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The implications of lead firm sourcing strategies and value chain governance on suppliers and sector development: the case of the South African textile and apparel industry
This dissertation investigates the sourcing strategies and value chain governance of South African apparel retailers and their impact on the local textile and apparel manufacturing sector. Over the past three decades, value chain research has highlighted the crucial role of lead firms in coordinatin...
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English English |
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School of Economics
2025
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| _version_ | 1867613329801871360 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Mkhabela, Vuyiswa |
| author2 | Black, Anthony |
| author_browse | Black, Anthony Mkhabela, Vuyiswa |
| author_facet | Black, Anthony Mkhabela, Vuyiswa |
| author_sort | Mkhabela, Vuyiswa |
| collection | Thesis |
| description | This dissertation investigates the sourcing strategies and value chain governance of South African apparel retailers and their impact on the local textile and apparel manufacturing sector. Over the past three decades, value chain research has highlighted the crucial role of lead firms in coordinating production networks and shaping supplier relationships. However, little research has focused on the strategies of lead firms from the Global South, particularly in Africa's apparel industry. Through an integrated analysis of value chain governance, trade, and industrial policies, supplemented by case studies, this research examines the evolving sourcing strategies of South African retailers. Findings indicate that these strategies are influenced by strategic priorities, public value chain governance, global trends towards resilient supply chains, and supplier capabilities. Over the past 10-15 years, South African retailers have shifted from offshoring to nearshoring and reshoring, transitioning from transactional and captive governance to hierarchical and network-based models. The study demonstrates that hierarchical governance, marked by vertical integration, and network-based governance, characterized by partnerships, have distinct implications for supplier development and sectoral restructuring. This research contributes to the literature by providing insights into the sourcing strategies and value chain governance of lead firms in the Global South, highlighting the interaction between private sector practices and public policy in fostering industrial development. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/41746 |
| institution | University of Cape Town (South Africa) |
| language | English eng |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:34:25.395Z |
| license_str | Not specified — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | School of Economics |
| publisherStr | School of Economics |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| spelling | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/41746 The implications of lead firm sourcing strategies and value chain governance on suppliers and sector development: the case of the South African textile and apparel industry Mkhabela, Vuyiswa Black, Anthony Lepelle, Refilwe South African textile Apparel industry This dissertation investigates the sourcing strategies and value chain governance of South African apparel retailers and their impact on the local textile and apparel manufacturing sector. Over the past three decades, value chain research has highlighted the crucial role of lead firms in coordinating production networks and shaping supplier relationships. However, little research has focused on the strategies of lead firms from the Global South, particularly in Africa's apparel industry. Through an integrated analysis of value chain governance, trade, and industrial policies, supplemented by case studies, this research examines the evolving sourcing strategies of South African retailers. Findings indicate that these strategies are influenced by strategic priorities, public value chain governance, global trends towards resilient supply chains, and supplier capabilities. Over the past 10-15 years, South African retailers have shifted from offshoring to nearshoring and reshoring, transitioning from transactional and captive governance to hierarchical and network-based models. The study demonstrates that hierarchical governance, marked by vertical integration, and network-based governance, characterized by partnerships, have distinct implications for supplier development and sectoral restructuring. This research contributes to the literature by providing insights into the sourcing strategies and value chain governance of lead firms in the Global South, highlighting the interaction between private sector practices and public policy in fostering industrial development. 2025-09-10T10:55:21Z 2025-09-10T10:55:21Z 2025 2025-09-10T10:50:45Z Thesis / Dissertation Masters MCom http://hdl.handle.net/11427/41746 en eng application/pdf School of Economics Faculty of Commerce University of Cape Town |
| spellingShingle | South African textile Apparel industry Mkhabela, Vuyiswa The implications of lead firm sourcing strategies and value chain governance on suppliers and sector development: the case of the South African textile and apparel industry |
| thesis_degree_str | Master's |
| title | The implications of lead firm sourcing strategies and value chain governance on suppliers and sector development: the case of the South African textile and apparel industry |
| title_full | The implications of lead firm sourcing strategies and value chain governance on suppliers and sector development: the case of the South African textile and apparel industry |
| title_fullStr | The implications of lead firm sourcing strategies and value chain governance on suppliers and sector development: the case of the South African textile and apparel industry |
| title_full_unstemmed | The implications of lead firm sourcing strategies and value chain governance on suppliers and sector development: the case of the South African textile and apparel industry |
| title_short | The implications of lead firm sourcing strategies and value chain governance on suppliers and sector development: the case of the South African textile and apparel industry |
| title_sort | implications of lead firm sourcing strategies and value chain governance on suppliers and sector development the case of the south african textile and apparel industry |
| topic | South African textile Apparel industry |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/11427/41746 |
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