Search results

Value is a word that is frequently used by consumers, retailers and manufacturers. Understanding how consumers define value is imperative to the success of the industry. Value has often been defined as price or quality; other factors such as time, energy, product category and type of retail outlet may determine the definition of value by consumers. The purpose of this research was to define value, specifically how department store consumers define apparel value. Value ivas examined with two apparel products, a man's dress shirt and a woman's jacket. Research was conducted using focus groups (qualitative) and in‐store data collection (quantitative). The two hypotheses were tested by using t‐tests and forward step‐wise regression. Results from the 533 department store consumers indicated that: (a) value can be defined using qualitative and quantitative methods, (b) the definition of value was different for the two product categories, men's dress shirt and women's jacket, (c) the value definition for the majority of this study's consumers was ‘I look for the highest quality with an acceptable price’, and (d) product features and marketing attributes are weighted differently, yielding three consumer value equations for the sample's department store consumers. Implications exist for fibre producers, textile mills, apparel manufacturers and retailers in the product development and marketing of ‘value’ apparel products to meet diverse core consumer groups.

This study examined the casual workplace in the context of diffusion of innovation. The innovation of the casual workplace, the wearing of casual clothing to the office, has had positive effects on most aspects of the corporate culture. Rogers' model of innovation‐decision process (1995) provided the conceptual framework for this study. Questionnaires were sent to human resource executives of US Fortune 500 companies, with 189 executives responding to the mailed survey. Respondents were categorised into one of Rogers’ (1995) adopter categories. Chi‐square goodness‐of‐fit test, chi‐square analysis and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to test H1, H2 and H3 respectively. The percentages of the companies that are categorised in each of four adopter categories in this study differed from the percentages in each of five adopter categories in Rogers' (1995) model. Human resource executives’ cognisance of the casual workplace differed on two knowledge components and two casual workplace persuasion components, relative advantage and compatibility. Because the number of Fortune 500 companies adopting casual workplace attire appears to be increasing, the need for this attire continues. Therefore, textile marketers, dry‐cleaners and retailers are challenged to provide products and services to meet consumers' casual workplace apparel needs.

Two hypotheses concerning two variables that potentially influence the “add/drop” foreign market decisions of U.S. exporters of sewing machines are developed and empirically tested. The variables are import market potential, and a surrogate measure of import market competitiveness. A third variable, concerning a developing country’s “trade regime” – Import Substituting, Export Promoting (Bhagwati, 1978) – is employed as a control variable in the tests. The two hypotheses are confirmed, and the results shed light on how U.S. exporters of sewing machines should analyze data on the three variables en route to adjusting their respective portfolios of export markets in a context of making add/drop foreign market decisions. The results of the research potentially contribute to three different literatures: the international marketing literature, the competitiveness literature and the “trade regime” literature in international economics.

Companies are pursuing niche markets to combat competitive pressures from low-cost producers of textiles and apparel. These small, customer-need centered markets provide economic competitiveness opportunities through increased market share and profitability (Parrish, 2003).

To further understand niche marketing strategies and expand the Parrish Niche Strategy Model (2003), competitive analyses are conducted using secondary data. The analyses covered companies in each sector (fiber/yarn, textile, apparel, and retail) of the supply chain.

The purpose of the analyses is to understand competitive positions and strategies of companies competing with niche products in the bottomweight market. This market is chosen because it represents a significant consumption market in the United States where domestic textile manufacturers still have a presence. The results indicate that growth rates are higher for downstream companies, although a larger number of upstream companies are privately held. Companies in all sectors of the supply chain are found to be utilizing supply chain and brand management strategies.

Due to the highly competitive nature of an increasingly global market, textile and apparel firms are being challenged to leverage and enhance their core competencies in order to maintain and potentially increase market share. A strategy being explored is increasing supply chain efficiencies with the goal of reducing costs and improving customer service levels. This research seeks to explore such supply chain strategies which are currently being used into addition to the product costing and outsourcing decision analysis. Executives within the fiber and yarn, textile, apparel and retail industries are quantitatively and qualitatively interviewed in order to examine these issues.

Results show that firms are using a blended sourcing strategy in order to minimize risk and leverage manufacturing capabilities. Quality, cost and reliability of delivery are all indicated as important in terms of sourcing criteria. The results provide insight into the decision process and a framework for increasing efficiency resulting in increased international competitiveness.

After China's accession to the WTO, different formats of retailing outlets have emerged and competition within China's apparel retail market has become keener. This paper presents a comparison research on four influential retailing outlets in the current Shanghai apparel retail market: upscale shopping centers, modern shopping malls, joint discount superstores (joint ventures with foreign retail giants), and manufacturers' wholly‐owned flagship stores (factory outlets). Corresponding to each retailing outlet, Plaza 66, Grand‐Gateway Mall, Carrefour Store in Quyang Road, and Youngor Flagship Store in Nanjing Road are studied, with an investigation of apparel brands covered by each. The results identify the four retailing outlets' characteristics, and future prospects in the Chinese apparel retail market are discussed.

To examine how companies in the maturity stage of the product life cycle can implement and maintain a successful niche market strategy to increase competitiveness in the face of new competition, with particular reference to the global textile industry.

Responsible executives in eight firms in the textile and apparel/clothing sector in the USA were interviewed face‐to‐face or by telephone, or completed an online questionnaire. The sample contains leaders in the industry.

Research results suggest that niche marketing is an effective strategy for countering price competition in a mature industry and can use a niche market strategy. They identify key success factors, the most important factor of which was found to be a thorough understanding of the targeted consumers. It is concluded that the marketing mix plays a more important part than is generally suggested in the literature, by communicating non‐price product attributes to the niche market.

The small sample limits generalization beyond the companies that participated in the study and comparable firms in the US textile and apparel/clothing industry.

This research study shows, within its limitations, that niche marketing is a promising global competitive strategy for mature industries. The study proposes practical guidelines for putting it into practice.

This study generally confirms the literature, but comes to some original further conclusions.

The purpose of this study is to examine how the textile and apparel industry can utilize a niche market strategy in order to compete with lower priced imports.

The research design used for this study was an in‐depth case study method. The sample consisted of selected companies from the fiber, textile, apparel, and auxiliary sectors who are considered leaders in the US textile and apparel industry.

Results indicated that firms can approach a niche strategy from either a market or a product perspective. Findings also indicated variables that are used by firms for both approaches. The most important factor in which a firm needs to focus is understanding the consumer.

Because of the limited sample size of US textile and apparel firms, the results can only be generalized to those companies that participated in the study and not the entire textile and apparel industry.

This research study showed that a niche strategy is a promising global competitive strategy for the textile and apparel industry that can be used to compete with lower priced imports.

This study clarifies not only how a niche market/product is defined by the industry, but also how firms can implement and maintain a successful niche strategy.

The purpose of this paper is to develop a demographic profile and to examine the types of value (social and economic) and fairness received from strategic partnerships between members of the US textile industry with their US suppliers and vendors.

Based on a theoretical Relationship Retention Model by Gassenheimer and Houston and incorporating Transactional Cost Analysis, social exchange theory and distributive justice as theoretical frameworks, a quantitative instrument measured partnership economic value, social value and fairness. Standard least squares regression analysis combined with bootstrap analysis was used in data analysis.

Results indicated that a significant relationship (p>0.0001) existed between social value and fairness. These findings refute the theoretical model, which shows both economic value and social value to be equally important to a successful partnership.

Limitations arose from adapting a theoretical model to a testable path model, a limited number of partnerships and that this survey did not involve time‐series or longitudinal research methods. Future research may include dyadic research, a longitudinal study or the scope of the survey may be broadened to the global level.

Industry can use study findings to evaluate their own strategic partnerships, while results may be taught in academia as part of a strategic planning or management course or used as a basis for further research.

This study fills a void in current research literature by: using an empirical approach to analyze strategic partnerships in the US textile industry, and testing a previously untried theoretical model.