Pierre-Yves Donzé/Ben Wubs , Capitalism’s Favorite Child. Global Fashion Business since 1850 , Bloomsbury Visual Arts, London et al. 2026, 286 S., 37,00 Euro (Taschenbuchausgabe)

Combining research methods from business and global history, Donzé and Wubs equip readers with a vital and expansive new analysis of the development of the global fashion industry from the mid-19th century to today. Ranging across Europe, the Americas and Asia over two centuries, Donzé and Wubs bring the work of manufacturers and designers together with trade associations, fashion forecasters and retailers to investigate the transformations of this truly global business - 'capitalism's favorite child' (Werner Sombart). New data and sources reveal unexpected threads and detail within even such well-trodden narratives as Chanel under the occupation, the Nylon revolution, and the retail strategy of United Colours of Benetton. What impact do the hidden histories of fabric trades such as cotton, wool and silk have on how we dress today? What continues to divide ‘high’ and ‘low’ fashion when low-cost production countries transition into high-income economies? How do technological changes from ‘fast fashion’ to e-commerce trace back to the industry’s beginnings – and what can students, scholars, and industry leaders learn from this history about what the future might hold? Featuring new work on unstudied areas from Swiss silk companies in East Asia to the influence of finance on modern fashion, this is the most global, long-term, and interconnected history of the industry to date. This book on the global history of the fashion industry examines its ever-altering supply chains and changing production and consumption relations and locations over the last 170 years. Around the mid-nineteenth century, a new production system arose based on a rapid increase in the exchange of commodities globally, ground-breaking technological innovations (like the sewing machine, artificial dyes, and power looms), and the introduction of mass production based on factory work and the rise in demand for finished clothing for the new city-dwellers. Modern imperialism and the rise of fashion capitals like Paris, Vienna, and London made fashion a Western middle-class and upper-class phenomenon; however, at the same time, the masses in the metropoles and colonies were demanding cheap Western-style clothes. In the twentieth century, with the rise of the middle class around the world, Western-style clothes became the dominant fashion. The main actors in the fashion industry are explored, including manufacturers, designers, intermediaries, trade associations, trade shows, fashion forecasters, and retailers. It takes fashion as a capitalistic phenomenon that mobilizes consumption and constantly changes tastes to increase sales and profits. Although the new sartorial styles were often invented on the street, it was the industry and its marketers that further developed the styles and extended the demand. This book not only examines the different forms of fashion production but also the connections between these different forms, from catwalk to street fashion and vice versa, especially the role that different actors in the fashion industry have played in this global system.

This first paper discusses and explains the extant studies on the management of innovation for global fashion and textile businesses. The discussion is deliberately broad, encompassing research on innovations from a number of academic disciplines including marketing, engineering design, technological management, information management and organization science. The purpose is to establish an understanding of the contextual aspects that fundamentally pervade the volatile global innovation activities of today. At the start, we observe the global fashion and textile businesses and attempt to make generalizations about global fashion and textile innovation process using a process-chain perspective. To explore the essence for the sustenance of competitive innovation, we review the competing innovation management paradigms in the fields of organization behavioural science, information processing and systems thinking. On these premises, we conclude with the target of better innovation process performance and more effective and intelligent methods to attain such performance. This paper continues with a discussion of two major approaches to the improvement and development of processes: (i) socio-technical systems and (ii) soft systems. These form the basis for the methodology used in this investigation. Following this, a taxonomy summary diagram is established to illustrate the range of sources in the literature on managing innovation processes in the global context. The paper concludes with a discussion of current developments and on the implications of managing innovation activities in globally dispersed businesses.

Purpose– The paper deals with counterfeiting, its problems and its effects, analyzing the case of Italy in particular. The purpose of this paper is to underline the scale of the phenomenon and its economic and social impact on the fashion industry and civil society, concentrating on the involvement of organized crime. Lastly, it offers some possible counter-strategies for detecting continual violations and ensuring it spreads no further.Design/methodology/approach– The author uses a multidisciplinary approach to the issue of counterfeiting in the fashion industry; beginning with an economic analysis of the phenomenon and examines its social implications, going deeper into the role of the consumer from a sociological point of view and, from a forensic one, the role of organized crime.Findings– Three things emerge from the analysis of the main features of the connection between counterfeiting, the fashion industry and the consequences for civil society: the size of the phenomenon, the low level of awareness in government and civil society about the seriousness of the problem, and the link with organized crime (and resulting social implications).Social implications– The main social implications of this work concern first the role of consumers, who may vary greatly in the degree of awareness they exercise when buying, and second the close connections between organized crime and the counterfeiting supply chain.Originality/value– Counterfeiting has become a global business. In Italy it has reached huge dimensions and has developed some peculiar aspects, particularly in the fashion industry: this paper brings out these economic, social and criminal aspects. In order to effectively tackle this problem, therefore, it is essential to work out both supply side and demand-side strategies and to strengthen co-operation across national borders, taking steps to control the whole supply chain as well as working to educate consumers.

The pandemic that hit the world in 2020 significantly affected global business and the fashion industry. Companies have been forced to rethink their current way of doing business, while consumers have reviewed their priorities, emerging needs and constraints, care for health, the environment, and the community. All these aspects together have shaped a slightly different global fashion market and companies' business practices, which have made great efforts to maintain their status, audience, and sales. The focus of this paper is Milan's "Fashion Week" held during 2020 and innovative technological solutions that serve to compensate for the limitations imposed by circumstances. Also, there's a few words about other (un)predictable situations such as price fluctuations, closure of production plants, overcoming safety and environmental challenges, and sustainable business.

Purpose - This study aims to elucidate the status of women as consumers and observe their consumption trends in relation to culture. Research design, data, and methodology - Past studies of women as consumers were observed and their consumer behaviors were noted. The stigma of women in society and how it has impacted the market industries were examined. Additionally, the role of culture in consumerism for women were also reviewed and elucidated. Results - The stereotypical roles that are placed in women in society are still prevalent for the marketing industry and is reflected in their businesses. Additionally, the role of culture plays a significant role in the consumer behaviors of women and thus businesses should understand its intricate differences between countries. Fashion industry is one that plays a prominent role in women’s consumerism and the impact of culture has a prominent impact on women’s consumer habits as well. Conclusions - Additional studies should be conducted to understand the consumerisms of women in the marketing industry. Businesses should also be aware of the vastly different cultural norms of various countries and tailor to their preferences. Only through a thorough examination and understanding of the consumer behavior in women will markets be able to flourish and gain solid ground in global businesses.

Purpose - This study aims to elucidate the status of women as consumers and observe their consumption trends in relation to culture. Research design, data, and methodology - Past studies of women as consumers were observed and their consumer behaviors were noted. The stigma of women in society and how it has impacted the market industries were examined. Additionally, the role of culture in consumerism for women were also reviewed and elucidated. Results - The stereotypical roles that are placed in women in society are still prevalent for the marketing industry and is reflected in their businesses. Additionally, the role of culture plays a significant role in the consumer behaviors of women and thus businesses should understand its intricate differences between countries. Fashion industry is one that plays a prominent role in women’s consumerism and the impact of culture has a prominent impact on women’s consumer habits as well. Conclusions - Additional studies should be conducted to understand the consumerisms of women in the marketing industry. Businesses should also be aware of the vastly different cultural norms of various countries and tailor to their preferences. Only through a thorough examination and understanding of the consumer behavior in women will markets be able to flourish and gain solid ground in global businesses.

Enacting future global visions such as the Belt and Road Initiative, while emerging from a pandemic and in the midst of climate emergency negotiations at COP-26, suggests a contest in the public relations domain as much as the domain of political leadership. The spread of malicious, ill-informed rumour-mongering, and disinformation on social media continues, even including former, US president, Trump. Thus, it is important to position such global futures speculations as much as imaginative art rather than exact science and move away from dominant approaches in two key literatures. Firstly, in leadership literature, and secondly in the public relations literature while acknowledging the contribution both have made to the importance of future vision. We must also distance ourselves from the view that such projections are the restricted domain of political, Professional public relations, or other leaderships and adopt new models of leadership for the digital era (Smith and Cockburn in Dynamic leadership models for global business: Enhancing digitally connected environments, IGI Global, 2013; Smith and Cockburn in Developing and leading emergence teams, Routledge, 2016; Smith and Cockburn in Global business leadership development for the fourth industrial revolution, IGI Global, 2020).

International fashion businesses deal with cross-cultures all over the world. Culture profoundly influences how an individual thinks, communicates, and behaves. It also affects the kinds of transactions they make and the way they negotiate. Cross-culture globally refers to a company's efforts and interaction with professionals that are from different cultures and backgrounds. It implies recognition of national, regional, and ethnic differences of methods and a desire to bridge their gaps.Cross-cultural communication helps in creating a concept in the fashion business, wherein different people from all over the world with various backgrounds, and how they communicate. The current scenario of cross-cultural concepts which are becoming critically important all over the world for fashion businesses. Many companies are expanding their markets by specially training their employees to handle their products with good communication skills and interact effectively with different cultures globally. Another aspect could be from diversity management in cross-cultural business challenges, for example, the fashion Industry of two different countries like the US and China experience, from the different cultures. The role of language and understanding of culture attracts the customer more appropriately and is a positive point for consumer behavior in businesses.

In recent years, supply chain management (SCM) has been developed as essential management philosopy and practice for all business operations. As with other business management principles, SCM also applies to the textile and apparel industries. All the parties or members should cooperate with its downstream customers and upstream suppliers to achieve supply chain goal. This paper was designed as an exploratory study to investigate SCM practice and to create competitive advantages in textille and garments (apparel) industries through efficient supply chain management from the perspective of business process. Current conditions of SCM practice in textille and garments industries in Bangladesh were revealed after questionnaire survey. In this study an attempt has been taken to develop a more effective supply chain for Bangladeshi RMG to enjoy competitive advantage in the global apparel business through analyzing the current supply chain and investigating the relationship among the players in the supply chain. In the conclusion recommendation has been made to exclude a party from the current SCM.

The Kenyan apparel industry has played a major role in the country's economic development; however, the sector's competitiveness has decreased due to inadequate industrial strategy and the loss of global markets resulting from the elimination of quotas in 2005. China's and other Asian countries' abilities have been able to produce quality products efficiently and at lower comparative costs has been threatening apparel manufacturers in Kenya. This paper examines how apparel firms could develop competitive advantages in both local and global markets. It uses Porter's (1998b) diamond model as a basis of analysis for interpreting competitive factors within Kenya's apparel industry. In addition to literature reviews, the paper provides an overview of Kenya's apparel sector business dynamics and its relationships with local and global markets. Conclusions are drawn based on Porter's analysis of theoretical models in relationship to Kenya's apparel industry business dynamics. Taking into account the global apparel business factors, recommendations are made on how the Kenya's apparel industry can regain business competitiveness.

Any opinions expressed in the chapters are those of the authors. Whilst Emerald makes every effort to ensure the quality and accuracy of its content, Emerald makes no representation implied or otherwise, as to the chapters' suitability and application and disclaims any warranties, express or implied, to their use.

Understanding the mechanics of brand loyalty has become crucial for businesses, especially in the garment industry, in an era of saturated markets and continual digital involvement. The term "brand loyalty" describes a customer's resolve to keep using a brand, usually shown by advocacy and repeat business. This devotion creates an emotional bond based on satisfaction, trust, and perceived worth that goes beyond product attributes or cost. The idea of brand loyalty has become more nebulous as the global fashion business undergoes rapid changes as a result of digitalization, changing consumer behavior, and more competition, particularly among younger populations. Examining how Generation Z views and uses brand loyalty provides information about how long-lasting brand-consumer relationships may be in a market that is changing quickly.

The importance of social media is evident as millions of people use it to connect with others, share content, and discuss different topics (Kaplan & Haenlein, 2010; Kim & Ko, 2010). Although it is clear that social media is powerful and ubiquitous, many fashion brands have been reluctant or unable to develop strategies and allocate resources to effectively engage with the new media. The goal of this chapter is to critically review the literature that explicitly addresses the adoption, application, and impact of social media by fashion brands. In particular, the purpose of this chapter is to provide a critical assessment of the adoption of social media amongst three well-established fashion brands in order to identify the importance of social media as a strategic marketing tool and to propose a number of alternative social media strategies for fashion brands. Such a critical assessment is necessary since, as demonstrated by the research findings, implementing these strategies will allow brands not only to survive, but also to create new competitive advantages and thrive in the new global fashion business environment.

The importance of social media is evident as millions of people use it to connect with others, share content, and discuss different topics (Kaplan & Haenlein, 2010; Kim & Ko, 2010). Although it is clear that social media is powerful and ubiquitous, many fashion brands have been reluctant or unable to develop strategies and allocate resources to effectively engage with the new media. The goal of this chapter is to critically review the literature that explicitly addresses the adoption, application, and impact of social media by fashion brands. In particular, the purpose of this chapter is to provide a critical assessment of the adoption of social media amongst three well-established fashion brands in order to identify the importance of social media as a strategic marketing tool and to propose a number of alternative social media strategies for fashion brands. Such a critical assessment is necessary since, as demonstrated by the research findings, implementing these strategies will allow brands not only to survive, but also to create new competitive advantages and thrive in the new global fashion business environment.

Economic, organizational, and environmental capabilities for business sustainability competence: Findings from case studies in the fashion business