AbstractsEconomics

The garment & textile industry constitutes traditional manufacturing in South Korea. However, this industry has faced challenges that doubt its ability to perform and survive at an efficient level. The cause of these challenges contributed from the fast advances in information technologies, reductions in transportation and market deregulation which together generate what is frequently called globalization. There have been registered some negative changes âin number of job in garment & textile industry, losing competitiveness advantage as well as in production and export. These features define a new scenario where globalization has occurred one of the phenomena that better explains the current deceleration in this traditional sector in South Korea. Consequently, Korean manufacturers have to achieve world class specialization to be globally competitive therefore strategy of innovation (for high value- added subsector) and diversification is regarded to be essential in the success of facing the challenges. The study investigates the Korean garment & textile industry that even though has found consistent characteristics of declining phase but has reported the mature industry. The study includes role of the government and concludes with contributions and implications of the results. Advisors/Committee Members: Lin, Wen-cheng (chair), Teh-chang Lin (committee member), Fahn, Jiin-ming (chair).