"American textiles: Sweatshops to
body scans" The Economist, April 29th-May
5th, 2000, pp.60-61. Synopsis: The closing case in chapter 8
describes the impact of the North American Free Trade Agreement on a New
York-based textile company, Martin's Textiles. Facing tough competition
especially from overseas producers with very low prices, U.S. textile companies
like Martin's Textiles may find it essential to move to Mexico in order to
respond to the intense cost competition.
This article explains why it would be possible for U.S. textile companies to preserve a relatively healthy textile and clothing business at home without trade barriers. Technology-based competition, rapid product changes, and just-in-time manufacturing would count more than rock-bottom prices in the future's textile and clothing business. This article also explains what kinds of impact such technology as 3-D body scans may have on customers and retailers in the future's clothing industry.
Full-text Article: http://www.economist.com/tfs/library_tframeset.html Case connection: "Martin's Textiles" in Chapter 8 (pp.258-259). |