Phases 3 & 4: Qualitative Data Collection and Analysis

The first part of the qualitative interviews comprised aspects of the Theory of the Firm, focused on current success factors compared with those 20 years ago. The next questions related to the importance to the Company of knowledge and skills, data, production efficiency, corporate planning and the brand. Seven questions, operationalized through 23 sub questions are included in the questionnaire; these are recorded in table 5.

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Table 5: Derivation of Questions from Literature Review Concept

Question Question Relevant Literature 1a Which of the factors mentioned were

of decisive importance 20 years ago? Please state the three most important success factors and provide the reasons, why each of these factors is less relevant to success today.

Factors mentioned in traditional theories of the firm, classical, neoclassical, resource and market based views of the firm: profit maximisation, pricing, quantity to cost, market size and conditions, for instance

Technology, globalisation time to market

1b How relevant was production optimisation to success 20 years ago? Why is it different today?

Deterministic theories, strategic management approach, internal focus such as resource based view – firm size a key factor

Technological change, changing consumer demands

1c How relevant were the knowledge and skills acquired 20 years to success and what is their current relevance? Why is it different today?

Resource and Knowledge based views of firm, internal competences and skills and capacity to acquire knowledge from outside – strategic planning and relevant models.

Technological advances, knowledge age rather than manufacturing age, huge amounts of data

1d How relevant were data and information to success 20 years ago? Why is it different today?

Limited knowledge inferred by various theories of firm and strategic management approaches Effects of digitisation, globalisation, consumer demands

1e How relevant was production planning to success 20 years ago and how relevant is it today? Why is it different today?

Internal focus, strategic planning based on market/resource based view ( 2 collections a year)

Technological advance – fast communication, globalisation/intense competition, Consumer expectations of continuous change

1f How relevant was sales planning to success 20 years ago and how important is it today? Why is it different today?

Classical/traditional theories of the firm based on forward planning, cost reduction, managerial competence product led marketing, limited consumer knowledge. Global competition, consumer led demand, instant communication, continuous change 1g How relevant was total corporate

planning to success 20 years ago and how critical is it today? Why is it different today?

Strategic planning theories and business models employed, market positioning considered important. Models based on manufacturing competences and historical information.

Short planning cycles, access to information/digitisation, complexity theories of firm.

1h How relevant was branding to success-20 years ago? Why is it different today?

Strategic planning including market positioning vital, limited information, firm led.

Consumers knowledge and preferences driven by ability to use technology, globalisation.

110 2a Which company do you consider to

be the industry leader?

Industry benchmarks such as PIMS, BCG, Portfolio Matrix, Porters 5 forces and similar data

2b Why is the company you mentioned the industry leader? In particular, please think about the success factors mentioned in

Reference to key data, models and industry trends

Capacity for use of digitisation for Supply Chain superiority; capacity to manipulate data, meet customer demands,

2c What can Esprit learn from the industry leader? Please provide at least three learning points and justify the reasons why Esprit must adopt this learning!

Business model change, strategic supply chain models as competitive advantage, optimisation of digitisation and data analysis, collaboration with suppliers, tight control of operations, financial awareness, capacity to optimise technology in every business aspect, limiting production volumes and purchase opportunity. Survival of the fittest

3a How relevant to success 20 years ago was data exchange with suppliers and distributors, and the general availability of data and information? How important is it today?

Supply Chain theories, based on limited information and contact.

Changing emphasis of supply chain integrating technology, higher levels of contact coordination and collaboration with and suppliers and customers- data and information vital.

3b How important was data collection on customer purchasing behaviour 20 years ago? How important is it today?

Supply chain theories and theories of firm – indicate limitations

Intense competition, rapid information exchange leading to high customer knowledge – vital today.

4a How has data and information availability changed your work in the last ten years? Name the three most important changes, and explain these changes at the daily business level in detail!

Digitisation effect on volume of data, access to information, work processes, transaction and human interaction. Inventory management, retailing processes

Employees, fewer with different skills, different management focus ability to interpret data, higher customer interaction and information exchange

4b In your industry experience, what distinguishes Esprit from other firms in relation to data and information handline?

Fashion supply chain characteristics relating to data and information, and changes in them relative high performing firms

5a Which company operation has changed the most, for instance marketing, sales and production? Why has it changed?

Seeking retrospective trends in Supply Chain Management focus, fashion retailing business operations,

Technology for instance digitisation, customer access to knowledge.

5b What are the causes of this change? Digitisation. Globalisation, Nature of Competitor/Fashion Environment, consumer knowledge and demands

111 6a Which three major developments or

trends will change the fashion industry decisively in the next 20 years?

Perceptions of future trends in supply chain emphasis, impact of developing technology, intensifying competition, consumer demand, management focus, employee skills

6b What impact will each of these trends have on strategy and the dominant business model in the industry?

Strategic management theories and business models – perceived development in these based on fashion trends

7a Please define the fast fashion concept in five sentences!

Fast fashion definitions and QR, ECR and CFPR concepts

7b In your opinion, is fast fashion an independent business model or just an operational excellence

Perceptions of Fast Fashion as a business model concept

Source: Own Presentation

The purpose of these questions is to collect general data on trends, the change in the meaning of data and information, and in Value Chain organization. Therefore, the qualitative part of this research is explorative, collect data to provide answers to exploratory research questions, rather than to confirm existing models. Hence reduction of data is avoided as coding techniques are applied, set answers to questionnaires and other standardizing approaches are not appropriate in this methodology. Instead, the quantitative data are analysed by grouping the answers according to meta topics such as trends, operations, data, Value Chain, and citing original statements as much as possible.