtained from the interviews with the results of the item analyses demonstrated the instrument's content validity. The significant difference between scores received by upper class majors and scores received by underclass majors on the instrument, and the correlations between course grades with scores on the instrument and final exam grades with scores on the instrument demonstrated the construct validity of the instrument. The ability of the instrument to measure value-added knowledge was ascertained by the increase in student performance from pretest to post test. Further data analyses revealed a pattern regarding factors which affect student achievement. Student involvement in organizations and employment had a positive and negative effect on various measures of student achievement. Although the validity and reliability of the instrument were demonstrated, improvements in item quality and representation of course objectives on the core knowledge exam are needed. / Ph. D.

The purpose of this chapter was to present the study findings, data analysis, and hypothesis testing results. Three hypotheses were established for the study. The first hypothesis was concerned with the differences in clothing buying practices between employed black and white women. The findings related to this hypothesis revealed that there were significant black-white differences for 20 of the 45 clothing buying practice variables which provided sufficient support for accepting Hypothesis 1. Three constructs (clothing buying dimensions, clothing buying style groups and life style dimensions) were developed to facilitate the testing of Hypotheses 2 and 3. Eleven clothing buying dimensions were identified from factor analysis of 39 clothing buying practices. These eleven clothing buying dimensions were used in NORMIX Cluster Analysis as a basis for clustering the respondents into four unique clothing buying style groups. These four clothing buying style groups were "Fashion Enthusiasts," "Clothing Mainstreamers," "Quality Conservatives,” and "Economic Utilitarians." "Fashion Enthusiasts'' appeared to be more interested in the style and fashion aspects of clothing. "Clothing Mainstreamers" displayed few extremes (very high or very low) in their response patterns. They were described as the average clothing concerned group of employed women. "Quality Conservatives" were more conservative in fashion interest and were not interested in lower price clothing. “Economic Utilitarians," on the other hand, were very interested in low prices, maintenance and utilitarian aspects of clothing. Factor analysis of 145 AIO statements identified 25 life style dimensions. These 25 dimensions, along with race and 5 other demographic variables were used as predictor variables in discriminant analysis among the four clothing buying styles. Hypotheses 2 and 3 were accepted since there was a significant relationship between: 1) race and clothing buying styles and 2) life style dimensions and clothing buying styles. With regard to race, the findings indicated that the "Fashion Enthusiasts" group contained significantly more black than white women. The "Quality Conservatives" group contained significantly more white than black women. However, the "Clothing Mainstreamers" and "Economic Utilitarians" groups had essentially equal black-white representation. As for life style dimensions, some major relationships were: "Fashion Enthusiasts" were not interested in household concerns such as shopping for household items; the "Quality Conservatives" considered themselves "Swingers"; "Clothing Mainstreamers" were very active in the community; and "Economic Utilitarians” tended to save more money than the other group members. / Ph. D.

The purpose of this study was to identify the usage level of QR technologies and to examine the relationships between the organizational characteristics and the usage level of QR technologies and QR adoption in the U.S. apparel industry. Using the usage level of QR technologies and QR adoption as the dependent variables, the selected organizational characteristics, as independent variables, were: firm size (Le., numbers of employees, dollar amounts of sales volume), organizational strategy (i.e., prospector, analyzer, reactor, defender), product characteristics (i.e., product category, fashion change, seasonal change), and perception of QR benefits. The conceptual framework for this study was based on Rogers' adoption theory (1983). A factor approach was used to examine a cross-section of firms to determine significant characteristics influencing QR adoption. A random sample of 306 apparel manufacturers without locational limitation were selected from a purchased list. The sample was stratified by firm size (i.e., number of employees) and product category (Le., men's, women's, children's/infant's wear). A mail questionnaire was pilot tested for content validity and instrument reliability, and the revised questionnaire was sent to plant managers. Adjusted response rate was 47.0% (n=103). Regression, discriminant analysis, and nonparametrics were used to test the statistical significance of hypothesized relationships. The most frequently used technologies were small lot orders, short cycle cut planning, short cycle sewing, and production planning with customer. Firm size, organizational strategy, and fashion change were significantly related to the usage level of QR technologies. Firm size, organizational strategy, product category, and perception ofQR benefits were significantly related to QR adoption. Four QR elements (i.e., production planning, flexible manufacturing, inventory control, information sharing) were significantly related to QR adoption. / Master of Science

published_or_final_version / Comparative Asian Studies / Master / Master of Arts