EFFECTS OF GLOBALIZATION AND COMPETITIVENESS ON DRESSMAKERS’ FASHION DESIGNS IN ELDORET TOWN, KENYA

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to create an understanding on the influence of globalization on the dressmakers‟ competitiveness in the fashion industry in Eldoret town, Kenya. The specific objectives were; to examine the relationship between global promotion sales activities and consumer preferences in fashion designs, to assess the relationship between the global economic environment and growth in consumer patterns in fashion designs, to determine the relationship between the global political legal forces and access to new fashion designs and to examine the global technological development and diversity in fashion designs. The study was based on the Porter‟s Diamond Model of International trade. The study adopted a correlation research design and the target population was dressmakers generated from the EMC (Eldoret Municipal Council) business register, 2013. Stratification and random sampling strategies were used to select 68 respondents for the study. The instruments for data collection were questionnaires. Data collected was analyzed using inferential statistics that is correlation and regression analysis. The findings were presented in graphs and tables. The results indicate that there exists a fairly strong and positive relationship between global promotion sales activities and consumer preferences (r = 0.672; p<0.05). A positive relationship was established between global economic environment and consumer growth in fashion design patterns (r= 0.503; p<0.05). The result on the regression analysis on the relationship between global political legal forces and access to new fashion designs shows a weak positive relationship. However, a correlation on global political legal forces and access to new fashion designs gave a significant relationship (r =0.316; p<0.05). It was also established that there is a fairly strong positive relationship between global technological and equipment development and the diversity of fashion designs produced by the dressmakers (r = 0.597; p<0.05).The study concludes that the liberal trade in the global world has led to a fierce competition from the cheap second hand items from Europe, USA and China and this has greatly affected the growth of the dressmakers. The study has made a contribution on the effects of globalization on the local dressmakers. The study recommends for the dressmakers; a strong dressmakers‟ alliance be formed to articulate their demands to the government, adopt superior marketing strategies and upgrade their skills by attending vocational training. To the Kenyan government, the researcher recommends credit services to the dressmakers to help them grow and also adjust trade agreements on importation such that only what is essential is brought into the Kenyan market.