Having pertinent information is a key to successful and profitable apparel purchasing. Fashion apparel buyers use information sources to obtain information on product characteristics and on vendor reputation. The perceived financial risk of the purchasing activity has been shown to affect ratings of importance of the need for information. Few studies have addressed how fashion apparel buyers evaluate and react to perceived financial risk in their purchasing task. The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of high and low perceived risk on U.S. apparel buyers' need for information sources and for information on product characteristics and vendor reputation variables during the apparel purchasing decision making process. Data (N=110) were obtained from a random sampling of apparel buyers listed in the Million Dollar Directory (1995). The questionnaire, administered through a mail survey, contained two scenarios and demographic questions about the buyers and their firms. Based on the scenarios, respondents rated the importance of the need for information sources and for information types. Data were analyzed using matched pair t-tests, analysis of variance with post-hoc tests, multiple regression, and Pearson product moment correlations. Matched pair t-tests showed that the respondents’ importance ratings for the information sources, product characteristics, and vendor reputation variables varied in the two risk scenarios. Analysis of variance results showed that the need for the upper management and another buyer/peer information sources and for information on consumer demand, ability to meet specifications, and delivery reliability were significantly more important than the other listed information sources or types. Multiple regression analysis showed that the ratings of a chance of a financial gain or loss were negatively related to the firms' store type in both scenarios and positively related to the buyers' experience in buying imported apparel in the high perceived risk scenario. In the low risk scenario, the buyers' frequency of being confronted with such a scenario was positively related to their rated chance of a financial loss or gain. Pearson correlations revealed mostly positive correlations between information sources and types of information. The results of this study show that perceived financial risk is an important variable in the apparel purchasing decision making process. Overall, the importance ratings of information sources and types of information are consistent with the findings of related previous studies. / Ph. D.

Pricing decision is the minority of all important decisions which can apparently influence a firm's profit-making within extremely short time. In an era of meagre profit, firms cannot stand any more injury caused of mistake at pricing. However, lots of managers still make pricing decision according to their experience or the action of other competitors without any mechanism of price-determining based on their firms' resource condition. The subject of this research is to probe the abiding price-reducing strategy for fashion appearing firms. Fashion apparel is a kind of commodities with seasonality and popularity, and is an example of all perishable goods. For all sorts of characteristic such as the need for long lead time before production, short time span for sale , and the low salvage value after season...etc., it makes firms reduce price to close out inventories by the end of seasons to evade value loss. When it comes to price-reducing, the fashion apparel is quite different from other commodities. It is a kind of commodity which has speciality of phased and monotonicity on price reduction. Therefore, it lacks two kinds of elasticity which are price-adjusting at any time and adjusting the price range at will. For the characteristic of close interdependence between product and time, and the normal demand on price-reducing, fashion apparel firms need some decision tools which are more fast, correct, and practical than any other ones. With two main parameters which are 'the levels of unsold inventory' and ' the length of season remaining ' along with two parameters which are 'discount factor' and ' the salvage value after season ', this research constructs out an stochastic dynamic programming model to maximize the expect profit and offer an program for calculating the optimal price-reduced range and time. After the analysis of generality and sensitivity with this model, it is found that the characteristics of this model are in conformity with theoretical research and real phenomenon of market. Besides, it is suitable for various kinds of price elastic demand. Hence, this model can be proved to be able to extend to other similar industries with the same nature.

Social networking sites are a major networking tool for consumer interactions as they provide a platform for communication, socialization, and learning activity. Subsequently, social media has become an important marketing tool for advertising companies’ messages. As a result, fashion brands such as H&M and Victoria’s Secret started to show more brand ads on Facebook. Facebook is one of the most powerful social networking sties due to its ability to reach to broad consumer groups through a brand page. However, research regarding this topic is limited as the social networking sites is relatively a new phenomenon. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to examine the effect of the brand’s comments in attenuating (enhancing) negative (positive) influence of other consumer’s postings on brand trust and purchase intention of other consumer’s postings on social media. Findings from this study revealed that there is no moderating effect of brand comments of the relationship between other consumer’s postings and brand trust, while positive other consumer’s postings has a significant effect on consumers’ brand trust. Also, there were no significant differences among other consumer’s postings, brand comments and purchase intention relationships. These findings add to the previous literature explains that brand should interact with consumers frequently in order to induce positive other consumer’s postings to develop brand trust. By using the consumer socialization theory to investigate Facebook marketing, this study provides insights and information on consumer attitudes and behaviors related to Facebook brand page.

The purpose of this creative project was to create a functional and aesthetically pleasing line of garments. The goals of this project were to: 1) produce three textile designs (motifs), 2) screen print the textile designs on fabric, and 3) design and construct a functional/aesthetically pleasing garment line using the three original textile motifs. There were several processes involved in creating the end result. The processes involved in this project were designing a motif for fabric, screen printing the designs on to the fabric, and designing and constructing the clothing line.The work of three artists from the Surrealism movement in art history were used as a source of inspiration for designing the motifs printed on the fabric. The three artists were Joan Miro, Salvador Dali and Max Ernst.The images of the motifs were first sketched and redrawn on the MicroDesign I Cad system. The motifs were printed on 100% cotton using the stencil process in screen printing. Five alternating colors were used to print the three different images. After the fabric was printed, three garment designs were created to be constructed using the new fabric. The patterns for the garments were created using the draping method for pattern making.The results of the project were favorable. The fun spirited motifs represented the feel of the Surrealist movement. The completed garments looked like the original illustrations. Although much was achieved through this project, it far exceeded the time expectations for completion. / Department of Family and Consumer Sciences

A atual pesquisa faz parte do grupo de pesquisa, cadastrado no Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico, sobre moda na cadeia têxtil, tendo como foco as questões sociais da manufatura do vestuário de moda. No sistema fast fashion, a substituição ocorre de modo rápido e instantâneo, conforme o feedback das vendas, sendo um setor influenciado pelo universo da moda, buscando atender consumidores que procuram peças que contenham estilo, moda e/ou modismo. Para seguir com este modelo de negócio, as empresas começaram a se concentrar no seu core business, que muitas vezes corresponde ao marketing, gestão de marcas, comercialização, design, pesquisas, repassando a terceiros a produção das peças de vestuário, onde é predominante a subcontratação. Com essas ramificações, abrem-se brechas para comportamento oportunistas, as quais buscam o seu lucro em função da precarização das relações de trabalho. No entanto, há um aumento de ações que visam a eliminação dessas práticas espúrias de competição, promovendo sistemas produtivos com conceitos pautados em requisitos de responsabilidade social, resultando em melhores condições de trabalho, competitividade e lucratividade. Assim, tornam-se importantes pesquisas que identifiquem empresas com esse novo desempenho estratégico em nível nacional, pois contribui tanto para a sociedade quanto ao meio acadêmico, por meio da geração de bibliografia e identificação de pontos que podem resultar em mudança corporativa. Portanto, esta pesquisa teve por objetivo estudar e analisar os impactos percebidos na cadeia de fornecimento com o selo ABVTEX em responsabilidade social pelo programa de certificação de fornecedores da Associação Brasileira do Varejo Têxtil, bem como a identificação de práticas de monitoramento pelos varejistas signatários. Em um primeiro momento realizou-se pesquisas bibliográficas que possibilitaram a fundamentação teórica, a qual auxiliou na construção dos questionários com perguntas estruturadas e semiestruturas a serem aplicados aos integrantes do estudo de múltiplos casos, e na elaboração do questionário aos fornecedores por meio da pesquisa survey. Após foi possível analisar os casos e comparar o aprendizado organizacional dos varejistas em responsabilidade social através do modelo proposto por Zadek (2004). Os resultados permitiram confirmar as proposições norteadoras, e identificar que o impacto percebido pelos fornecedores e varejistas é positivo, porém necessita de ações corretivas afim de garantir maior transparência e credibilidade. / The present research is part of the research group, registered on the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development, about trendy in the textile chain, focusing on the social issues of the manufacture of fashion apparel. In fast fashion system, the replacement is make quickly and instantly, following feedback from sales, being an industry influenced by the fashion universe, seeking for consumers which are looking for products with style, fashion and / or fad. To continue with this business model, companies began to focus on their core business, which often corresponds to marketing, brand management, commercialization, design, research, passing on to third parties the production process of garments where it is predominant subcontracting. With these ramifications in the chain, gaps are opened for opportunistic companies, which seek their profit due to the precariousness of working conditions. However, there is an increase of actions aimed at eliminating these spurious practices competition, promoting productive systems with concepts guided by social responsibility requirements, resulting in better working conditions, competitiveness and profitability. Thus, it becomes important research to identify companies with this new strategic behavior at a national level, as it contributes both to society and to academic environment, through the generation of bibliography and identification of points that can result in corporate change. The objective of this study was to study and analyze the perceived impacts of the supplier chain with the ABVTEX seal on social responsibility by the supplier certification program of the Brazilian Association of Textile Retail, as well as the identification of monitoring practices by the signatory retailers. At first, bibliographical research was carried out, which enabled the theoretical framework, which helped to build of the questionnaires, with structured questions and semi-structures to be applied to the members of the study of multiple cases, and in the elaboration of the questionnaire to the suppliers through the research survey. Afterwards, it was possible to analyze the cases and compare the organizational learning of retailers about social responsibility through the model proposed by Zadek (2004). The results allowed us to confirm the guiding propositions and to identify that the impact perceived by suppliers and retailers is positive, but requires corrective actions to guarantee greater transparency and credibility

A atual pesquisa faz parte do grupo de pesquisa, cadastrado no Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico, sobre moda na cadeia têxtil, tendo como foco as questões sociais da manufatura do vestuário de moda. No sistema fast fashion, a substituição ocorre de modo rápido e instantâneo, conforme o feedback das vendas, sendo um setor influenciado pelo universo da moda, buscando atender consumidores que procuram peças que contenham estilo, moda e/ou modismo. Para seguir com este modelo de negócio, as empresas começaram a se concentrar no seu core business, que muitas vezes corresponde ao marketing, gestão de marcas, comercialização, design, pesquisas, repassando a terceiros a produção das peças de vestuário, onde é predominante a subcontratação. Com essas ramificações, abrem-se brechas para comportamento oportunistas, as quais buscam o seu lucro em função da precarização das relações de trabalho. No entanto, há um aumento de ações que visam a eliminação dessas práticas espúrias de competição, promovendo sistemas produtivos com conceitos pautados em requisitos de responsabilidade social, resultando em melhores condições de trabalho, competitividade e lucratividade. Assim, tornam-se importantes pesquisas que identifiquem empresas com esse novo desempenho estratégico em nível nacional, pois contribui tanto para a sociedade quanto ao meio acadêmico, por meio da geração de bibliografia e identificação de pontos que podem resultar em mudança corporativa. Portanto, esta pesquisa teve por objetivo estudar e analisar os impactos percebidos na cadeia de fornecimento com o selo ABVTEX em responsabilidade social pelo programa de certificação de fornecedores da Associação Brasileira do Varejo Têxtil, bem como a identificação de práticas de monitoramento pelos varejistas signatários. Em um primeiro momento realizou-se pesquisas bibliográficas que possibilitaram a fundamentação teórica, a qual auxiliou na construção dos questionários com perguntas estruturadas e semiestruturas a serem aplicados aos integrantes do estudo de múltiplos casos, e na elaboração do questionário aos fornecedores por meio da pesquisa survey. Após foi possível analisar os casos e comparar o aprendizado organizacional dos varejistas em responsabilidade social através do modelo proposto por Zadek (2004). Os resultados permitiram confirmar as proposições norteadoras, e identificar que o impacto percebido pelos fornecedores e varejistas é positivo, porém necessita de ações corretivas afim de garantir maior transparência e credibilidade. / The present research is part of the research group, registered on the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development, about trendy in the textile chain, focusing on the social issues of the manufacture of fashion apparel. In fast fashion system, the replacement is make quickly and instantly, following feedback from sales, being an industry influenced by the fashion universe, seeking for consumers which are looking for products with style, fashion and / or fad. To continue with this business model, companies began to focus on their core business, which often corresponds to marketing, brand management, commercialization, design, research, passing on to third parties the production process of garments where it is predominant subcontracting. With these ramifications in the chain, gaps are opened for opportunistic companies, which seek their profit due to the precariousness of working conditions. However, there is an increase of actions aimed at eliminating these spurious practices competition, promoting productive systems with concepts guided by social responsibility requirements, resulting in better working conditions, competitiveness and profitability. Thus, it becomes important research to identify companies with this new strategic behavior at a national level, as it contributes both to society and to academic environment, through the generation of bibliography and identification of points that can result in corporate change. The objective of this study was to study and analyze the perceived impacts of the supplier chain with the ABVTEX seal on social responsibility by the supplier certification program of the Brazilian Association of Textile Retail, as well as the identification of monitoring practices by the signatory retailers. At first, bibliographical research was carried out, which enabled the theoretical framework, which helped to build of the questionnaires, with structured questions and semi-structures to be applied to the members of the study of multiple cases, and in the elaboration of the questionnaire to the suppliers through the research survey. Afterwards, it was possible to analyze the cases and compare the organizational learning of retailers about social responsibility through the model proposed by Zadek (2004). The results allowed us to confirm the guiding propositions and to identify that the impact perceived by suppliers and retailers is positive, but requires corrective actions to guarantee greater transparency and credibility

Fashion apparel industry has been connected to detrimental social consequences, particularly in developing countries. In this case, tier one suppliers are in a unique position to play a critical role in addressing these concerns because they are the key in between brand and rest tiers and can apply sustainable practices that promote ethical/responsible production as tire one suppliers are conduction their production operation with the help of a huge human force. By collaborating with first/tier one suppliers to prioritize social sustainability, fashion apparel firms can strike a balance between their own ambitions, social goals and, while also reducing the dangers of exploitation and unfavorable publicity.

Thesis. (M. Tech. (Dept. of Marketing, Faculty of Management Sciences)) -- Vaal University of Technology, 2011. / The underlying determinants of how and why people shop has been a topic of study for many years, when typologies of shopping styles were developed. These studies have been successful in demonstrating that some shoppers display consistent shopping orientations that can be diametrically opposed, for example, the functional shopper versus the recreational shopper. This study concentrates on purchasing patterns of consumers by examining the decision-making styles of Generation Y consumers with regard to fashion apparel. The study reports on various stages that consumers undergo when confronted with a decision situation. These stages are outlined as need recognition, information search, pre-purchase evaluation, purchase, consumption and post-consumption. The buying behaviours influencing consumers were categorised into internal and external factors. The internal factor includes perception, motivation, learning, attitudes, personalities, self-concept, lifestyle and demography. The external factors comprised the following variables, namely, cultural background, subculture, family influence, and the social factor. The general characteristics of Generation Y were briefly discussed. Various dimensions used to measure consumer decision-making styles were reviewed in the study related to perfectionism, brand consciousness, novelty-fashion consciousness, recreational consciousness, price-and-value-for-money consciousness, impulsiveness and confusion as a result of overchoice of brands. The study adopted quantitative approach. A structured questionnaire was used to survey 230 students who were selected using non-probability convenience sampling. Seven dimensions measuring consumer decision-making styles were found to be applicable within the Generation Y context. These consumers were profiled as being quality conscious, brand conscious, novelty-seeking, hedonistic, confused by overchoice, habitual, brand loyal and fashion conscious. Differences were found between consumers who are confused by overchoice and younger Generation Y consumers. Younger consumers were found to be more confused by overchoice compared to their older counterparts. It is suggested that apparel retailers should try to use communication channels which will be more understandable by Generation Y consumers, and they should provide information that assists buyers to make a rational decision in the buying process. Differences were also confirmed between habitual, brand-loyal consumers and age. It was found that younger consumers are more likely to be loyal to specific brands as compared to their older counterparts. Differences were noted between brand conscious, confused by overchoice and gender. Brand consciousness was regarded as a reflection of men‟s desire to use shopping as a demonstration of their superiority, as well as being beneficial because they reduce search costs. It was revealed that males were more brand conscious than their female counterparts. It also highlighted that males were more confused by overchoice than females. The study found that the majority of Generation Y does pursue quality, even if it means paying higher prices. It is recommended that retailers should continue to emphasise their well-known brand names and set prices at levels where consumers perceive the quality of the product by its price. Retailers should focus on diverse designs, sizes and colours in their product assortment and range. The introduction of new products through the use of fashion shows, fashion magazines and advertisements may provide added advantages in terms of brand awareness / Central Research Committee of the Vaal University of Technology

Submitted by Mariana Dornelles Vargas (marianadv) on 2015-04-01T14:13:05Z No. of bitstreams: 1 from_basic.pdf: 1929821 bytes, checksum: 770b2c0180db6cf5fcf53dc88dc9f3f3 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-04-01T14:13:05Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 from_basic.pdf: 1929821 bytes, checksum: 770b2c0180db6cf5fcf53dc88dc9f3f3 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-06-17 / CAPES - Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / This dissertation aims at explaining the elements involved with the upgrading processes in value chains. Empirical data about the upgrading processes of apparel production and consumption in Brazil is taken as a way to explore upgrading strategies in the context of a growing fashion industry. We assume that fashion has been a key element in the apparel production which responds to upgrading in apparel value chains, turning basic apparel into more valued products and services as they are embedded by particular social values recognized and legitimized as fashion trends. Consequently, fashion apparel is an enterprise which involves dealing with two different processes: (1) the tangible or material production process of apparel items and (2) the intangible or immaterial production process of fashion concept. To explain the two diverse but consonant processes, this study draws upon two theoretical approaches to unveil the value creation that leads to upgrading in apparel production. Both theoretical approaches feature value‐adding processes but in different ways: (i) the global apparel value chain industrial upgrading approach highlights the tangible production of apparel items through contractors industrial upgrading process and (ii) the fashion social embedded system approach focuses on intangible production of fashion concept or belief through a cultural upgrading process. Furthermore, bolstered on these two theoretical approaches and on empirical data, this study delineates three propositions to discuss and characterize the means by which upgrading occurs: (a) through a linear value chain configuration; (b) by way of a network system or (c) via 3 a loose chain. The results suggest that basic apparel production upgrades to fashion apparel production and consumption when different players intertwine, producing, sharing and/or incorporating intangible value‐adding activities such as designing and image‐making. The embedment of intangible value turns apparel players into hybrid forms casting doubt on the industrial/traditional upgrading approach of the apparel value chains. These hybrid forms reveal a broad perspective for upgrading in apparel production, highlighting a convergence of tangible and intangible activities related to apparel production in the realm of a fashion apparel loose chain. / Esta dissertação procura explicar os elementos envolvidos com os processos de progressão nas cadeias de valor. Dados empíricos sobre os processos de progressão da produção e do consumo de vestuário no Brasil são considerados como uma maneira de explorar estratégias de progressão no contexto de um setor de moda em desenvolvimento. Adotamos como premissa que a moda tem sido um elemento chave na produção de vestuário. A moda responde pela progressão das empresas nas cadeias de valor do vestuário, transformando o vestuário básico em produtos e serviços mais valorizados na medida em que eles são incorporados por determinados valores sociais reconhecidos e legitimados como tendências de moda. Conseqüentemente, o vestuário de moda é uma iniciativa que lida com dois processos diferentes: (1) o processo de produção tangível ou material de itens de vestuário e (2) o processo de produção intangível ou imaterial do conceito de moda. Para explicar esses dois diferentes, mas também convergentes processos, o presente estudo se baseia em duas abordagens teóricas para desvendar a criação de valor que leva à progressão na produção de vestuário. Ambas as abordagens teóricas apresentam os processos de agregação de valor, mas de maneiras diferentes: (i) a abordagem da progressão industrial na cadeia global de valor do vestuário destaca a produção tangível de itens de vestuário por meio do processo de progressão industrial dos contratados envolvidos na cadeia e (ii) a abordagem do sistema de moda impregnado por valores sociais que se foca na produção intangível 5 do conceito ou crença de moda através de um processo de progressão cultural dos agentes envolvidos no sistema. Ademais,, baseado nestas duas abordagens teóricas e em dados empíricos, este estudo propõe três proposições para discutir e caracterizar os meios pelos quais a progressão ocorre: (a) através de uma configuração linear de cadeia de valor; (b) por meio de um sistema em rede ou ( c) via uma cadeia flexível. Os resultados sugerem que a produção do vestuário básico progride para a produção e consumo do vestuário de moda quando diferentes agentes se envolvem nessa iniciativa, produzindo, partilhando e/ ou incorporando atividades de agregação de valor intangível como o design e a construção de imagem. A incorporação do valor intangível transforma os agentes produtores de vestuário em formas híbridas, lançando dúvidas sobre a abordagem da progressão industrial/tradicional das cadeias de valor do vestuário. Estas formas híbridas revelam uma ampla perspectiva para a progressão na produção de vestuário, com destaque para uma convergência de atividades tangíveis e intangíveis relacionados à produção de vestuário no âmbito de uma cadeia flexível de vestuário de moda.

In this comparative study, the design elements and visual merchandising approaches employed in window displays by high-end and fast-fashion retailers are investigated. The study utilizes a visual content analysis method with standardized evaluation criteria to analyze the window displays of six high-end and six fast-fashion stores located in Paris. By adopting an analytical framework adapted mainly from Morgan (2015) and Diamond and Diamond (2007), the research aims to uncover shared patterns and distinguishing factors in the approaches of these two sectors. The findings reveal clear differences in purpose, layout, visual weight, focal points, color schemes, and prop usage between highend and fast-fashion retailers. These insights offer valuable practical implications for enhancing the visual appeal of window displays in the highly competitive retail landscape