外文翻译-文献-Trade-liberalization-strategic-adjustment-

外文文献：TradeliberalizationandpatternsofstrategicadjustmentintheUStextilesandclothingindustryBelaySeyoumU.S.A.InternationalBusinessReview，Issue16,2007BelaySeyoumNovaSoutheasternUniversity,3301CollegeAvenue,Ft.Lauderdale,FL33314,USAReceived2December2005;receivedinrevisedform17April2006,11October2006,23November2006;accepted13December2006.TheoverallenvironmentfacingtheUSTCindustrywillbeoneofrapidlychangingmarketconditionsandtechnologicalinnovation.Withthephaseoutofquotasandgrowingnumberoftradeagreements,theUSTCindustryisbeingexposedtointensecompetitioninexportanddomesticmarkets.Thisislikelytoleaddomesticindustries/labortodemandinterventionbynationalgovernmentstomitigatetheadverseimpactoftradeliberalization(Standbury&Vertinksy,2004).Inspiteofthesubstantialjoblosses,theUSTCindustryremainstechnologicallyadvancedpartlyduetoincreasedproductivityresultingfromadvancesintechnologyanddesigncapabilities.Textileproductioniscapitalintensiveandmoderntechnologyisessentialtomeettheincreasingforhigh-qualityproducts.Overthelastfewyears,UStextilesandapparelfirmshavesubstantiallyincreasedtheirinvestmenttomaintainmodernmanufacturingfacilitiesaswellasimproveproductionandmarketingcapabilitiesinordertomaximizetheirinherentadvantagestomarketproximity.Inapparel,lowskillproductionjobshavemovedtolow-costlocationsoffshorewhilethemoreskilledoneshavebeenretained.Tosuccessfullyadapttothenewenvironment,USTCindustriesneedtocapitalizeontheirsourcesofcompetitiveadvantage.Theyneedtodevelopamoreflexibleoperationalarrangement,meethighstandardsinproductinnovationandgenerallydevelopamorechange-seekingbusinessculture(Kilduff,2005).AnimportantsurvivaltoolforUSTCfirmsistoexpandtheirpotentialmarketbyofferingnewproductdesignsandproductcategories.Manufacturersmusttrytobringasteadystreamofproductstomarketthatareinlinewiththetaste,preferencesoftheconsumer.Theycanalsoexpandtheirmarketpotentialbyofferingnewproductcategories.TwoofthefastestgrowingapparelsegmentsintheUS,forexample,havebeenthewomen’splusandmen’sbigandtallsegments(Driscoll,2004).Plus-sizeapparelmarketingwasestimatedat$47billionin2005accountingfor20%oftotalapparelmarket.Itisimportanttoidentifythefirm’stargetcustomersandassesswhetherthefirmissuccessfullyaddressingtheirneeds.USTCfirmsshouldtargetanarrowsegmentofthemarketthatprovidesthebestopportunityforsuccess.Intextiles,thefocusshouldbeonafewspecializedsegmentssuchascarpets,nonwovensandtechnicaltextiles.Similarly,apparelproducersshouldincreasetheirfocusoncoreproducts,reduceverticalintegrationtoshedoverheadcosts,andestablishallianceswithotherfirmstoconsolidateresourcesandincreasemarketshare.Finally,inviewofrisingincomesandhighgrowthratesinmanydevelopingcountriessuchasChina,Brazil,andIndia,therearepotentialexportmarketopportunitiesforUStextileandapparelproducts.USexportinterestsmaybeservedbyseekingimprovedaccesstotheretaildistributionsystemsofdevelopingcountries.UStextilefirmsshouldalsobeabletouseMexicotoexporttotheEuropeanUnionandothercountries,takingadvantageoftheMexico-EUtradeagreement.SincetheconclusionofNAFTA,anumberofAsianandEuropeanfirmshaveproducedcertainproductsinMexicoinordertoexporttotheUSmarket.Thispapersuggestsademandpullmodelasabasisfordevelopinganetworkstructureintheclothingindustry.Inademandpullmodel,consumerdemandisthedriverofsalesunlikethesupplypushmodelwherebythemanufacturerpushesgoodstotheretailerregardlessofconsumerdemand.Retailcompanieshavebecomepowerfulduetotheirsufficientcapitalandmarketingexpertisetobuildloyaltyamongconsumers.Theyaretheleadfirminviewoftheircentralroleintheorganizationalnetwork.Theleadclothingretailerintegratesindustrialcapabilitiessuchassourcingoftextiles,design,productbrandinganditsrelationswithconsumersenablesittokeepabreastoffashionconsumptiontrends.Theleadfirmconveysitsrequirementstothesechangingtrends(changesinstyle,materialrequirements)toitssuppliersorsubcontractors(Table7).Italsoprovidesassistancewiththepurchasingofcapitalequipmentandtechnologynecessarytoproduceapparelinaccordancewithmarketdemand.Thefragmentedwebsofsuppliersandsubcontractorsareboundtogetherthroughinformationtechnology,onlinedatasharing,jointproductdevelopment,andcollaborativeforecasting,planningandreplenishmentactivities.Retailerswillholdlessinventoryasshipmentsbecomesmallerandmorefrequentsincepointofsaledataisdirectlytransmittedtothemanufacturer/supplierwhowillproduceandshipgarmentsasitisneeded.Thismodelshowstheroleoftheretailerasanintermediaryintegratingthefunctionsofdesign,textilesourcing,brandingandasfacilitatorofapparelproductionthroughawebofsuppliers/subcontractors.Suchrestructuringthroughtechnologicalimprovementsandinformationtechnologyisonemeansofsucceedinginanincreasinglycompetitiveenvironment.Thehorizontallystructured,massproductionmethodsnolongerensurefuturecompetitiveness.Thelion’sshareofthebenefitsfromquotaeliminationisexpectedtoaccruetoChina.Itslowlaborcost,highproductivity,rangeandflexibilityofservicesaswellasefficientsuppliernetworkswillmakeChinathesupplierofchoice.About87%ofapparelexecutivesthatparticipatedinacottonsourci