the role of sourcing agents in global apparel supply chains

Contribution to Existing Literature
Both academic and industry leaders stand to gain advantages by better
understanding the role sourcing agents play in facilitating apparel production. Many of
the existing literary works extensively discuss the individual stages that occur throughout
the supply chain. For example, Rivoli (2005), a well-established leader in the field of
economics, describes the very complex life of a t-shirt in her book, The Travels of a T-
shirt in the Global Economy. From cotton farms in Texas to manufacturing facilities in
China, retail stores in the United States to mitumba trade in Africa, Rivoli takes a riveting
look at how complex the apparel supply chain is in today’s global economy. However, as
she also noted, bridging the gaps of culture and location between the United States, China
and Africa is complex and intertwined in a web of policies and regulations (Rivoli, 2005).
Beyond the academic literature, a great deal of information targeted to business
professionals exists, with a specific focus on success in international business
environments. One well-known international trade attorney, Tom Travis, authored a
book in 2007 on Doing Business Anywhere: The Essential Guide to Going Global.
Within his book, Travis provides several pieces of advice to industry professionals on
achieving success, including making ethical decisions and appropriate cultural exchanges
during business meetings. Furthermore, Travis specifically targets individuals making
offshore production decisions and how they can operate best in a global marketplace.
Lacking in the literature, however, are the details of how sourcing agents can assist in
helping professionals achieve success or at least equip professionals with the tools
necessary to make better sourcing decisions. Within this study, the role of sourcing
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