International Journal of Research and Innovation in Applied Science (IJRIAS) | Volume VII, Issue I, January 2022 | ISSN 2454–6194

The Key Challenges Facing The Textiles And Apparel Manufacturing Firms In Zimbabwe: A Case Study Of Harare Province.

Malvern Kanyati
Solusi University, Zimbabwe

ABSTRACT
The purpose of the study was to investigate the key challenges facing the textiles and apparel firms in Zimbabwe focusing on Harare Province. The research design used was the descriptive research with a population of thirteen textiles and apparel firms. The study consisted of a sample of ninety four respondents. A structured questionnaire was used as a data collection instrument. The questionnaire consisted of sixty one structured questions. The questionnaire was given to experts at Solusi University for face and content validity. A pilot study was carried out in five companies randomly selected in Bulawayo Province. The reliability of the questionnaires was determined using the Cronbanch’s Alpha reliability method. The Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient of 0.3 was obtained and was very low, however when factor analysis was done the commonalities showed that all items were valid henceforth reliable. In addition seven factors were extracted accounting for 80.8% of the variance hence the researcher preceded with the final study. The data for the final study was collected from thirteen companies. Data was collected, coded and analysed using Software Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version sixteen. The study revealed that the major thirteen challenges the textiles and apparel firms were facing and the solutions respectively from the most critical one are growth, cost of capital, government policies, wage bill, management skills, technical skills, market share, imports, technology adoption and diffusion challenges, work experience, export challenges, firm size and management commitment. Based on these findings, recommendations were made.

Keywords: growth, textile, apparel, market share, technical skills

INTRODUCTION

This study’s major intention was to investigate the key challenges facing the textiles and apparel manufacturing firms in Zimbabwe. Chapter one presents the background of the study, statement of the problem and purpose of the study. It further highlights the significance of the study, scope or delimitation, limitation of the study, the conceptual framework, abbreviations, definitions of terms and the summary.
Background to the Study
Zimbabwe adopted multiple different currencies in February 2009. The demonetisation of the Zimbabwean dollar was implemented in July 2009 (The Zimbabwe Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, 2013). The move lightened the economic burden of the textiles and apparel manufacturing industry that had been hard hit negatively between year 1999 and 2008.
Introduction of many different currencies was welcomed by the textiles and apparel industries (The Zimbabwe Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, 2013). The government buttress the move by creating a quota free system in order to allow the free movement of the textiles products (The Zimbabwe Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, 2013).
Apparently, by the time this study was conducted, there had been no favourable government policies created to enhance the activities of the Zimbabwean clothing industry. The clothing industry was disturbed very much with operations due to the cheap donated imports from the countries such as China and South Africa (The Zimbabwe Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, 2013).