Students will examine the challenges facing apparel manufacturers and retailers as they try to infiltrate new international markets. Students will assess various countries that buy and manufacture fashion and related goods throughout the world and the characteristics that distinguish them. Compliance regulations for buying and selling to various countries will be studied.

U.S., far east, eastern and Western European countries should be compared and contrasted based on technology, production capability, resources, infrastructure, government stability, duty, quota, currency fluctuations. Strength weaknesses, opportunities, and threats about doing business in those countries.

         FIT's Blackboard

         Professor Yanez' Website (This site)

 Session 1:  Introduction  (3 hours)

Introductions

Discussion of course objectives

1. Understand Thailand’s national goal to become a regional fashion center

The role of the state
The role of the private sector
The role of individuals
 

2. Identify Thailand’s strengths and weakness affecting this national priority

Economic factors
Social factors
Cultural factors
Regional (Asean) factors

3. Identify opportunities accruing to individuals involved in this plan

Artistic opportunities: Fashion Design
Entrepreneurial opportunities
Professional opportunities
Public service: politics, community action
 

4. Learn concepts, processes, and policies about international trade, global marketing, and sourcing of fashion products.

Design
Anticipating market barriers
Sourcing
Production
Logistics
Marketing
 

Group Activity

Suggested Readings:

Thailand's Textiles/Apparel Industry Outlook

Thai Textile Chief Urges Industry To become A Global Player

Can local fashion designers look beyond these shores?

Thai Exporters Should Develop Brands

Session 2:  International Marketing  (3 hours)

 Foundation Concepts:   

 Market

 Marketing

 International markets

 Global market

 Fashion Markets:  

 Clothing, a basic human need

Fashion, a basic human want

Components of a fashion market

Types of fashion markets

 Macroeconomics:    

 Stages of economic development and fashion

Today’s dilemma of apparel producing countries

Thailand as a fashion market

Case Study: “JL Designs”, a fifteen minute video documentary on a sport fashion company started at home and gradually growing by targeting specific international markets.

Group Activity

Session 3: International Marketing Research  (3 hours)

Breadth and Scope of International Marketing Research

The Research Process

Defining the Problem and Establishing Research Objectives

Problems of Availability and Use of Secondary Data

Gathering Primary Data: Quantitative and Qualitative Research

Problems of Gathering Primary Data

Multicultural Research: A Special Problem

Research on the Internet: A Growing Opportunity

Problems in Analyzing and Interpreting Research Information

Responsibility for Conducting Marketing Research

Estimating Market Demand

Communicating with Decision Makers

Group Activity

Suggested Reading:

“Developing a Global Vision through Marketing Research” in International Marketing, by Cateora and Graham. 12^th edition, 2005.

Session 4: The Trade Environment of Fashion Markets  (3 hours)

Introduction:  Markets and Regulations

The World after World War II 

Rebuilding Europe and Asia

The General Agreement on Tariffs & Trade (GATT)

The Multifiber Arrangement (1965-1994)

The World Trade Organization (WTO)

Agreement of Textiles & Clothing (ATC, 1994-2004)

China Enters WTO

The process and concerns

Bilateral safeguards (2005-2008)

Unilateral safeguards (2009-2013)

Winners and Losers  

What do U.S. and European companies want?

Can China be the only apparel producer?

Some Winners: Indonesia, Vietnam, Turkey

Some Losers:  Malaysia, Poland, Nicaragua            

Suggested Readings:

Textile Trade in the Free Quota Era

“Structures for facilitating and managing textile and apparel trade” in Textiles and Apparel in the Global Economy by Kitty Dickerson, 3^rd edition, 1998.   Part 1    Part 2   Part 3  (PDF files)

Session 5:  U.S. –Thailand Trade (3 hours)

U.S.-Thailand Trade

Partnership’s history

Trade agreements

Textiles and apparel trade

Trade patterns 

Guest Lecturer: His Honorable Scott A. Shaw, Commercial Attache, U.S. Embassy in Bangkok.  Mr. Shaw will lecture on current trade issues between the United States and Thailand. Students will be invited to ask questions.

Group Activity:  Students will identify the key points on Mr. Shaw’s presentation and summarize their impressions. A spokesperson for each group will report group’s summary to the class.

Online resources:  http://www.us-asean.org/us-thai-fta/  

Thai-US FTA: Pact must be comprehensive

U.S. Executive Talks about FTA with Thailand

Barshefsky Backs Thai-US FTA

Session 6: U.S. Market  (3 hours)

U.S. economic macro indicators

U.S.’ s Role in Fashion Markets

U.S. as a global producer

U.S. as a market

Entry to U.S. market

U.S.’s outsourcing model

Case Study: “Outsourcing: Do it with Corporate Social Responsibility”, a ten minute video documentary describing Nike’s experience with producing in foreign manufacturing companies without socially responsible codes.

Group Activity: Students will discuss the United States’ importance in Thailand’s plan to become a regional fashion hub. A spokesperson for each group will report group’s summary to the class.

Session 7: Global Sourcing  (3 hours)

Foundation Concepts            

Local supply chain

International buying

International sourcing

Integrated supply chain

The Role of Fashion Designers          

Fashion design as an art

The business side of fashion design

Fashion design and cultural clothing preferences

The role of fashion executives            

Manufacture or source

The fashion brand as an asset

The fashion company as an asset

Case Study:  “From Cowboy’s to Fashionable Pants: The Levi’s Fashion Paradigm”, a fifteen minute video documentary showing Levi’s international marketing strategies.

The Travels of a T-Shirt in the Global Economy: A Summer Reading

Thailand's Goal: Setting Fashion Trends

Outsourcing Looms Large

Session 8: Global, Regional, and Key National Markets  (3 hours)

The World as a Single Market

World population trends

World-wide brands

Key Regional Markets

European Union

NAFTA

ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA)

MERCOSUR

Key National Markets

Japan

Brazil

South Korean

China and India to be discussed in sessions 7 and 8

Emerging Markets

Eastern Europe

Middle East

Africa

Group Activity

Suggested Readings:

Thai-Japan Free Trade Agreement Almost Ready

Caution Urged Over Service-Sector FTAs

Japan in the New Era Cooperation

Session 9:  India and China (3 hours)

Focus on India as a Fashion Market

India’s macroeconomic indicators

India’s Role in Fashion Markets

India as a global producer

India as a market

Entry to Indian market

India’s outsourcing model

Focus on China as a Fashion Market

China’s macroeconomic indicators

China’s Role in Fashion Markets

China as a global producer

China as a market

Entry to Chinese markets

China and Thailand

Case Study:  “Wal-Mart and China: Mass Global Retailers”, a twenty minute video documentary describing the cost-focused model and its implications in international trade.

Group Activity

Suggested Readings:

Will Thai Apparel Companies Manufacture in China?

Running with Giants: Thai Productivity Must Catch up with China

Bilateral Trade: India Suggests FTA with Thailand

Session 10: Thailand As a Regional Fashion Hub  (3 hours)

Thailand’s economic macro indicators

Thailand’s  Role in Fashion Markets

Thailand as a global producers

Thailand as a market

Entry to Thailand’s  market

U.S.’s outsourcing model

Course conclusions

Case Study: Students will discuss the Thailand’s plan to become a regional fashion hub. A spokesperson for each group will report group’s summary to the class.

Suggested Readings:

Thailand: A Tiger Slows Down

PM to Devote Term to value Creation

Thailand Reaches 27th Place in World Competitiveness

Thai Garment-Makers Set Up Marketing Firm

Recommended Websites:

http://www.thailandfashion.net

http://www.us-asean.org/us-thai-fta/