Pacific Rim scholars look at globalization's impact on international economics.

Sourcing practices in the global apparel industry are changing because of the removal of quotas, new trade agreements, and a drive by apparel importers to lower costs. This study addresses the implications of these changes for garment manufacturers in Commonwealth developing countries. The principal research activities behind the book consisted of face-to-face interviews in North America with top sourcing executives of apparel importing companies and senior executives of apparel manufacturing companies and other stakeholders in six Commonwealth developing countries. The findings indicate that almost without exception apparel manufacturers are struggling to lower costs and to increase productivity so as to remain competitive. Government and industry are thus faced with critical decisions on how best to support the apparel industry in their respective countries. The principal outputs of the study are enterprise level guidelines to remain competitive in the face of evolving sourcing policies, technology, and practices, complemented by related frameworks at government and institutional levels.

From sweatshops to fur farming, from polluting chemicals to painful garments, the fashion industry is associated with activities which have had devastating effects on workers, consumers, and the natural world. This ground-breaking volume provides a framework for examining the ethical, social, and environmental dangers that arise as fashion products are designed, manufactured, distributed, and sold within retail outlets, before being consumed and disposed of. Encompassing the cultural, psychological, and physiological aspects of fashion, it offers a comprehensive exploration of the hazards of a global industry. Drawing together an international team of leading textile and apparel experts, The Dangers of Fashion presents original perspectives on a wide range of topics from piracy and counterfeiting to human trafficking; from the effects of globalization on local industry to the peer pressure that governs contemporary ideals of beauty. Rooted in research into industry and consumer practices, it discusses innovative solutions-both potential and existing-to fashion's dangers and moral dilemmas from the viewpoint of individuals, companies, societies, and the global community.

How NAFTA has reshaped the production of clothing in North America.

This volume addresses many of the complex issues raised by North American integration through the lens of one of the largest and most global industries in the region: textiles and apparel. In part, this is a story of winners and losers in the globalization process, especially if one focuses on jobs lost and jobs gained in different countries and communities within North America, defined here as: Canada, the United States, Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean. However, it would be a mistake to view the industry solely in these zerosum terms. The North American apparel industry is an excellent illustration of larger trends in the global economy, in which regional divisions of labor appear to be one of the most stable and effective responses to globalization.The contributors to this volume are an international and interdisciplinary group of scholars who have all done detailed fieldwork at the firm and factory levels in one or more countries of North America. Taken together the essays offer theoretical and methodological innovations built around the intersection of the global commodity chains and industrial districts literatures, as well as innovative approaches to studying the impact of cross-national, interfirm networks in terms of production and trade issues, and local development outcomes for workers and communities.

Analyzes the major effects of the North American Free Trade agreement (NAFTA) on the U.S. economy and the federal budget. Graphs and tables.

Provides an overview of the clothing industry in North America and explores the impact of international trade and trade agreements. Examines key labour standards in each country and describes the campaign against illegal sweatshops in the USA. Based on a survey of companies with advanced workplace practices, investigates how these firms are progressing in a competitive industry without resorting to exploitative workplace practices. Looks at public and private sector partnerships in the industry.

This informative book brings a fresh perspective to the continuing debate about globalization and regionalization in the global political economy and the ways in which state policy, in both developed and developing countries, shapes the patterns of economic integration and competitiveness among participating countries and firms. Focusing on the United States and the Caribbean, the book traces the advent and subsequent growth of production sharing between outsourcing textile, apparel firms and assembly operations located in specially designated export processing zones. This case study allows a number of broad conclusions to be reached regarding the political economy of production sharing that will inform the work of those in the fields of international and comparative political economy, development studies and business and management.