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The objective of this study is to investigate how country risk, different political actions from the government and bureaucratic behavior influence the activities in industry supply chains (SCs) in emerging markets. The main objective of this study is to investigate the influence of these external stakeholders’ elements to the demand-side and supply-side drivers and barriers for improving competitiveness of Ready-Made Garment (RMG) industry in the way of analyzing supply chain. Considering the phenomenon of recent change in the RMG business environment and the competitiveness issues this study uses the principles of stakeholder and resource dependence theory and aims to find out some factors which influence to make an efficient supply chain for improving competitiveness. The RMG industry of Bangladesh is the case application of this study. Following a positivist paradigm, this study adopts a two phase sequential mixed-method research design consisting of qualitative and quantitative approaches. A tentative research model is developed first based on extensive literature review. Qualitative field study is then carried out to fine tune the initial research model. Findings from the qualitative method are also used to develop measures and instruments for the next phase of quantitative method. A survey is carried out with sample of top and middle level executives of different garment companies of Dhaka city in Bangladesh and the collected quantitative data are analyzed by partial least square-based structural equation modeling. The findings support eight hypotheses. From the analysis the external stakeholders’ elements like bureaucratic behavior and country risk have significant influence to the barriers. From the internal stakeholders’ point of view the manufacturers’ and buyers’ drivers have significant influence on the competitiveness. Therefore, stakeholders need to take proper action to reduce the barriers and increase the drivers, as the drivers have positive influence to improve competitiveness.

This study has both theoretical and practical contributions. This study represents an important contribution to the theory by integrating two theoretical perceptions to identify factors of the RMG industry’s SC that affect the competitiveness of the RMG industry. This research study contributes to the understanding of both external and internal stakeholders of national and international perspectives in the RMG (textile and clothing) business. It combines the insights of stakeholder and resource dependence theories along with the concept of the SC in improving effectiveness. In a practical sense, this study certainly contributes to the Bangladeshi RMG industry. In accordance with the desire of the RMG manufacturers, the research has shown that some influential constructs of the RMG industry’s SC affect the competitiveness of the RMG industry. The outcome of the study is useful for various stakeholders of the Bangladeshi RMG industry sector ranging from the government to various private organizations. The applications of this study are extendable through further adaptation in other industries and various geographic contexts.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the characteristics of the ex-garment workers that have turned to self-employment either in the formal or informal sector in the wake of the termination of the multi-fibre arrangement, which led to job losses. This move has given rise to a new community of entrepreneurs in the Mauritian landscape. Hence, this paper tells a story of women empowerment to disempowerment and finally the struggle for them to get re-empowered. This study also shows that there has been a limit to which self-employment led to empowerment for these women as their incomes are low, and they remain in vulnerable positions.

The study analyses the transformation of a sample of ex-garment workers into new entrepreneurs. The analysis in this paper rests on survey data collected from 92 ex-garment female workers, who are presently self-employed in either the formal or informal sectors, in different parts of Mauritius.

The findings reveal that the self-employed women in the sample, who are also ex-garment female workers, are essentially necessity-driven entrepreneurs. Most of them have only basic primary education and seem to have no other choice than to engage either formally or informally in similar activities, given their prior knowledge and experience in the textile and clothing industries. The authors also find evidence of statistically significant differences across age, marital status and household size between those women in the informal sector compared to those engaged in the formal sector.

Resource constraints aside, this study could benefit from a larger sample cutting across many other sub-sectors. So far, the results of this study are only applicable to the specific sample studied. In terms of implications, the study finds that the relevant authorities should come up with targeted policies to help these women and address and alleviate the barriers that they face.

This study provides an insight to help explain why a large group of women have gone into self-employment in Mauritius in the past 10 years. The authors find that self-employment has provided an empowerment outlet for these women so that they can financially contribute to their household income. From the policy-making perspective, this implies that it is important for the government to support the activities of these self-employed women with conducive policies.

The study helps to advance knowledge on self-employed women in a small vulnerable island economy context. Given that the transition from being employed to unemployed and then the move to self-employment happened in a rather short span of time for these women, the contribution of this study is also to put at the forefront the industrial changes and the individual coping strategies.

This paper analyzes the effects of the expiration of the Multi Fiber Arrangement (MFA), which ended quota restrictions on US textile and apparel imports in 2005, on the sourcing of US apparel. We test if the realignment in trade following the phase out of quotas can be explained by comparative advantage and market size.

We use a gravity framework to investigate the role of comparative advantage (labor costs) and other factors such as exporter size, PTAs and tariff reductions on the pattern of US apparel imports. Detailed data on quotas by country-product pair are used for the purpose.

Our empirical results show a significant increase in imports from large quota constrained countries once the MFA ended. Moreover, the pattern of trade seems to favor low wage countries that have a comparative advantage in producing apparel, which is highly labor intensive.

The end of quotas removed a major distorting factor in US apparel trade. This study examines the role of trade theory in the changing pattern of apparel imports that followed the end of the MFA. We use a gravity framework to test the theory of comparative advantage and the role of exporter size. Previous studies on the end of the MFA and its effects, do not examine the causal factors behind the realignment of US apparel trade.

States that product life cycle theory has been applied to many industries and has proved successful in identifying future product and service strategies. Looks at how this theory can be applied to international trade especially with regard to competition in the form of low‐cost imports, by using the textile industry a case in point. Emphasizes the need to recognize the changing environment within the textile industry suggesting that businessmen should be aware of the constant process of change in order that they might survive.

The USA, one of the world's largest markets for textile products, has protected its textile and apparel industries from foreign competition since the beginning of this century. The overall effect of such protectionism has created a hostile environment for major textile/apparel exporting countries, particularly those from Asia. Reviews the impact of US protectionism and examines the strategies undertaken by the Asian countries in response to such protectionism. In particular, it is observed that these countries have begun to shift from traditional low‐cost strategies based on cheap labour to more differentiation strategies.

The international textiles and apparel trade has been one of the most contentious trade issues between the developed and developing countries. Restrictions have been imposed in terms of quota and tariffs on imports since the 1950s. In January 2005, after the phasing out of the multi fire arrangement, the quantitative restrictions will be removed, allowing for free competition between countries for market access. The biggest share of the market will be occupied by countries having a competitive advantage in terms of cost, product quality, responsiveness to market requirements and manufacturing flexibility. Developing economies in the African region which will have to adapt to new market conditions for sustained competitiveness; failing to do so will force them out of the market. This paper provides a review of the international apparel trade policies and focuses on the challenges that African economies involved in apparel exports will face in the wake of world apparel trade liberalisation.

The textile and apparel industries of certain Pacific Rim countries have posed a serious threat to their counterparts in the United States. Competition from those countries has forced the closure of major segments of the US textile and apparel industries and has placed heavy negative pressure on the United States balance of payments account. Yet, those industries remain a $50 billion giant in the US economy, provide over 2.4 million jobs at lower levels of the wage spectrum (United States Bureau of the Census, 1989), and are consequently a force to be reckoned with.

Dependence on access to European markets through subcontracting relationships with European firms has exposed subcontracting clothing and textile producers in less developed economies to the vagaries of international market competition. This paper aims to examine the problems that such exposure creates and the requirements for developing marketing activities through the concept of the alliance life cycle as a viable solution for a sample of Tunisian clothing and textile firms.

The inductive reasoning of this research was implemented through qualitative research based on a range of tools derived from a case study and a dual ethnographic approach.

The main results showed that life cycle stages of the subcontracting firms reflected Schumpeter's creation and destruction cycle of innovation. Therefore, subcontracting firms could learn from their activities with their business customers so that they developed marketing competences in innovative processes. The findings also demonstrated that some of the firms in the Tunisian clothing and textile industries were more successful than others.

This research focused mainly on subcontracting alliances with implications for future study of other alliances for different industries.

The life cycle approach could be of great interest to subcontracting managers in the post Multi Fibre Arrangement era. This approach is relevant mainly for decision makers in providing them with a framework within which they might optimise their marketing strategies and their implementations.

The research originality resides in its Schumpeterian perspective in considering business‐to‐business relationships. The value of the paper is to focus on the evolutionary aspects of relationships between contractors and subcontractors and the patterns of the marketing development within these relationships.

Garments industry is important for developing countries as well as developed countries as it contributes significantly to the employment generation and economic growth. This industry has long been regulated by consecutive international agreements such as Multi Fiber Arrangement (MFA), which is scheduled to be phased out by 2005. Thje dismantling of MFA (quota) regime seems to bring more threats to developing countries. Emerging issues related to environmental and social compliance (e.g. minimum legal wage, employee’s work life, health), technology requirements etc. have been brought into surface by the importing countries fiz. developed countries. Although it is too early to predict, the adverse effect has been felt by India since the beginning of MFA phase out. The aim of this study is to assess the understanding and responses of the garment exporters in India towards the emerging issues. Factor analysis was used in this analysis. Construct validity and sample adequacy were performed using KMO value. Six factors have emerged from the analysis. On the basis of these six factors, the perceptions of the importers in India were also analyzed and subsequently compared the same with the exporters’ perception. Under Radar Diagram the results of the difference have been analyzed.

This paper provides a statistical summary of trends and competitive structures within the European Union (EU), concerning employment, trade policy, production, imports, exports, retail structures, consumer expenditure and labour costs aross the Member States.