A Qualitative Study of Offshore Outsourcing by Korean Clothing Companies

국내 의류업체의 해외소싱에 대한 질적 연구

This study assumes that Korea's offshore outsourcing is used for diverse purposes such as designing, the supply of raw and subsidiary materials, production, and manufacturing. The purpose for production exists in the beginning stages of development, because it would have grown in scope since the 1990s when offshore outsourcing began in earnest. In this study, in-depth interviews were conducted with 24 firms with an annual production capacity of more than 200,000 pieces among clothing brands for the domestic market, clothing exporters, and promotion agencies. The interviews took place from December 18, 2008 to January 30, 2009. The interviewees were limited to the officers who had the authority to select manufacturers and decide on production volumes. Responses from the in-depth interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed. The study results are summarized as follows: First, Korean clothing companies were found to rely on offshore outsourcing (China, North Korea, Vietnam, and Indonesia). Second, offshore outsourcing focused on the purposes for production; however, even fabrics were often outsourced in the case of production in China. Third, the interviewed firms mentioned cost savings, production cost reduction, and labor cost reduction most frequently as the main reasons for offshore outsourcing. Fourth, customs duties were considered most important in offshore outsourcing. Finally, when deciding on foreign manufacturers for offshore outsourcing, the surveyed clothing companies were found to: select manufacturers after market research in their outsourced countries, maintain existing contracts, or consider design capabilities and price quotations of candidate manufacturers.