Rita C. Kean

Predictors of Family Business Tensions and Goal Achievement

The purpose of this study is to investigate predictors of business tensions and family and business goal achievement within family businesses. Household managers identified higher business tensions and higher goal achievement levels than did business managers. A family health assessment (APGAR) was the highest predictor of business tensions for both household and business managers. Total business tensions was the most significant predictor of business goal achievement for both business and household managers, and family health (APGAR) was the largest contributor to family goal achievement for both managers.

Assessment of Textiles and Clothing Academic Programs in the United States

This study provides information to academic units about textiles and clothing programs in higher education, and will serve faculty reshaping the academic future of programs With baseline information, academic units could use comparison data during strategic management processes. Administrators of academic units with four-year textiles and clothing programs were mailed a questionnaire soliciting characteristics of the unit and the faculty, curricular elements currently included in the program, competencies and future directions. Questionnaires from 143 units (78% return) met the inclusion criterion of an academic major in textiles and clothing. Over 77% of the 16,000 undergraduate students majored in RetailinglMerchandising; 13% were Fashion/Apparel Design majors and only 9% were Textiles, Apparel, Clothing, General majors. Seven curricular elements were identified as common in textiles and clothing programs: Beginning Textiles, Color and Design Principles, Socio-psychological Aspects of Clothing, History of Clothing, Cultural Aspects of Dress, Merchandise Operations and Fashion Theory. As undergraduate enrollment increases, the number of curricular elements in programs increase. A critical mass of students, and resources that accompany student numbers, may determine breadth of offerings. Presence or absence of a graduate program influences undergraduate curriculum. Increased numbers of faculty contribute to expectations relative to student outcomes. Respondents indicated significant additions to curricular elements in the future, even when considering the probability of decreased resources.

The Role of the Fashion System in Fashion Change: A Response to the Kaiser, Nagasawa and Hutton Model

This paper, written in response to the model of fashion change proposed by Kaiser, Nagasawa and Hutton, suggests that industry is the more powerful change agent in the fashion system than the consumer. Technology and globalization of markets have contributed to the homogeneity of consumer goods in the global marketplace, leaving the consumer limited choice. A conceptual model is used to illustrate the interaction between the role of technology in distribution and fashion change.

Factors Affecting the Financial Viability of Rural Retail Businesse

Rural retail businesses have been particularly hard-hit by the economic restructuring occurring inrural areas. Small-town businesses typically have been capturing a declining share of what too oftenhas been a shrinking market. Maintaining the viability of the rural retail sector is very important torural communities and their residents. This paper presents results of a study of financial characteristicsand performance of rural retail businesses in twelve states. Financial characteristicsexamined include total assets, debt, net worth, sales volume, net profit, return on assets, and returnon equity.

Perceived Importance of Selected Skills to a . Group of Discount Store Buyers

Attention towards continuing professional development has been cited as a means of improving motivation and performance of retail store buyers. This study assessed the perceived importance of selected skills to a group of discount store buyers, using education, experience and store volume as variables. Opportunities for skill development by their employers were also examined. Fifty-seven buyers (41 %) from discount chain stores within the United States responded to a mailed questionnaire. Most were 3 1 to 45 years old, had attended college, had seven to fifteen years experience, and were employed by retail organizations whose sales volume was between

Operational planning and competitive strategies of male and female retailers

1,000,000.00 and

Assessment of Textiles and Clothing Academic Programs in the United States Part II Unit Characteristics and Faculty

500,000,000.00. Results indicated even though the discount store buyers felt the use and development of selected skills highly important, minimal opportunity existed within the retail organization for skill development. Recommendations were made to stores to implement more training opportunities in order to provide development of skills the buyers deemed important.

Using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator to Assess Student Needs

Interest in the managerial practices of females in business has increased over the past decade due to womens increased representation in business. Anecdotal evidence has suggested that women approach decision making differently from men. The purpose of this study is to determine if gender differences regarding managerial strategies exist in the retail setting. Targeted managerial strategies focused on short-term planning processes (personnel, financial, inventory and market planning) and competitive strategies in operation (differentiation, cost leadership and focus). In a sample of 459 retailers from a twelve-state region, MANOVA was used to determine if significant differences in managerial strategies existed between genders. The data on retail competitive strategies suggest that men and women more likely than male business owners to recognize in the importance of differentiation and focus as retail competitive strategies in their business operations. Gender differences were also found in the operation...

Orientations Toward Home Sewing

This project sought to establish baseline data about textiles and clothing in higher education settings. All academic units with four-year programs were included in the population. Characteristics of the unit, curricula and faculty were obtained through a 1991-92 mail survey (78% response-see Volume 13 #3 for a description of the sample and research methods). There are 51 (36%) Category I (doctoral level), 56 (39%) Category IIA (comprehensive) and 24 (17%) Category IIB (general baccalaureate) institutions offering programs in textiles and clothing. The numbers of faculty yet to complete the terminal degree, the proportion of faculty who completed the highest degree held within the last decade, the number of untenured doctoral degree holders, the observation that almost half (48%) of all faculty had been appointed within the last decade and that close to four out of five had been promoted to the current rank within the last decade, and that approximately half of the faculty have yet to earn tenure, established an issue of concern. ITAA should make an ongoing commitment to professional development of the membership. A productivity index was calculated for each textiles and clothing program based on numbers of journal articles, theses and dissertations each year per FTE faculty. In descending order, the most productive were: (1) Tennessee, (2) Cornell, (3) Ohio State, (4) Oregon State, (5) Nebraska, (6) Missouri, (7) Illinois, (8) Oklahoma State, (9) Iowa State, and (10) Louisiana State.

Unit Administrators’ Perceived Importance of Faculty Outcomes, and Potential Effect on Productivity

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) estimates basic preferences in perception (information gathering) and judgment (decision making). Using a tool such as the MBTI is helpful in obtaining a profile of students attracted to textiles, clothing and design programs in terms of developing appropriate instructional strategies. The MBTI was administered to a sample of 222 students enrolled in a Midwestern university, of whom 115 were textiles, clothing and design (TCD) students, and 107 were agronomy students. TCD students were predominantly Intuitive-Feeling types as compared to the majority of agronomy students who were Sensing-Thinking. Implications were that the TCD students already possess potential for refining and developing strong interpersonal and communication skills, but may need to be shown the value ofdeveloping analytical approaches to problem solving.