Place and sense of place in local manufacturing: How local fashion and textile companies in Norway work with and through place-based tensions

Abstract

The study examines: (1) how place-based organizational tensions arise in the context of local textile and fashion manufacturing, and (2) the strategies employed to address these tensions. Based on interviews with owners and/or managers from Norwegian textile and fashion companies, the study identifies three main categories of place-based tensions: (1) Mission: Belonging vs Performing; (2) Spatial: Belonging vs Organizing; and (3) Competence: Belonging versus Learning. Moreover, the study identifies four interrelated coping strategies used by actors to tackle place-based tensions and strengthen the position of local manufacturing in the global fashion industry. The findings contribute to the existing literature by identifying the key place-based tensions linked to local manufacturing business models and the steps taken by actors to address these oppositional demands in everyday organizational practices. Additionally, the study adds nuance to our understanding of how attachment to place can support organizational change toward practicing sustainability.