The document proposes re-engineering the merchandising department to minimize pre-production delays. It found that pre-production delays accounted for over 50% of total delays through analysis of 24 delayed orders. The objectives are to analyze delay extent, determine pre-production delay factors, and identify controllable areas to avoid delays. Methodologies proposed include process elimination, compression, integration, and using a critical chain approach to schedule pre-production activities in parallel to reduce lead times. Potential deliverables are identifying and rectifying delay causes, suggesting changes to avoid unnecessary delays, and implementing concepts to reduce overall delays.

1. Re-engineering of Merchandising Department
A
Research Proposal
For
Post-Graduation
At
Submitted By
Miss. Khushboo
Master of Fashion Technology, Semester 3
National Institute of Fashion Technology
NIFT Campus, GH-0 Extension Road
Gandhinagar-382 007
Gujarat
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2. Introduction-
The global competition, intense work pressure for faster and better delivery,
optimization of profits-sales, downtime analysis of productions process and human
error, reduction in time-to-market, design driven market with quickly changing trends,
customer demands for greater design variety and frequent design creation with specific
changes, information access in the production process, transactions and most
importantly, need of the mass, are some of the challenges being faced by the Fashion
and Apparel industry.Re-engineering is “Fundamental rethinking and radical redesign of
business process to achieve dramatic improvements in critical measures of
performance such as cost, service, and speed in order to make them more effective,
efficient, and responsive.”
In Garment Industry pre-production process networks are not standardized.
They are unique for every single enterprise, every single buyer, and sometimes for
every single order. While the traditional "time-action-plan" concept in pre-production
activities tries to control delays, it still gives rise to "me-first" mentalities. Pre – Production
delays are the extension of the days beyond standard and planned schedule for the activities
starting from order enquiry to all approvals required for bulk production. These delays
increases the lead-time even more than the standard one and hence to survive in the global
competitiveness is much more difficult for the manufacturers. By various studies and
research in garment organization, it has been found that the % contribution of Pre-
production delays accounts more than 50% of total delay of any order. This project work
has been design to; re-engineer the merchandising department. This will include
rethinking and radical re-designing of all activities. The Project work would be targeting
on minimizing the expansion of lead time in Pre-production.
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3. Literature review:
24 orders problem of delay in pre production was found and on further detailed analysis
of the lead time and time spent in pre-production of these 24 order was studied it was
found 65.5% of time was involved in the p pre-production of these 24 orders. 1
Time consumed in product development is the biggest issue. Approvals and bulk fabric
in house consumes approx 75% of the total pre production activity time and as far the
most time consuming task. About 60% of the delays are at Pre production stage and
remaining at the production stage and reduction of such time can help the company in
meeting the delivery dates on time. Controlling the delay would enable the company to
reduce the deviation from the schedules lead time and honor the delivery date. 2
Garment pre production activity, time loss in getting approvals and logistics related
issues contribute to more than 80% of delays. The garment pre production activity is
significantly inefficient, any saving in time and manpower at this stage can help in
improving overall supply chain efficiency. Strengthening the pre production activity can
significantly help in reducing the lead time. 3
Objective:
To analyze the extent of delays in executing the orders.
To determine the extent of pre-production delays in overall delays.
To determine the potential areas causing frequent delays
To determine factors those can be controllable, to avoid delays
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4. Methodology:
First of all the pre-production activities will be study thoroughly and data would be
collected. Further these are the concepts can be implemented to achieving the objective
of research project:
Elimination (remove a process)
Compression (remove time within a process)
Integration (re-engineering interfaces between successive processes)
Concurrence (operate processes in parallel)
Order management (Perfect Order is one that is on-time, complete, accurate,
and in perfect condition.)
Aggregating and prioritizing orders (This include selection of the orders and
planned execution of the orders based on the importance and priority)
Managing exceptions and substitutions (Inventory shortages, potential customer
service issues and delivery problems should be monitored, so that the time and
information necessary to place new orders, reroute, substitute and communicate
with customers.
Reporting (Capture key performance metrics and establish benchmarks for on-
time deliveries, cash-to-cash cycle time, inventory turns and forecasting
accuracy. Get the information needed to continuously improve fulfillment
process)
Sourcing (Optimize procurement across an extensive supply network, including
stores, distribution centers and suppliers, to meet current demand. Proactive
generation of purchase orders for additional supplies when needed. Plan for the
future with Demand Forecasting so that right product at right time is ensured.
Close eye on the events that may delay order delivery based upon past records)
Critical Chain Approach (Like project management, pre-production activities in
garment manufacture are driven by human parameters. Furthermore, some of
the critical chain characteristics have a lot in common with garment pre-
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5. production activities, all of which are addressed specifically and decisively in the
critical chain approach. These include:
- Reverse scheduling
- Multi tasking
- Task estimation
- Parkinson's Law
- No early finishes
- Relay race approach
- Follow-up mode:
Possible deliverables:
The possible deliverables research will be as bellow:
1. The study will help the organization to reduce the delay in
2. Identification and rectification of the causes of delay.
3. The research will be able to suggest the changes/modification need to be done
for avoid unnecessary delay.
4. By implementing this concept the delay can be avoided.
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6. End Note:
1. Pre-production delay in Garment .By: thegodkannan ,scribd.com
2. Posted by Anubhav Yadav, http://knowledgeandfashion.blogspot.com
3. The long and short of garmenting lead-time, By : C. K. Karekatti
http://www.fibre2fashion.com
Bibliography
Books:
Jermy A. Rosenau, Devid A. Wilson, “Apparel Merchandising: The line starts
here”,Fairchild, 2001.
Grace I. Kuntz, “Merchandising: Theory, principle & practices” , Fairchild, 2000
Articles:
Stitch world, 2010,
Apparel online, 2010
Websites:
www.tukatech.com
scribd.com
http://knowledgeandfashion.blogspot.com
www.fibre2fashion.com
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