Patsy Perry

Conceptual framework development: CSR implementation in fashion supply chains

Purpose – This paper seeks to identify the inhibitors and drivers of CSR implementation in fashion garment manufacturing from a supply chain management perspective.Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative case study approach was adopted, using purposive sampling to select seven export garment manufacturers of varying size and business model in Sri Lanka. Primary data was collected through on‐site face‐to‐face interviews with managerial level and operational level informants within each company and through non‐participant observation within factory environments. Data analysis was conducted manually.Findings – Adopting SCM principles supports CSR implementation in supplier facilities in global fashion garment supply chains by overcoming the negative effects of retail buying practices. It also progresses supplier CSR performance beyond that which is achievable via a coercive, compliance‐based model by encouraging suppliers to be innovative and take ownership of the CSR agenda. Hence, aspects of supply cha...

Exploring the influence of national cultural context on CSR implementation

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to determine how national cultural context may be harnessed to support corporate social responsibility (CSR) implementation when sourcing fashion garments from developing country manufacturers.Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative case study approach was adopted, using purposive sampling to select seven export garment manufacturers of varying size and business model in Sri Lanka. Primary data were collected through on‐site, face‐to‐face interviews with managerial level and operational level informants within each company and through non‐participant observation within factory environments.Findings – It was found that harnessing the local cultural context can support and progress CSR implementation at the factory level: in Sri Lanka, the Buddhist philosophy provided the moral underpinning and hence facilitated supplier engagement with CSR implementation. The presence of governmental support reduces the likelihood of CSR transgressions by adding an extra level of ...

The sensory retail environment of small fashion boutiques

Purpose – The literature holds few contributions regarding the sensory environment of small, privately‐owned retail stores. Hence, this paper seeks to explore the sensory experience of patrons of a small boutique.Design/methodology/approach – The study uses photo‐elicitation to examine the experience of the sensory retail environment of patrons of a small fashion boutique in the North West of England. Participants were asked to “show me how it feels to shop here” by taking photographs to depict their sensory in‐store experiences. Follow up interviews were carried out to explore the participants’ sensory experiences and then qualitative content analysis was used to identify the typical “likes” and “dislikes” regarding aspects of the sensory environment.Findings – The findings reveal that it is not just tangible things that can affect a shoppers experience, but store traits such as smell, lighting and presence of owner‐manager can also influence a consumers experience.Research limitations/implications – B...

Fashion retailing – past, present and future

This issue of Textile Progress reviews the way that fashion retailing has developed as a result of the application of the World Wide Web and information and communications technology (ICT) by fashion-retail companies. The review therefore first considers how fashion retailing has evolved, analysing retail formats, global strategies, emerging and developing economies, and the factors that are threatening and driving growth in the fashion-retail market. The second part of the review considers the emergence of omni-channel retailing, analysing how retail has progressed and developed since the adoption of the Internet and how ICT initiatives such as mobile commerce (m-commerce), digital visualisation online, and in-store and self-service technologies have been proven to support the progression and expansion of fashion retailing. The paper concludes with recommendations on future research opportunities for gaining a better understanding of the impacts of ICT and omni-channel retailing, through which it may be possible to increase and develop knowledge and understanding of the way the sector is developing and provide fresh impetus to an already-innovative and competitive industry.

The influence of image interactivity upon user engagement when using mobile touch screens

Touch screens are a key component of consumer mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets, as well as an increasingly common self-service component of information retrieval on fixed screens and mobile devices in-store. The ubiquity of touch screens in daily life increases consumer accessibility and extended use for shopping, whilst software innovations have increased the functionality of touch screens, for example the extent to which images respond to fingertip control. This study examines how users engage with interactive visual rotation and tactile simulation features while browsing fashion clothing products on touch screen devices and thus contributes to retail touch screen research that previously focused on in-store kiosks and window displays. Findings show that three dimensions of user engagement (endurability, novelty and felt involvement) are positively influenced by both forms of manipulation. In order to examine the extent to which touch screen user engagement varies with individual preferences for an in-store experience, the paper also examines whether user engagement outcomes are mediated by an individuals need for physical touch. Findings indicate that the need for touch does not explain the variance between individuals. We conclude that touch screen technology complements the physical retail environment.

The decision-making process of luxury fashion retail buyers in Greece

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the decision-making process used by luxury fashion retail buyers in Greece in order to assess the applicability of Sheths (1981) model to the selection of brands and collections by retail buyers in luxury fashion resellers. Design/methodology/approach – The study takes an interpretive approach, utilising participant observation and semi-structured interviews with retail buyers in five luxury fashion reseller companies in Greece, which boasts the worlds highest proportion of luxury fashion consumers. Qualitative data were analysed thematically according to the theoretical constructs in Sheths (1981) model of merchandise buyer behaviour. Findings – Brand reputation, quality, appropriateness for the market and exclusive distribution were the most important criteria for supplier selection. For evaluating merchandise, the most important criteria were design, style, fashionability and quality. The most relevant influencer of decision making in supplier select...

The relationship between design and marketing in the fashion industry

This Special Issue investigates key factors in the relationship between designers and marketers in management roles. Several previous studies have investigated the nature of the relationship between marketing and design, viewing them as existing within different cultures and modes of thinking. For example, Roberts-Lombard and Holland (2011) identified key differences in approaches to working practice, in that designers in their study were innovative and creative via design, as well as non-profit-orientated, in contrast to marketers whose creativity was more profit-orientated, driven by the requirements of target customers. Similarly, Beverland and Farrelly (2011) refer to stereotypical views of designers as ‘impractical idealists’ concentrating on the shape of products and looking to the future, whereas marketers can be perceived as lacking imagination and focusing mainly on how products fit with consumer needs at the present time. As a result of their research, Beverland and Farrelly (2011) proposed that improved relations between marketers and designers via the deployment of ‘cultural intelligence’ should contribute to improvements in New Product Development (NPD). Similarly Svengren Holm and Johansson (2005) identified differences in the mindsets of designers and marketers and identified five key factors of co-operation between the two specialisms: 1) attitude towards the product 2) professional identity 3) attitudes towards corporate identity 4) relation to value creation and 5) approach to consumer and market research. Other researchers have proposed practical solutions to integrate design and marketing effectively, e.g. by locating these departments in close proximity and conducting cross-functional reviews (Leenders and Wierenga, 2002). However, previous research in this field has concentrated largely on product design, rather than fashion, with limited reference to design in relation to other aspects of the marketing mix, hence the requirement for a journal issue on this topic.

The Evolution of Luxury Fashion Retailing in China

This chapter reviews the evolution of the Chinese luxury fashion retail market over the last 25 years and the development of foreign luxury fashion retailers’ strategies in response to recent market changes. Attracted by China’s booming economy with continued double-digit growth and a growing consumer base keen on purchasing Western luxury brands as status symbols, many luxury fashion retailers entered the market and expanded rapidly. However, the recent anti-corruption crackdown, a slowing economy and devaluation of the yuan have created a volatile and challenging market. Furthermore, as consumers become more sophisticated and discerning, their preferences have changed from highly conspicuous consumption to a taste for quieter and more exclusive pieces. Adaptation of retailing and marketing strategies is necessary to take account of cultural differences and low brand awareness in the vast Chinese market. The use of flagship stores in premium locations in key cities provides luxury retailers with the means to showcase the brand as well as host PR events to educate consumers and create brand awareness. More recently, luxury retailers are building an online presence and using Chinese social media platforms to reach and engage with consumers. However, as the economic slowdown shows no signs of respite, some luxury retailers may scale back Chinese retail operations, which could provide opportunities for domestic luxury brands to carve out a market niche.

The Influence of Eco-Labelling on Ethical Consumption of Organic Cotton

Organisations are increasingly keen to communicate their efforts to address sustainability and encourage consumers to adopt sustainable behaviours. Fashion retailers have begun to acknowledge and address growing consumer concerns about the negative impact of fibre, fabric and garment production on the environment and workers. This chapter considers how sustainability, in terms of the concept of organic cotton, is communicated to and interpreted by fashion consumers as they evaluate eco-labelling during the purchase decision-making process. It begins with an overview of organic cotton farming methods, followed by a critical analysis of the literature on ethical and conscious consumption, with specific consideration of the barriers and drivers of organic cotton consumption, and how eco-labels affect consumer perceptions of environmental issues. Finally, a summary of the current presence and marketing of organic cotton in the UK fashion market is provided.

The relationship between sustainability and risk management in fashion supply chains: a systematic literature review

Fashion supply chain (FSC) research has identified two important issues of sustainability management and risk management. However, investigation of these issues is relatively sparse and has primarily been independent with little combinatory research, despite their important interrelationships. The purpose of this paper is to address that gap by critically reviewing extant literature to synthesise important sustainability risk issues in FSCs and proposing an empirical research agenda.,This paper uses a structured literature review approach and Denyer and Tranfield’s (2009) context, intervention, mechanisms and outcome (CIMO) criteria for critical analysis to enable the development of future empirical research areas.,While sustainability and risk are discussed independently in the supply chain literature, combinatory discussions are very limited, despite the interdependence of these concepts. There is little substantial research on sustainability risk in global FSCs and therefore, an empirical research agenda is proposed with the four research directions to address the gap and take forward the notion of supply chain sustainability risk management in FSCs: definition; organisation and management; influence on performance; and development of a conceptual framework.,This paper provides a critical literature review and thus lacks empirical study.,This paper highlights important issues in sustainability risk management for FSCs and presents an agenda for future empirical research.,This paper contributes by providing a combinatory synthesis of sustainability and risk management in FSC literature and an agenda for future empirical research.