Abstract
This article reports on the strategic adjustments undertaken by the larger firms of 5 European, 3 Asian Pacific, and the U.S. textile mill products companies during the 1960s and 1970s, and examines several of the underlying reasons for the gradual decline in the U.S. industry's international competitiveness. The study's basic conclusions are that the majority of the foreign textile industries view customer markets differently than the U.S. industry; that they place different emphasis on technology, production, marketing, and strategic planning; and that they have different relationships with their governments than U.S. firms do. The implications of these findings are discussed, and corporate strategy recommendations that are designed to enhance the future international competitiveness of the U.S. industry are presented.
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*Brian Toyne, the Project Director for the Textile Mill Products Industry study, is Associate Professor of International Business and Director of the Center for International Business Studies, College of Business Administration, University of South Carolina Jeffrey S Arpan is Professor of International Business and Director of the Center for Industry Policy and Strategy, College of Business Administration, University of South Carolina. Andy H. Barnett is Associate Professor of Economics, College of Business Administration Auburn University. David A Ricks is Professor of International Business, College of Business Administration, University of South Carolina. Terence A Shimp is Associate Professor of Marketing, College of Business Administration, University of South Carolina. The authors gratefully acknowledge the work of the research project's other team members. Professors J. Carl Clamp, University of South Carolina; Clarence D Rogers and Edward A Vaughn, Clemson University; Geoffrey Shepherd, Sussex University; and Joseph E Andrews University of South Carolina; Steven Woolcock, Royal Institute of International Affairs (UK); and Tran Van Tho, International Business information, K.K, Tokyo The financial support for the research was provided by the James C Self Foundation, the Bisiness Partnership Foundation, and the College of Business Administration, University of South Carolina.
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Toyne, B., Arpan, J., Barnett, A. et al. The International Competitiveness of the U.S. Textile Mill Products Industry: Corporate Strategies for the Future. J Int Bus Stud 15, 145–165 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.jibs.8490500
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.jibs.8490500