List Books » Sourcing Practices in the Apparel Industry: Implications for Garment Exporters in Commonwealth Developing Countries
Authors: Marlon Lezama, Charles Dagher, Brian Webber
ISBN-13: 9780850928099, ISBN-10: 0850928095
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Commonwealth Secretariat
Date Published: May 2005
Edition: (Non-applicable)
Sourcing practices in the global apparel industry are changing because of the removal of quotas, new trade agreements, and a drive by apparel importers to lower costs. This study addresses the implications of these changes for garment manufacturers in Commonwealth developing countries. The principal research activities behind the book consisted of face-to-face interviews in North America with top sourcing executives of apparel importing companies and senior executives of apparel manufacturing companies and other stakeholders in six Commonwealth developing countries. The findings indicate that almost without exception apparel manufacturers are struggling to lower costs and to increase productivity so as to remain competitive. Government and industry are thus faced with critical decisions on how best to support the apparel industry in their respective countries.
The principal outputs of the study are enterprise level guidelines to remain competitive in the face of evolving sourcing policies, technology, and practices, complemented by related frameworks at government and institutional levels.
1 | Introduction | 1 |
2 | Changing forces in the apparel industry | 5 |
3 | The Commonwealth and the global garment trade | 13 |
4 | Survey of sourcing practices | 27 |
5 | The apparel industry business environment in selected Commonwealth developing countries | 65 |
6 | Production and costing issues in selected Commonwealth developing countries | 111 |
7 | Up-grading initiatives and lessons learned | 131 |
8 | Strengthening the apparel industry in Commonwealth developing countries | 149 |
9 | Conclusions | 187 |