Managerial perceptions in Indian apparel manufacturing: a firm-level survey

Purpose - The paper explores the managerial perceptions in Indian apparel manufacturing firms related to production performance, challenges faced, causes of low efficiency and the government support needed. Design/methodology/approach - A structured survey of Indian apparel manufacturing firms was undertaken in person and through the online mode; the questionnaire was designed to collect data on demographic profile of a firm using categorical questions and perceptions of its top managers using a five-point Likert scale. Findings - The survey findings reveal that most apparel manufacturing firms believe that exporting promotes efficiency and adopt output orientation to production, which may not be suitable in a competitive and uncertain environment. Machines are not used much for value-addition and labour related issues are most pressing challenges. Government support is expected for several aspects such as power supply and skill development. Research limitations/implications - The paper is limited by the nature of the sampling method and sample size; perceptions should be explored without bias and with good judgement. Practical implications - The survey findings suggest that government policy should have a firm-specific approach to support improved production performance along with generic policies to build infrastructure and logistical facilities. Originality/value - To the best of authors’ knowledge, there has been no such exercise to study managerial perceptions related to production performance in Indian apparel manufacturing in the past decade.