• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.15 no.3 s.68
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• pp.461-471
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• 2007

Many Korean apparel firms have been adopting the global sourcing to enhance their competitive advantages. The purposes of this study were to identify the current status of global sourcing adopted by Korean apparel firms and to provide useful information for the other apparel firms planning the global sourcing. The questionnaire survey was conducted to 65 Korean apparel firms. The firms selected for this study were women's, men's, unisex casual wear manufacturers which made their products at offshore factories. The results show that about half of them started global sourcing before 2000. Unisex casual wear firms were already doing the global sourcing very actively and women's wear firms were followers. The major benefit of the global sourcing was the cost reduction. The firms that had made inroads into the global market find much satisfaction in global sourcing. These early adopters expected their sourcing countries as a future consumer market. The threatening elements of the global sourcing were the difficulties of quality control and labor cost rising. Cost and technical ability were considered importantly in selecting the global sourcing partners. The firms started the global sorucing before 2000 were greatly depended on offshore production. They concerned for the problems related to the global sourcing.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.751-762
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• 2002

Korean apparel industry is facing critical moment due to shortage of labor, wage increases and intensive competition among domestic manufactures. In addition, international production has been shifting to China and the other low-wage countries from established locations such as Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Global sourcing has been received considerable attention since firms can enhance their competitive advantage as well as comparative advantage by coordinating their sourcing activities global]y. This studs regarded global sourcing as one of the strategic tools to achieve competitive advantage of Korean apparel firms, and explored the current status by literature reviews and series of in-depth interviews with managers of korean apparel firms. The findings of this study were as follows: 1) Due to geographical advantage, China was the most favored nation for outsourcing for domestic markers. However, exporting firms preferred Latin America (including Mexico) to take advantage of duties, quotas and geographical proximity to the US market. 2) In selecting the global sourcing country, productivity, technical ability, local government regulation, and culture were considered important. 3) Most Korean apparel firms sources production globally, and followed by raw materials and trims. 4) Cost and quality were the most important factors in deciding subcontractors, and experience, productivity, equipment and finances were the next concerns. Academic implications and future directions were suggested based on findings.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Costume
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• v.62 no.4
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• pp.149-163
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• 2012

This study reviewed current facts on overseas manufacturing factories of garment vendors that were launched in the countries that have a great influence of the Korean Wave, and investigated the influence of Korean Wave in its sourcing area. By doing so, this study aims to present basic data in order to help fabric and garment vendors to enter into the fashion markets of different countries through a local network. For data collection and analysis, Windows SPSS 19.0 was used for frequency analysis of the facts and figures of the local manufacturing factories. In-depth interviews regarding the current facts on local manufacturing factories and the influence of Korean Wave were conducted with 16 Korean garment manufacturing factories in Vietnam and 9 in Indonesia among the overseas garment companies that were registered in the Korean Apparel Industry Association. Through the interview, it was found that new companies should investigate custom tariffs, salary level of the local employees, and infrastructure prior to launching above all. Also, as a result of analyzing competitors and competitive advantages, good treatment of local employees and a good labor environment were noted the most. As for the influence of the Korean Wave, the image of Korea was positive and favorable, but it did not directly affect the preference for Korean companies. After investigating the obstacles that prevented the entrance into local markets, it was found that the rise in the salary level was the biggest hindrance.

• Journal of Appropriate Technology
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.56-64
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• 2020

Recently, major manufacturers are focusing their efforts on securing global competitiveness through smart factory, but developing countries have many difficulties in applying smart factory due to financial and technical conditions. This study is a preliminary study on the development of an ICT-based power monitoring system applicable to developing countries. The questionnaire surveyed and analyzed workers' perceptions of smart factory in a garment manufacturing factory in developing countries, Indonesia. Before and after the installation of the power monitoring system, the survey was conducted for 126 local managers and workers, and the correlation was analyzed using SPSS. As a result of analysis, factory workers in developing countries such as Indonesia are also positively aware of the necessity of introducing smart factory technology, and it is expected that the introduction of these technologies will affect job satisfaction and improve the factory environment. In addition, the result of the survey conducted after the installation of the power monitoring system increased the job satisfaction score by 5.5% compared to before the installation, and the scores on the perception of the necessity of the power monitoring system and the positive effect of the application of the system on the factory environment were increased 13% and 5.9%, respectively. It was also confirmed that managers rather than workers and female rather than male showed positive perception for the introduction of smart factory technology. The result of this study is expected to be an important reference in the direction of development of appropriate smart factory technology applicable to developing countries and the introduction of smart factory by manufacturers operating factories in developing countries.