Reconfiguration of the Market and the Use of Computerised Technology

Abstract

The extent and direction of computer-aided technology in traditional industries are circumscribed by the size and the nature of the market. In the clothing industry, for example, the demographic and social changes in the EC countries have meant a shift in taste from standardised mass-produced goods to varieties. Electronic points of sale have allowed the retailer to use “quick response” as an effective strategy. In an immensely differentiated market, the manufacturers have resorted to organisational innovations or to technological innovations or a combination of both to achieve the desired flexibility. The author highlights the importance of design management in this new context.

In the context of a comprehensive survey of computer-aided machines in this sector, the author argues that technologies that use human skill rather than displace it may be more suitable to meet the needs of a flexible market.