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An analysis of European textile sector competitiveness

Nicholas Bilalis (Associate Professor at the Department of Production Engineering and Management, CAD Laboratory, Technical University of Crete, Chania, Greece.)
Luk N. Van Wassenhove (Henry Ford Chair in Manufacturing and Professor of Operations Management at INSEAD, Fontainebleau, France. )
Emmanuel Maravelakis (Lecturer in the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Design and Manufacturing Laboratory, Technological Educational Institute of Crete, Chania, Greece.)
Andreas Enders (OC&C Strategy Consultant at Düsseldorf, Germany. Vassilis Moustakis is an Associate Professor in the Department of Production Engineering and Management, Logistics Laboratory, Technical University of Crete, Chania, Greece.)
Vassilis Moustakis (Associate Professor in the Department of Production Engineering and Management, Logistics Laboratory, Technical University of Crete, Chania, Greece.)
Aristomenis Antoniadis (Professor in the Department of Natural Resources Engineering, Design and Manufacturing Laboratory, Technological Educational Institute of Crete, Chania, Greece.)

Measuring Business Excellence

ISSN: 1368-3047

Article publication date: 1 January 2006

2602

Abstract

Purpose

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The European Union (EU) clothing and textile industries are characterized by very intense international competition. EU producers face fierce competition from exports of new industrialized countries whose low wages and social charges give them a considerable competitive advantage. This paper seeks to present the results of an analysis of the European textile sector competitiveness.

Design/methodology/approach

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The analysis is based on an industrial excellence (IE) model developed by INSEAD. This model has been used for the last ten years in an annual award (IEA), given out in France and Germany. This time the model was used not for giving an award, but for assessing and analyzing the current status of industrial excellence in the textile sector. For this reason a sample of textile companies from three European countries was used and results of the analysis are presented. The textile companies that participated in the analysis were benchmarked against the technologically advanced IEA sample consisting of companies from various industries, which participated in the competition during the last three years.

Findings

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Key performance indicators of the textile sector are analyzed, including quality, flexibility, supply chain management, strategy formulation and strategy implementation. Significant improvement potential, especially in the areas of human resource management and knowledge management, is indicated.

Research limitations/implications

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Provides a methodology for employing the IE approach in their operation. Also provides a methodology for analyzing sector performance and new areas of differentiation in the European textile sector.

Practical implications

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The results of the analysis were used to define customized IE training in order to promote expertise in IE in textiles and improve competitiveness of the sector.

Originality/value

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The IEA model is used for the first time, not for giving an award, but as an IE assessment tool which can assist managers both of textile companies and intermediary bodies.

Keywords

Citation

Bilalis, N., Van Wassenhove, L.N., Maravelakis, E., Enders, A., Moustakis, V. and Antoniadis, A. (2006), "An analysis of European textile sector competitiveness", Measuring Business Excellence, Vol. 10 No. 1, pp. 27-35. https://doi.org/10.1108/13683040610652195

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2006, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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