Exploration of Communication Processes Related to Pre-Production for Apparel Companies
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The first national meeting of textile and clothing professors took place in Madison, Wisconsin in June 1959. With a mission to advance excellence in education, scholarship and innovation, and their global applications, the International Textile and Apparel Association (ITAA) is a professional and educational association of scholars, educators, and students in the textile, apparel, and merchandising disciplines in higher education.
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Abstract
Communication is one of the most cited challenges within the product development process (PDP). The purpose of this study was to expand upon the previous literature on communication throughout the PDP by investigating the challenges and successes related to the document package and other communication tools used by both large and small apparel product development firms. The researchers employed a qualitative, grounded theory approach, where theory emerges from the data, and conducted in-depth interviews with 20 apparel product development professionals. Based on analysis of data, four key themes emerged: (a) the outcomes of the apparel product development process are similar, yet vary depending upon company size and type (b) the business size impacts the type of communication tools used, (c) all companies use a document package, and it varies based on company size and product, and (d) communication is the most common challenge throughout the process.