The purpose of this thesis is to provide companies with an understanding of how Swedish apparel companies manage supplier risks connected to production activities located in China. In order to conduct this study, previous literature regarding supply chain risk management has been analysed in relation to the empirical data collected during this study. In order to answer the research question, a qualitative method and a deductive approach have been used. A qualitative method was chosen as a deeper understanding of the phenomenon supply chain risk management was desired. A deductive approach was further chosen as the topic was acknowledged by reading previous research, which clearly emphasized existing research gap within supply chain risk management.  The literature review presented in this thesis regards the importance of managing a global supply chain and the risks connected to a global supply chain. Presented is also a process of how to manage risks, and the process consists of three steps, which further provides alternative strategies in order to conduct each step. Further, the reasons why Swedish companies outsource production activities to China and the importance of supply chain risk management in China is presented. The literature review is finalized with a conceptual framework summarizing the chapter. Differences and similarities between collected empirical data and the literature review is discussed and analysed in the analysis chapter. The following chapter provides conclusions answering the research question as well as theoretical and practical implications. This thesis has contributed with filling the research gap regarding supply chain risk management, this as the thesis focuses on one specific market and one specific industry. A new framework has been constructed based on previous research and the empirical findings. This framework also contributes to the practical implications as companies with a desire to outsource to China can use the process presented in the framework. The process includes three steps which will facilitate for companies to manage supplier risks in China. This thesis has also contributed to create an understanding for companies regarding the great importance of supply chain risk management. Therefore, this thesis can contribute with valuable information for Swedish apparel companies wanting to include supply chain risk management when outsourcing to China.

Konceptet Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) och varför företag väljer att arbeta med det debatteras av många, inom akademin såväl som utanför. Dock finns det en oenighet i vad som inkluderas i ett företags arbete med CSR. Denna studie hävdar att nuvarande teorier som används är oförmögna att förklara den komplexa omgivning som företag verkar inom och därmed inte lyckas ge ett bra svar på denna studies syfte, om hur CSR är konstruerat. Studien nyttjar teorin om institutionell logik som verktyg för att kunna utforska företags arbete med CSR i en komplex omgivning och diskursteori för att åskådliggöra innebörden av CSR och dess konstruktion. Trots mycket forskning inom institutionella logiker, skiljer sig denna studie genom sin användning av CSR-rapporter, insamlade från företag i den uppmärksammade klädbranschen, som källor till data.Studien konstaterar att ett klädföretags arbete med CSR utgår från flera parallella, ofta motstridiga, institutionella logiker som formas genom en komplex omgivnings många olika påtryckningar. Studiens resultat beskriver dessutom ett CSR som inkluderar en moralisk ställning där företagen utför filantropiska handlingar, bortom behovet för deras egen verksamhet. Härigenom illustreras en diskursiv konstruktion av CSR som är lika komplex som den omgivningen där företagen verkar, med flera parallella logiker som influerar. Genom svarandet av syftet, gör studien två bidrag till teorin om institutionell logik. I identifieringen av institutionella logiker blir en helt ny institutionell ordning bekräftad. Slutligen, i användningen av CSR-rapporter för analys, uppvisar studien även hur organisationers egna texter kan användas för att identifiera institutionella logiker.Två implikationer kan göras, där den första rör den makt som företagets olika intressenter har i att influera vad CSR innebär och på så sätt också driva påverkan, som betydande komponenter av en omgivning som företagen visar stor följsamhet till. Den andra implikationen berör nödvändigheten i företags beaktande av en CSR-diskurs som inkluderar en moralisk dimension, med ett åtagande som går bortom intresset för den egna verksamheten. / The concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and why companies choose to engage in such task is debated by many, both within the academy as well as outside it. There is however a disagreement in what is included in a company’s engagement in CSR activities. This study argues that current theories in use, are unable to explain the complex environment in which companies operate and therefore incapable of providing good answers to this study’s purpose, concerning how CSR is constructed. This study draws on the theory of institutional logics as a tool in exploring a company’s engagement in CSR in a complex environment and discourse theory in visualizing the meaning of CSR as well as its construction. Despite a great amount of research in institutional logics, this study departs from previous research in its exclusive use of CSR-reports, gathered from companies in the remarkable apparel industry, as sources of data.This study concludes that an apparel company´s engagement in CSR activities emanates from several, often contradictive, institutional logics that take form through numerous different pressures in the environment. The result of the study calls for a CSR that includes a moral stance where the companies perform philanthropic deeds, beyond the needs of their own business. Hereby, the study displays a discursive construction of CSR that is equally complex as the environments in which the companies operate, with numerous different yet parallel logics influencing. In answering the purpose, the study makes two contributions to the theory of institutional logics. In identifying the institutional logics, an entirely new institutional order is acknowledged. Lastly, in using CSR-reports in the analysis, this study shows how texts of organisation´s own making can be used in identifying institutional logics.Two implications can be made, the first being the power that different stakeholder of the company has in influencing the meaning of CSR and how they themselves are part of the process. Thus being able to drive change, as important components in an environment to which companies show great compliance. The second implication concerns the necessity in company’s consideration to a discourse of CSR that includes a moral dimension, comprising a commitment that goes beyond a vested interest for the business.

I klädindustrin är materialval och beslut om produkter en viktig del av produktutvecklingsprocessen som påverkar design, kostnad, känsla samt estetik i en produkt. Materialvalsprocessen har blivit mer komplex och utseende samt kvalitet konkurrerar nu också med hållbarhet. Många aspekter är därför viktiga att balansera vid beslutsfattande. Det finns metoder, men om och hur de används av svenska klädföretag är relativt outforskat. Artificiella intelligenta-system som kan användas i beslutsfattandet finns tillgängliga idag och används redan i olika områden inom klädindustrin. Det finns också AI-system för materialval, men ännu inte i klädindustrin. Syftet med denna studie är att studera beslutsfattande inom svenska klädföretag avseende hållbara produkt- och materialval samt om AI skulle kunna stödja processen. Semistrukturerade intervjuer genomförda med två svenska klädföretag användes i denna studie för att besvara två forskningsfrågor kopplade till syftet tillsammans med en iterativ litteraturstudie. Studien visar att svenska klädföretag inte använder några speciella verktyg eller kända metoder vid beslutstagande gällande material och produkter för att uppnå deras hållbarhetsmål. Ofta är det intuition och erfarenhet som ligger bakom beslut och val men det finns även kravspecifikationer för varje produkt med krav som måste vara uppfyllda för att beslutet om materialval ska tas. I dag använder företagen inga AI-system men enligt teorin finns det några AI-metoder som skulle kunna implementeras inom material- och produktbeslut där det gäller kvantitativa aspekter, exempelvis vattentäthet. Dock kan inte något AI-system i dag ersätta människans förmåga att ta beslut vad gäller mer kvalitativa egenskaper, såsom känslan av ett material. / In the apparel industry, material choice and decisions regarding products are an important part of the product development process, influencing design, cost, feeling and aesthetic of a product. The material choice process is becoming more complex and look along with quality now also competes with sustainability. Many aspects are therefore important to balance when making decisions. There are methods, but it is unclear if and how they are used by Swedish apparel companies. Artificial Intelligence systems that can be used in decision making are available today, and already in use in different areas within the apparel industry. There are also AI-systems for material choice, but not yet in the apparel industry. The purpose of this study is to study decision making within Swedish clothing companies regarding sustainable product and material choices and whether AI could support the process. Semi structured interviews conducted with two Swedish apparel companies were used to answer two research questions, together with an iterative literature study. The study shows that Swedish apparel companies do not use any special tools or known methods while making decisions regarding material and products in order to achieve their sustainability goals. Often intuition and experience is behind making a decision or choice, but also specifications regarding each product with requirements that have to be fulfilled. Today the asked companies do not use AI-systems for making decisions regarding materials or products, but according to literature, there are some methods that possibly could be implemented regarding quantitative aspects such as water permeability. However, there does not seem to be any AI-systems today that can replace human’s ability to make decisions concerning the qualitative aspects such as the feeling of a material.

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