Apparel Industry Management

Apparel Industry Management 3(3+0)

Lesson 9 : Management Aids

Introduction

The research approach to development, quality control, and management was only in its infancy, the first co-operative research associations (the present Wool Industries Research Association and the Cotton Silk and Man-made Fibres Research Association) not having come into being until the end of the first world war. Most companies, by today's standards, were relatively small and therefore administratively fairly uncomplicated; the production and variety of man-made fibres were limited, whereas 'giants', as they were then regarded, such as the Lancashire Cotton Corporation, were a relatively new departure.

Today, new sections of the textile industry been developed and new filaments and fibres, involving new techniques, been introduced into most branches of the textile trade, not only are there entire new ranges of hitherto unknown end-products, but, additionally, there has been a vast increase in the size of some of the companies engaged. Perhaps the best illustrations of this arc that Imperial Chemical Industries, which before the Second World War had no direct-involvement in the production of textile fibres' is now estimated to have over E300M invested, and that in 1964 Courtaulds Ltd had sufficient power to acquire on a single occasion the above-mentioned Lancashire Cotton Corporation and the almost equally significant Fine Spinners and Doublers Ltd. It is apparent that such major changes in the structure of the industry involve a lengthening of the chain in the management hierarchy and, in larger firms, call for new management techniques.

A considerably wider range of responsibilities placed in fewer hands demands expert and specialist assistance over a wide range of subjects in order to ensure that quick and correct decisions are made. Direct management control, in terms of a chief executive moving continually in each part of his company, enquiring at first hand, and thereby forming judgments at first hand also, is no longer always possible and, in substitution for it, good communications and the supply of internal information and statistics are vital
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The point must be made at the outset that many of the management aids described are not necessarily essential in smaller companies, nor need they be an integral part of an organization as long as access to them externally is possible and the management is fully aware of the aids available to it. In general, there are eight major groups of management aids, and, although many more individual aids could no doubt be listed, each would, by and large, fall into one of the main groups.
The eight are as follows:

1. Statistical and cost control
2. Laboratory control
3. Operational research
4. Work study and method study
5. Scientific research and development
6. Specialized professional services
7. Official and semi-official information services
8. Communications.