Impacts of the EC 1992 single market on international marketing activities of American interior furnishing textile manufacturers

The US textile industry has traditionally been import-impacted rather than export-oriented. Recent data reveal a significant growth in US textile and apparel exports, indicating that US manufacturers are aware of the importance of expanding internationally. Europe represents the second most important export destination for American textiles. The purpose of this research was to examine the export involvement and marketing characteristics of eight US interior furnishing textile (IFT) manufacturers who market to the EC, and to determine their perceptions of how the creation of the EC 1992 Single Market would affect their future marketing strategies and market potential. The case study method, i.e., personal interviews, was used to investigate the expectations of IFT exporters regarding the EC 1992 market potential, and investigated whether they plan to adapt their export marketing strategies to the changing regulatory and business environment in the EC 1992 Single Market. The informants were drawn from the US IFT companies participating at the Heimtextil 1993 trade show in Frankfurt, Germany. Multiple sources of evidence were used for compilation of final case study reports. Cross-case comparisons revealed that IFT manufacturers exported up to 20 percent of their total sales in 1992, and half of the respondents considered the EC as their primary export market. The firms were direct exporters, catered to wholesalers and distributors, and utilized a focus market niche strategy. Styling and price competitiveness were most commonly mentioned as firms’ competitive advantages. The EC market was viewed merely as an extension of the domestic market. An EC-wide pricing strategy was utilized, and the profit structure in the EC tended to be higher than in the US. Marketing functions in the EC were performed by agents/distributors. Trade shows and product samples were commonly utilized as promotional tools. The executives of the companies under investigation were sensitive to the changing EC external environment and optimistic about the future market potential in the EC 1992 Single market. Major adjustments of their marketing strategies in the new Europe were related to entry modes, distribution and products.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Clothing and Textiles

Department dc:contributor.department

Clothing and Textiles

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

1993

Author dc:creator

• Vida, Irena

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Language dc:language.iso

en

Dc Identifier Other

etd-04252009-040743

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/42226