New product development by a textile and apparel manufacturer: a case study from Taiwan

Textile and apparel manufacturers face severe competition in an increasingly globalized economy and a decline in the industry as the nation becomes economically mature. Therefore, understanding how a textile and apparel manufacturer maintains its competitive advantages in the global industry has become crucial. New product development (NPD) has been adopted by numerous businesses as a factor in their competitiveness. Most NPD studies in the textile and apparel sectors have been conducted in Europe and, or, the USA. This paper presents an in-depth case study of a selected Taiwanese textile and apparel manufacturer located in Asia Pacific, a highly competitive region, and examines how its NPD has been developed to maintain its competitive advantage. A twofold NPD is shown as the key to achieve various competitive advantages: flexibility, relationship building, and strategic repositioning of its services to key customers.