• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.126-137
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• 2010

This study examines the effects of trust and commitment on firm performance in the apparel manufacturer-contractor relationships. A total of 92 apparel manufactures participated in the study. Factor analysis, Cronbach's alpha coefficient, and multiple regression analysis were conducted for the statistical analysis. Two factors of trust were identified: credibility and benevolence. Two factors of commitment were identified: affective commitment and calculative commitment. Three factors of firm performance were identified: customer service performance, finance performance, and product performance. The credibility of the apparel manufacture in a contractor had a significant positive effect on the affective commitment of an apparel manufacturer and on the calculative commitment in a contractor. Meanwhile, the benevolence of the apparel manufacture on a contractor had a significant positive effect on the affective commitment of an apparel manufacturer on a contractor. The credibility of the apparel manufacture on a contractor was positively related to customer service performance, finance performance, and product performance. The benevolence of the apparel manufacture on a contractor was positively related to customer service performance and finance performance of an apparel manufacture. The affective commitment of the apparel manufacture in a contractor was positively related to service performance. The calculative commitment of the apparel manufacture on a contractor was positively related to finance performance and to the product performance of an apparel manufacture. The results of this study provides practical guidelines toward exchange partners of apparel manufacturers as to how to facilitate from performance in apparel manufacturer-contractor relationships.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.280-290
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• 2010

This study identifies the antecedents of trust in the examination of the effects of the antecedents of trust on trust in apparel manufacturer-contractor relationships. A total of 92 apparel manufactures participated in this study. A factor analysis, Cronbach's alpha coefficient, and multiple regression analysis were conducted for the statistical analysis. Five antecedents of trust were classified: flexibility, opportunistic behavior, communication, specific investment, reputation. Two factors of trust were identified: credibility and benevolence. Flexibility, communication, and reputation of a contractor positively influenced the credibility of an apparel manufacture in a contractor. Flexibility, communication, and specific investment of a contractor positively relate to the benevolence of an apparel manufacture in a contractor. However, the opportunistic behavior of a contractor did not relate to either the credibility of an apparel manufacture or the benevolence in a contractor. The results of this study provide empirical evidence of the impact of flexibility, communication, specific investment, reputation on trust in apparel manufacturer-contractor relationships, and additional insight for selecting contractors that seek to improve trust in apparel manufacturer-contractor relationships.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.19-34
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• 1997

The goals of this study are to suggest the guidance for automated clothing manufacture by analysis the technology of the automated manufacturing facilities and to propose how improve the efficiency of the production planning and management for automated clothing manufacture In this study, the research about the automated clothing manufacturing machines and the analysis about the modules and functions of apparel information systems were performed. In order to understand the factory automation of the larger clothing firms, the case study method was used. The case study samples were 3 clothing firms. The results and suggestions are as follows: 1. An information technology for automated clothing manufacture has enabled the computer integrated manufacturing system to connect production planning and management part with each work station on the factory floor. 2. The apparel information system to integrate and manage manufacturing informations from each workstation and the apparel CAD system are used in the department of production planning. At the cutting room, there are automated manufacturing machines like an automatic spreading system and an automatic cutting system. Sewing room has the computer controlled unit production system and semi-automated sewing machines. In addition, in the finishing room, an automatic packing machine and a press system are used and besides a warehousing system has been developed. Considering these available technology, for better product efficiency, it is necessary to consider and utilize the specific character of these automatic manufacturing machines and computer system whether they proper to each product style. 3. Most of the clothing manufacturers are in the stage of semi-automated manufacture. In order to improve the manufacturing environment, it is needed to gradual procedure of manufacturing automation with considering the firm's financial condition, existing facilities and staffs operating machines. The case study sample firms are in the high degree of manufacturing automation. They can accomplish the flexible manufacturing system to link the information system with each work station menufacturing system by computerized control. For the case of the firm having already used the computer integrated manufacturing and managing system, it is necessary that the function to deal with drawing information is added to the retaining module of the apparel system.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.34 no.7
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• pp.1087-1099
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• 2010

This study explores the retail environment factors of the changes mentioned in the "Factors and Directions of the Change of the Apparel Retail Structure in Korea" (Part I) to understand the changes in apparel retail institutions. This study was done through a literature research method and the results are as follows. First, changing consumer needs and trends require extensive new products, a method to manufacture diverse products according to the market demand, and the necessity to manufacture based on trends in demand. This limits the role of mass production, which brought about more flexible manufacturing modes, scaled down manufacturing factories, promoted more cooperative subcontract relationships, and increased global sourcing which uses other companies at the most appropriate global venue. How to organize and use cooperative networks that benefit companies is the key to global competitiveness in the new era and the information technology developed around retail shops plays a key role. Consequently, the management of consumers and their information becomes critical and retail distribution functions become a key corporate function. In addition, it is difficult for small shops to introduce effective new technologies that encourage the growth of large companies. Second, apparel companies that use to benefit from scale merits based on the previous mass production system are now becoming effective by using economies of scale through mass retailing while shops are enlarging their sizes as a way to survive. On the other hand, inexpensive clothes become even more inexpensive while expensive ones become even more expensive, promoting polarization and diverse price ranges that widen consumer options.

• The International Journal of Costume Culture
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.93-100
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• 2010

The business strategies of small to medium enterprises (SMEs), especially in relation to the Japanese apparel wholesaler and apparel manufacture markets, have been undertaken by Urakami and his colleagues (Komiya et al., 2009; Urakami et al., 2009; Urakami & Wu 2010). The aim now is to investigate the changing business climate of apparel products in Asia, now that China seems to a major player of apparel products in the Asian region. The production of apparel products from China has resulted in a major shift of the business environment. Such products have now invaded import markets throughout the world economies. Such a drastic change in the business environment impacts the structure of distribution channels in competing economies, affecting both wholesalers and manufactures. This research focuses on the effects this has had on the Japanese distribution channels. The findings derived from our previous research are highlighted, together with several planned hypotheses that require testing, in order to build a clearer understanding of apparel manufacturing in the Asian region.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.18-33
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• 2005

The purposes of this study were to investigate the difference of the SCM activities in the general characteristics of fashion enterprises and to inquire out the general characteristics affecting the introduction of SCM. The characteristics of apparel manufactures were also compared through the cluster analysis of the SCM activity levels of apparel manufactures. Through questionnaire survey, a total af 214 data - 123 from 64 apparel manufacturers, 46 from 40 fabric suppliers and 45 from 4 retailers - were used for analysis. The analysis on the relation between the SCM activity levels and the general characteristics of fashion enterprises showed that the SCM activities were affected by product assortment pattern and SCM introduction level for fabric suppliers, production method, product assortment pattern, business type and SCM introduction level for apparel manufacturers, and SCM introduction level for retailers. The cluster characteristics related to the SCM activity levels of apparel manufacturers showed that the clusters with higher level were tending to doing business internationally and trying to manufacture in a small lot in variety. The higher level clusters also revealed relatively low in the occupation ratio of fashion goods and high in quick response ratio compared to the lower level clusters.

• The International Journal of Costume Culture
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.71-79
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• 1999

The purposes of this study were to 1) identify types and usage levels of production 2) classify apparel manufacturers based on production systems and 3) investigate relationship between characteristics of apparel manufacturers and production system. Apparel manufacturer's characteristics included product line and the number of employees. For this study, the questionnaires were administered to 215 apparel manufacturers in metropolitan area from Feb. to Mar. 1998. Employing a sample of 201, data were analyzed by using factor analysis, descriptive statistics, cluster analysis, discriminant analysis, and multivariate analysis of variance(MANOVA). The following are the results or this study : 1. The production system was identified as three types of production system such as the management centered system, the product centered system and the worker centered system. 2. Based on the three types of the production system, apparel manufacturer were classified into manager centered and product centered groups. 3. With respect to product line, men's wear manufactures were operated the most frequently by manager centered and product centered groups. 3. With respect to product line, men's wear manufacturers were operated the most frequently by management centered system and women's wear manufacturers were operated the most frequently by worker centered system. With respect to the number of employees, apparel manufacturers comprising 5∼19 employees were performed the least frequently worker centered system, while those comprising 50∼99 and 100∼299 employees the least frequently worker centered system.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.30-39
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• 2000

The purpose of this study were to 1) identify types and levels of production environments, 2) classify apparel manufacturers based on production environments and 3) investigate relationship between characteristics of apparel manufacturers and production environment. Apparel manufacturer's characteristics included product line and the number of employees. For this study, the questionnaires were administered to 215 apparel manufacturers in seoul and Kyung-gi region from Feb. to Mar. 1998. Employing a sample of 201, data were analyzed by factor analysis, descriptive statistics, cluster analysis, cluster analysis, discriminant Analysis, and multivariate analysis of variance. The following are the results of this study : 1. The production environment was identified as three types such as complexity of product environment, uncertainty of demand/supply environment and uncertainty of worker environment. 2. Based on three types of the production environment, apparel manufacturers were classified into stable group, uncertain group and complicated group. 3. With respect to product line, men's wear manufacturers were lied the most high complexity of product environment, casual wear and knit wear were lied the most frequently uncertainty of worker environment. With respect to the number employees, apparel manufacturers comprising 50∼99 employees were lied the most high complexity of product environment, while those comprising 100∼299 employees the most high demand/supply environment.

• The International Journal of Costume Culture
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.235-245
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• 2000

The purposes of this study were 1) to investigate usage level of production strategies based on group of production environment, 2) to investigate usage level of production systems based on group of production strategy, and 3) to analyze each of company performance based on group of production strategy and system. For this study, the questionnaires were administered to 215 apparel manufactures in metropolitan area from Feb. to Mar. 1998. Employing a sample of 201, data were analyzed by factor analysis, descriptive statistics, cluster analysis, discriminant analysis, and multivariate analysis of variance. The following are the results of this study. 1. Concerning production strategy due to group of production environment, the stable group and the complicated group prefer to rice/quality centered strategy but the level of usage for strategies is so pretty that it is not significant to carry out them. 2. Concerning production system due to group of production strategy, the workers centered group is occupied high in the price/quality centered group & the complex group. And also the product centered system is occupied high in the flexibility centered group. 3. Concerning company performance due to group of production strategy and system, the price/quality centered group holds low position of performance comparing to another groups. And the performance of the managers centered group is higher than that of the workers.

• Journal of Fashion Business
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.46-55
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• 1998

The purpose of this study is to constitute the historical connection of apparel industry by investigation on development and upbringing policy of our apparel industry. Because of the administrative idea of Chosun period is Confucian idea and feudal class system based on the Confucianism, the agricultural industry is the most important one, and developed the economic thinking system that agricultural industry is the foundation of clothes and food industry. In the clothing manufacture of Chosun period, a garment which used in the royal household selected manual industry form by government establishment, but a garment which used in the people selected manual industry form of private. The commerce of Chosun period is based on the official commerce (Sijeon) connected with the official system of state and the private commerce is operated by private trader. Among the item which was traded on the market in this times, the cloting item is the important trade item second only to the grain, and was dealed with every market in the country.