#1: Is the sole benefit of globalization helping us get cheaper products? How to convince US garment workers who lost their jobs because of increased import competition that they benefit from globalization also?
#2 How to explain the phenomenon that US apparel imports from China continue to rise despite the tariff war? Do you think the tariff war is a wrong strategy or a good strategy implemented at the wrong time given COVID?
#2: In the class, we mentioned that major driving forces of globalization include economic growth, lowered trade and investment barriers, and technology advancement. What will be the primary driving forces of globalization or deglobalization in the post-COVID world, and why?
#3: Based on the reading “U.S.-China Trade War Still Hurting Ohio Family-Owned Business,” what results of the US-China tariff war are expected and unexpected? What is your recommendation for the Biden administration regarding the Section 301 tariff exclusion process and why?
#4: We say textile and apparel is a global sector. How does the US-China tariff war affect textile and apparel producers and companies in other parts of the world? Why?
#5: From this week’s readings, why do we say textile and apparel trade and sourcing involve economic, social, and political factors and implications? Please provide 1-2 specific examples from the articles to support your viewpoints.
(Welcome to our online discussion. For students in FASH455, please address at least two questions and mention the question number (#) in your reply)
FASH455 Global Apparel & Textile Trade and Sourcing 
#2 How to explain the phenomenon that US apparel imports from China continue to rise despite the tariff war? Do you think the tariff war is a wrong strategy or a good strategy implemented at the wrong time given COVID?
With COVID already causing massive issues with world economics, the tariff war was implemented at the wrong time I believe but was implemented with good reason. China is slowly becoming a monopoly in the world of apparel imports and I think since COVID the focus of multinational supply chains is important for a successful company. The reason why this was implemented at the wrong time is that store owners and businesses are already struggling to stay afloat and for the most part they are the ones having to pay for the tariffs outcomes/expenses because they don’t want consumers to shop elsewhere because of the possibility of rising price.
I agree with your perspective that we need to focus on multinational supply chains as it is a driving force for trade. The pandemic has been hard on every country, so it is essential we work together to keep imports and exports up and work with new manufacturers all over the world to continue to create goods.
1. There are many benefits of globalization, so I wouldn’t necessarily say there is one sole purpose. I think cheaper products, culture expansion, technology advancements etc are all benefits of globalization. Bringing in more products and creating a higher demand in the U.S. from the imports we are gaining, creates more jobs for garment workers giving them more product to sell.
2. The primary driving forces for globalization in the post-COVID world will be lower products at a greater quantity and increased relations between countries. Once the supply chain becomes more regular now that COVID is slowing down, we will see schedule delays pick back up, getting product to manufacturers faster than we were seeing during the pandemic. This reset to the supply chain will increase globalization as we will be getting products faster and cheaper again.
I agree with your opinion on globalization in the post-COVID world. People will be more inclined to buy cheaper products, and once delays get back on schedule people will be more inclined to buy online since they will be able to receive goods in a more timely manner.
#2 China was the fastest nation to recover from the pandemic in late 2020, which left the apparel industry no choice but to increase its imports from China, which shows which imports from China continue to rise despite the US-China tariff war. I think the tariff is not a bad strategy if it wasn’t implemented during the pandemic, as many apparel companies already chose suppliers from other nations than China. However, since the pandemic happened, many companies didn’t have other choices than importing from China.
#4 I think the US-China trade war gave companies in developing countries like Vietnam and Bangladesh more opportunities as they’re able to receive orders that were previously only going to China. Therefore, companies from these could benefit from the ongoing US-China trade war.
Interesting comment on how China was the fastest nation to recover from the pandemic, once again creating an almost necessary reliance on China. Also agree with the point that the US-China trade war gave more opportunity to other nations such as Vietnam and Bangladesh.
Is the sole benefit of globalization helping us get cheaper products? How to convince US garment workers who lost their jobs because of increased import competition that they benefit from globalization also?
– I don’t think the sole benefit of globalization is helping to get cheaper products. There are more benefits that were covered in the article exceed simply cheap price including: specialization and comparative advantage. I think U.S. garment workers who lost their jobs due to increased competition should be reminded of the hopes that there are other jobs out there and that they shouldn’t get discouraged.
In the class, we mentioned that major driving forces of globalization include economic growth, lowered trade and investment barriers, and technology advancement. What will be the primary driving forces of globalization or deglobalization in the post-COVID world, and why?
– The primary driving forces of globalization in a post-COVID world will be variety of products, and different price points of products which will be beneficial. People all are in different positions economically as a result of COVID as some have been devastated and lost their jobs. With that, some have seen significant changes in their spending habits and their lifestyles.
I completely agree with you that the main goal of globalization is not just cheaper products. Specialization is so important because it allows for better quality goods. For US garment workers, not only is it important for them to realize there are jobs out there, but that globalization allows for better paying jobs domestically.
1. Globalization does result in cheaper products, but it also gives consumers a wider variety of options and overall access to better quality goods. As for US garment workers who lost their jobs, I would explain that other fashion jobs opened in the US industry to support this movement oversees (including supply chain logistics managers, sourcing specialists, etc.). This shift certainly hurts individuals, and governments need to have programs to support them in training for these new jobs, but it is also a sign of a growing US economy as jobs move from blue collar to white collar work.
4. The US-China trade war helps other garment manufacturing countries by increasing their cost advantage over China. Additionally, as brands try to avoid financial problems created through the trade war, many are varying their sourcing base to be more immune to any tariffs on China.
1. I do not think the sole reason for globalization is just for cheaper products, there is so much more to it. The benefits also include economic growth, lower investment barriers and so on. These benefits have been things we have discussed in class. Globalization gives us an opportunity to have access other products that we might not have avaliable in the US. Every country has something they specialize in, and having these connections with globalization is very beneficial. With a higher demand for imports coming in, it helps gives the companies more products to sell and to gain a higher profit. 4. The US-China Trade War has been something that has caused struggles but also successes for other countries. It has caused a strain the US and China, since it takes years to create these relationships with other countries, it has caused the US to have to move elsewhere. This has helped other countries who before were overidden by China have more opportunites to ship out their products instead of China taking over. It has given these countries more of a chance to be a competitor in the industry more.
I agree with your viewpoint on globalization creating opportunities in the world. It is a very good point to bring up that the US has moved elsewhere and has began doing business with other countries. This has given other places great opportunities which would have been overtaken by China before.
#5: From this week’s readings, why do we say textile and apparel trade and sourcing involve economic, social, and political factors and implications? Please provide 1-2 specific examples from the articles to support your viewpoints.
An example of social and political factors of the apparel trade and sourcing is “The problem is compounded because policymakers have done little to help workers and communities adjust at a time when the wealthiest Americans have gained the most in recent years. In general, younger people are more supportive of free trade, as most have never known a world without the current system.” Policymakers are not doing everything in their power to instill fairness for Americans and people like me in Gen Z only know the world of free trade.
Another example of economic and social implication is “A consensus of scholarly work holds that globalization has contributed marginally to rising US wage inequality, putting this factor at 10 to 20 percent.” Wage inequality is a huge issue today in American and is definitely an issue for textile and apparel trade and sourcing workers.
1.) I do not think that the sole benefit of globalization is getting cheaper products. There are many other benefits including technological innovation and it allows us to source materials that we would not be able to find in our own countries. Everyone benefits from globalization including U.S. garments workers because it allows us to source quality materials that we use in everyday items.
2.) I believe that a major driving force of globalization post-covid19 will be the need for innovation. I think that a major driving force of de-globalization post-covid19 will be the environmental movement and the need to provide more eco friendly alternatives and lower the carbon footprint of the apparel industry.
#1 Globalization also help companies doing business overseas easily, companies can get more profit from all over the world. We can encourage Americans garments worker to work outside of the US to earn money or locals where have special nature resources can open factors/ manufactures to offer more job opportunities.
#2 I think tariff war is a wrong strategy. It broke the relationships between countries and make trades between the two countries harder. Not only for Chinese companies who do American business or American companies who do Chinese business, that ruin both sides of the companies benefits. Tariff war causes a lot of negative effects not only on international trade, but also bad effects on other sides political things.
#1: Is the sole benefit of globalization helping us get cheaper products? How to convince US garment workers who lost their jobs because of increased import competition that they benefit from globalization also?
I feel that globalization does not solely pose as a source of getting cheaper products, but a much greater variety of products as well. Globalization provides consumers will goods and services from all areas of the world, whether these products are sourced from China, Mali, or right from the US. These products are made specifically to the liking of the consumer. I would say that globalization provides us with not just cheaper products, but a large assortment of goods and services. Although there are many concerns surrounding globalization, the recent surge has also increased demand for United States professional skills and labor, thus increasing income for millennials and those entering the fashion industry today.
I agree that globalization offers much more benefits than just getting cheaper products. Along with that, your mention of a larger assortment of goods and services is so true as we have much more access to new markets compared to if we were not involved in globalization. Increased job opportunities are definitely important when considering globalization as you mentioned too, great post!
Question #1: I believe that globalization allowing us to obtain cheaper products is not the sole motivator. I think globalization allows keeps the world economy growing, which benefits everyone involved in globalization. Globalization incentives businesses to be more innovative, which will continue to flourish technological advancements in the fashion industry. I think it could be difficult to convince US garment workers that they also benefit from globalization considering that they are out of jobs and must depend on other ways for a living. Potential ways to do so is to consider the benefits of lower trade, increased advancements, and overall economic growth for the United States being involved.
Question #2: The primary motivators for globalization in a post-covid world I believe will be improved cost management, stronger communication between countries, and even more access to markets globally. Having globalization in our world makes us more connected than ever, and in a post-covid world, I think countries would still want to participate in this because of the multiple benefits it has. Having access to lower costs is definitely something that is important to large businesses, and this is easier in globalization compared to domestic production. Also, the increased communication between countries bring about new ideas and technologies, along with culture. With strong communication also comes new markets which let brands and companies learn new things from each other for future growth and trend.
1. I don’t think that the sole benefit of globalization is helping us get cheaper products. I think that yes a benefit is receiving cheaper products but there are definitely more such as, being exposed to a wide range of cultures, advancement in technology, and exposure to economic growth. In addition to these benefits, globalization overall allows for access to new markets and talents. We can convince US garment workers who lost their jobs because of increased import competition by providing these workers with first hand examples showing the benefits of globalization. By providing these workers with facts about how beneficial globalization is to society then maybe these workers would have a change of mind.
2. Textile and apparel trade involve economic factors because as defined in class a driving force of globalization is economic growth. The economy is a huge factor in trade and sourcing because if the economy is struggling then this side of the industry may face economic struggles as well. Political factors would be the government implementing tariffs which increases production costs and decreases employment, wages, sales and investment. Lastly social factors that are involved in trade and sourcing income levels of workers in countries, poverty levels in developing countries, and overall the stability of the economy. Overall these three factors are very important to textile and apparel trade and sourcing.
I agree with what you wrote about that globalization is not just focused on getting cheaper products. It is important that as an industry as a whole we are opened up and learn about cultures, technology advancements and to help with economic growth. Without globalization the textile and apparel industry would not what it is today.
I agree with your points on how globalization has the benefits of larger exposure, cultural insights, advancement in tech, and economic growth. It is important to factor all of these into our viewpoints of globalization!
#1: Is the sole benefit of globalization helping us get cheaper products? How to convince US garment workers who lost their jobs because of increased import competition that they benefit from globalization also?
– There is no one sole benefit of globalization. The benefits of globalization stretch far and wide but my favorite benefits of globalization are product variation, access to goods all over the world, and as mentioned, cheaper products.
– Globalization creates product variation by allowing companies all over the globe to create varying products. Due to this widespread production of products it allows creates a variation in prices. Globalization also grants everyone in the world access to goods produced in a country outside of their own. This is especially exciting when materials used are not found within your own country.
– We can convince US garment workers who lost their jobs because of import competition that they benefit from globalization also because they are consumers in the same market. Everyone in the world must wear and own some sort of apparel which means they get to have a stake in the industry as well. They can benefit from product competition, lower prices, access to goods found all over the world, and much more!
#4: We say textile and apparel is a global sector. How does the US-China tariff war affect textile and apparel producers and companies in other parts of the world? Why?
– Countries outside of the US-China tariff war are affected because trade will be re-directed to those countries as a result of the war. Tariffs that limit trade with China allow for other countries to capitalize on the trade war. Companies will be looking outside of tariff war areas to source their products from.
#1- There are many benefits of globalization. One of the most evident, which is the first that comes to mind for many, is minimizing expenses and maximizing profit. I think one of the big benefits of globalization is it allows for specialization in certain countries. This increases efficiency and maximizes profit for the parties involved. To convince a garment worker that they have also benefited from globalization, even though they have lost their job, I would highlight the overall economic growth of the world. The world has grown so much since it has started working together to create goods. Though we have been importing more and more goods, it just makes more products available. From there, this gives opportunity to others to sell and further their businesses.
#5- We say that political, economic, and and social factors affect the fashion industry as a whole because all of these things affect the buying decisions of consumers. For example, the tariffs placed on goods are viewed as a political factor, since it is politicians which implement them. This affects the rates and decisions of importing and exporting. Global events such as the pandemic have brought up many social factors which have not been viewed at as much before. Consumers now look for more sustainable clothing and are paying more attention to the companies morals.
2) Driving forces of globalization post covid will be caused by consumers demand for immediate satisfaction. Due to factors like fast fashion consumers are able to demand goods with quick delivery and low prices, forcing countries to outsource products where items can be manufactured quickly and inexpensively. Driving forces for deglobalization will be caused by job displacement and loss of lower wage jobs due to outsourcing.
4) The US-China tariff war affects apparel producers worldwide because given the increase in price to import certain goods the US may choose to source goods elsewhere or cease to continue business with countries they feel are no longer feasible to trade with. These tariffs also impact economic growth, as higher pricer to source goods causes inflation among many of the products we manufacture.
I agree with you that post-pandemic people do not want to wait for anything! Everyone is tired of being unable to see people and do things making their needs for products and services even more impatient.
#4 By saying the textile and apparel is a global sector basically refers to industries that effectively operate in all or most of the markets across the world. Specifically, in the US-China tariff war, this has a global effect on the industries. Both parties are dominant for sourcing so the two conflicting can put a halt on global trading and sourcing in other countries.
#5 The textile apparel trade and sourcing involve economic, social, and political factors and applications. Two specific examples are one being in social regard that clothing manufacturers appealing to different cultures and styles to meet the market needs. Another example is politically the factor of policies relating to trade and global relations can affect the textile trade and sourcing industry.
#1: Although a benefit of globalization may be to help us get cheaper products, I do not believe that it is the sole purpose. Globalization brings the global fashion industry together through jobs, products, trade, technology etc. It is about more than just purchasing cheaper products, globalization benefits all players within the industry. 2: In the post COVID world, I think a major driving force would be technology advancement. During the pandemic, many consumers and companies turned to online resources in order to keep their businesses alive. Since consumers may be more comfortable in utilizing technology to their advantage, the global fashion industry may need to cater to their consumer’s needs by advancing their use of technology.
#1. Is the sole benefit of globalization helping us get cheaper products? How to convince US garment workers who lost their jobs because of increased import competition that they benefit from globalization also?
Globalization is more than just helping us get cheaper products. Globalization breeds innovation, and expanded trade allows the communication of new technology and ideas to spread more quickly. Globalization also allows for better quality and variety in products due to competition from around the world pushing firms to improve their products.
US garment workers could be told that globalization may not have benefitted them individually, but it benefits consumers as a whole as they have more options of higher variety and quality and greater technology as a result.
#2 How to explain the phenomenon that US apparel imports from China continue to rise despite the tariff war? Do you think the tariff war is a wrong strategy or a good strategy implemented at the wrong time given COVID?
US apparel imports from China continued to rise because US companies struggled to keep up. China was able to keep their manufacturing processes running smoothly amidst the pandemic. The US, however, was swallowed by extra costs caused by the tariffs and many bumps along their supply chains. As US companies were forced to either raise their prices or absorb these extra costs, Chinese products stayed affordable and easy to obtain. This caused consumers to continue to buy from China despite the tariff war.
Great thought! To add a quick comment—the US-China tariff war also reminds us that trade is never a purely economic issue. Instead, it is not rare to see government uses trade to achieve foreign policy goals. This is particularly the case regarding sourcing from China. While it could still make sense for US fashion companies to source from China, non-economic factors complicate the decision-making. This recent WSJ article could be of interest to you https://www.wsj.com/articles/biden-administration-takes-aim-at-chinas-industrial-subsidies-11631295257
#1 – The sole benefit of globalization is not about helping us get cheaper products, there are many other important benefits as well. Globalization is also about collaboration, advancing technology, and exchange with other cultures. To convince those who lost their jobs, I would suggest them to look at the big picture of globalization and what would happen if the world did not have it. In the long run globalization should create more jobs for more people.
#2 – I think that the driving force of globalization following Covid-19 will be the ideas that come out of the pandemic and the unity of different countries. These increased relations will allow new ideas to advance and inspire companies to grow.
Question #1: The sole benefit of globalization is not to get cheaper products but to allow a network of connectivity and collaboration globally. Although globalization makes for cheaper products and goods, it also adds more variety of products in the market. The U.S. garment workers that lost jobs due to increased imports should definitely be upset but should think about the bigger picture rather than the smaller details. Globalization provides the opportunity for countries to work together and use specific skills and resources to produce a product/good at a fair price. It enables countries to focus on producing what they do best and capitalizing on it. U.S. labor is expensive and the minimum wage is constantly increasing while labor in other countries is cheaper. In addition, other countries economies are mainly supported by the textile and garment manufacturing industry.
1. Although benefits to globalization includes helping us get cheaper products, there are also other benefits which are access to new markets, talents, and new cultures. We can convince workers they have benefitted by from globalization because globalization reduces disparities in global income.
2. Post COVID-19, I believe most countries will still want to be involved with globalization due to all of the benefits it carries. With this being said, I believe there will have to be new innovations and stronger communication due to the current pandemic. The tariff war is a wrong strategy and causes negative economic and political impacts.
I agree that in order to understand globalization you need to include all of the benefits not just one! Otherwise, people who disagree and think globalization is bad would have a harder time understanding the other side of the argument.
Question 1: I believe one of the benefits of globalization is for countries to get cheaper products because it allows for everyone to focus in on the products they specialize in without using too many resources. I think we can convince US garment workers who lost their job because of import competition that they benefit from globalization also because they will be able to buy consumer goods for cheaper.
Question 4: The U.S.- China Tariff war affects other countries/producers/companies because some T&A companies had to find new locations to source their clothes that would provide cheaper alternatives. However with going to different places you deal with different problems like quality, and sustainability as well as social responsibility. It also takes a long time to establish new relationships with different manufactures and can establish years to create a healthy relationship.
Hello! I enjoyed reading your answer to question 1, I had not thought of the benefit of obtaining cheaper products in that way. I would agree that those who lost their jobs can still benefit by buying consumer goods for cheaper. Although there are many benefits of globalization, cheaper products may be one benefit we can all enjoy no matter our role within the industry.
#2 I think the post-covid world will lean more towards deglobalization especially with lockdowns and restrictions still continuing it makes it even harder for trade, manufacturing, shipping to other countries etc. so countries and brands will have to figure out other means to produce product at home. Also with consumer demand this deglobalization will difficult as this system helps to meet this demand especially if its a fast fashion brand however, this could be a chance for brands to focus on local production and more sustainable/ ethical ways.
#1 Globalization helps achieve that cheaper price point that brands and consumers wants but not without cutting costs in harmful ways. These cheaper product costs are a benefit of globalization for brands as well as faster production from these larger factories abroad. Although garment workers abroad seem with get majority of the fashion manufacturing jobs US garment workers still benefit as there are more labor laws here to regulate wages even just more flexibility with that brands they work for.
#1 – There are multiple benefits of globalization including affordable prices of various products, increased job opportunities, high quality products, and more. Due to these multiple benefits it is difficult to pick one as the most essential when thinking of globalization. US garment workers out of jobs can also benefit from globalization due to the high competition occurring, giving them more products to sell. The purpose of this tariff war was to increase jobs within the US, so this may be a sign of increased employment for the near future. However, they have suffered a loss from this war and the government should implement a plan to help individuals going through this.
#2 – The apparel industry increased imports from China as they were the fastest country to recover from the COVID-19 global pandemic. This explains why imports have continued to rise regardless. I feel that this tariff-war was poorly timed during this pandemic as many individuals are already suffering from job losses. This tariff war left many individuals out of work and there should have been a better plan to help those unemployed. With unemployment rising, prices have also increased leaving many families unable to afford necessary goods.
#2: In the class, we mentioned that major driving forces of globalization include economic growth, lowered trade and investment barriers, and technology advancement. What will be the primary driving forces of globalization or deglobalization in the post-COVID world, and why?
– I think the globalization will look very different after the pandemic because of its transformation. The economues may become less dependent on China. Fragile supply chains are not an indictment of globalization per se, but of the way companies have become dependent on single source of supply. And I think United States and many other countries are likely to remain focused on globalization’s losers and the ways to protect workers from economic damage.
#4: We say textile and apparel is a global sector. How does the US-China tariff war affect textile and apparel producers and companies in other parts of the world? Why?
– The trade war has indeed accelerated companies’ pace of reducing their sourcing from China but has not shaken China’s role as a dominant textiles and apparel supplier. It can benefit other countries such as Vietnam, Bangladesh or India since US has plans to move their maunfacturers out of China to high premium countries, to source for lower costs and increase production.
#4- The US-China tariff war affects textile and apparel producers and companies in other parts of the world because many US businesses working with Chinese manufacturers cannot afford to absorb the imposed tariffs in this situation of globalization. Thus, businesses that can afford to do so, look towards other countries in other parts of the world to manufacture their needs. This brings job opportunities and economic growth to other countries and ultimately they are winners. Similarly, other countries rely on the US for international trade and if US companies are not able to import specific products from China, and are unable to absorb the costs or source from another county then other countries suffer the costs of the US-China tariff war.
#1: Is the sole benefit of globalization helping us get cheaper products? How to convince US garment workers who lost their jobs because of increased import competition that they benefit from globalization also?
-The purpose of globalization is not just to help us get cheaper products. Globalization. Globalization can also help advance our technology and drive more innovation, raise the global standard of living, create more jobs in developed countries, and provide a wider variety and better quality of goods. There are several reasons that could convince US garment workers who lost their jobs because of increased import competition that they also benefit from globalization. First, globalization creates more, higher paying jobs in developed countries like the United States. Additionally, globalization gives consumers a wider assortment of goods to choose from, and gives countries the ability to create higher quality goods because of specialization. Lastly, globalization also creates a more diverse society and allows for more interactions of cultures across the globe. Overall, these reasons plus more should convince someone why globalization is beneficial.
-#4: We say textile and apparel is a global sector. How does the US-China tariff war affect textile and apparel producers and companies in other parts of the world? Why?
Even though the tariff war exists between the US and China, it affects other countries as well. For example, if the US decides to produce goods in other countries other than China, this would cause a rise in production and boost said country’s economy. On the other hand, if the US continues to manufacture mostly in China, this would decrease the demand for manufacturing in other countries, decreasing the economy and most likely causing job layoffs as well. Although it might not seem like it, the US-China tariff war affects many other countries across the globe besides those two.
I like how you considered the diversity of society when it comes to globalization. It has been a driving force for the sharing of cultures around the world, and it is definitely something to consider when convincing US garment workers that they benefit from globalization. You made great points for why it is beneficial overall.
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1.Based on our class discussions, there are more benefits to globalization in addition to helping us get cheaper products. Trade and globalization helps to create jobs. It also interconnects different countries together. Also, it allows for higher quality and more technologically advanced products because each country can specialize in what they are best at. Lastly, it can help in making products less expensive. US garment workers who lost their jobs because of increased import competition can be convinced that they also benefit from globalization because imports also create many high-quality, well-paid non-manufacturing jobs in the US too. The 2021 US Fashion Industry Benchmarking Study states that in the next five years, US fashion brands and apparel retailers are most likely to increase hiring for supply chain specialists, sustainability/social compliance related specialists, sourcing specialists and trade and customers compliance specialists. Also, one of the benefits of globalization is economic growth which is always beneficial for someone looking for a job.
2. The primary driving forces of globalization in the post-COVID world might be the ability to produce cheaper products as a lot of people have lost their jobs due to the pandemic. Globalization also allows for innovation, which is something society needs right now. After going through such hard times during COVID, retailers cannot continue in their old ways, they need to innovate and revamp the system. It will be interesting to see globalization in the post COVID world. “
1. Globalization not only brings cheaper products to people but also enables people to get in touch with new cultures and accelerate innovation, thus creating a newer and larger global market. People have benefited from globalization. Although American garment workers have lost their jobs due to import competition, globalization has also brought new jobs, and these garment workers can benefit from new job opportunities
2. Trade war led to the American textile market prices rise, people need to pay for the tariff, but in the production of the traveler to improve leading to a fall in the competitiveness of American manufacturing, so for the United States, a trade war is a wrong decision, no beneficial effects on the American manufacturing, but has hurt the export of textiles. Compared with other big manufacturing countries, the price advantage is obviously insufficient.
I agree that globalization is not solely for making products cheaper and that it provides the opportunity for different cultures and ideas to mix and work together. I also agree with your opinion on the trade war being a bad decision especially during a pandemic. The US-China tariff war ultimately hurt American apparel companies by putting them in a sticky financial situation. They either have to pay the tax and reduce profit or they have to completely move their entire supply chain.
1. I think that the idea of globalization is helping us receive the cheapest and best quality products. The idea of countries specializing in products allows them to perfect and concentrate on the products that they are creating for other countries. Even though globalization helps us receive the best possible prices, it also helps build the economy and promote world trade. Even though it is unfortunate that garment workers have lost their jobs due to the intense competition, they can still benefit as a consumer, by receiving quality products at the best price.
5. I think that the textile and apparel trade involves different factors and implications because of the overwhelming amount of countries involved. Because every country in the world is working together in order to produce and distribute products, factors such as politics, social aspects, and the economy are involves while trying to make deals and trade between countries.
#1: Is the sole benefit of globalization helping us get cheaper products? How to convince US garment workers who lost their jobs because of increased import competition that they benefit from globalization also?
I believe there are many benefits to globalization, besides getting cheaper products. This is still a plus, but globalization also has built a worldwide economic order to create rules for fair trade and it motivates countries to pinpoint the specific products they produce the best as a comparative advantage. Globalization most importantly gives us access to new cultures and assists in the spread of innovation and technological development. It is important to convince the US garment workers who lost their jobs that they still benefit from globalization because many of the goods they own were made and produced in countries all over the world. Without globalization, they wouldn’t have access to many of the things they own and use in their daily lives.
#4: We say textile and apparel is a global sector. How does the US-China tariff war affect textile and apparel producers and companies in other parts of the world? Why?
The US-China tariff war affects T&A production worldwide. Many items can be, for example, Designed in China and Made in USA, or Fiber produced in USA and Made in China. With barriers for trade between the US and China it hinders the supply of products other countries receive from us. With both countries lacking supplies from each other, it hurts our supply of exports to other countries since we cannot produce in the cheapest ways and don’t have the same materials as each other, resulting in slack of products overall.
#2 How to explain the phenomenon that US apparel imports from China continue to rise despite the tariff war? Do you think the tariff war is a wrong strategy or a good strategy implemented at the wrong time given COVID?
US apparel imports from China continue to rise despite the tariff war because businesses have to weigh the positive and negative outcomes of the situation at hand. China is a leading country in manufacturing and companies have set up their supply chain so they could make their profit margin larger. It would take a lot of work to move their supply chain out of China even though the tariffs are affecting their business at the moment. I think most companies are going to take the hit with the tariff war simply because it would probably cost them more money to completely reorganize and move their supply chain to be somewhere else. I do not think the tariffs put in place was a good idea and the result of this trade war has put many American businesses at financial risk or even closure.
#2: In the class, we mentioned that major driving forces of globalization include economic growth, lowered trade and investment barriers, and technology advancement. What will be the primary driving forces of globalization or deglobalization in the post-COVID world, and why? It is evident that globalization has both pros and cons. I believe that the Covid-19 pandemic has changed the way industries work and evolve because of the hardships many companies and businesses faced due to the difficulties that came along with the worldwide pandemic. I believe the driving forces for globalization in the post-covid world will be technological changes, transportation changes, as well as rethinking the ways in which countries get their goods. With a gigantic rift in industries like this pandemic, in which we are still living in, it is evident that there has to be change in the post-Covid world because the world will be changed as a whole including how businesses work and how industries functions as a whole.
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1.) Personally, I do not believe that the sole benefit of globalization is helping us get cheaper products. The point of globalization is sourcing from countries or areas around the world that specialize in certain materials/products. Unfortunately, inexpensive human labor is a factor/”material” that China and other less-developed countries have an abundance of. This encourages U.S. companies to outsource their factories here and take advantage of the cheap labor. Moreover, this results in job loss in the U.S., specifically for garment workers. In this sense it is hard to state that globalization is good for them, but if they look around globalization is still a part of their everyday life. Although it is the cause of their lost job, globalization is what allows more than half of the products that we use in our everyday lives to be in this country.
2.) Even with the ongoing tariff war, U.S. apparel imports from China continue to rise. This can be explained by the fact that consumers are paying these fees. Businesses are still importing the goods that fill their shops with the hopes that customers either will not mind the price increase, or will not notice it. I believe that the tariff war is a bad strategy. Besides politicians and big government, no one is benefitting from these tariffs. If anything, they are harming businesses and ultimately affecting the purchasing of consumers. Even without the COVID-19 pandemic, I do not see a place for this tariff war.
#1: Is the sole benefit of globalization helping us get cheaper products? How to convince US garment workers who lost their jobs because of increased import competition that they benefit from globalization also?
The term “globalization” refers to a wide range of interconnections between nations, from commerce, geopolitics, and technology to travel, culture, and the media. Some of the world’s most challenging problems, like unemployment or poverty, may be solved through globalization. To put it another way, globalization isn’t only about lowering the cost of goods and services. There’s little doubt that the economic benefits of globalization are undeniable. In order for a country to grow economically, it has to expand its commerce to new and larger markets. The fast diffusion of technology around the world is perhaps one of the greatest benefits of globalization. Developing countries, in particular, benefit greatly from being able to bypass the lengthy technical development processes of affluent nations. Combining resources and efforts allows for more creative and innovative solutions to global issues that impact people all over the world.Workers who lost their jobs due to increased important competition might believe that globalization is the reason for their unemployment. But, globalization establishes jobs in the U.S by providing economic growth. Specialist are on track to be hired to help with supply chain, sourcing and trade issues, and sustainability issues.
In the class, we mentioned that major driving forces of globalization include economic growth, lowered trade and investment barriers, and technology advancement. What will be the primary driving forces of globalization or deglobalization in the post-COVID world, and why?
Because of the epidemic, many individuals have lost their employment, which may be one of the key driving reasons of globalization in the post-COVID world. Competition in the global market leads to better quality and lower prices. Companies must improve quality and lower costs to remain competitive as customers become aware of the wide range of choices available to them. This is especially true given that most people are concerned about their financial well-being. As a civilization, we are in desperate need of new ideas, and globalization provides that opportunity. A beneficial network effect is generated by the cross-pollination of knowledge and technology, which helps technology-receiving nations to further their own research and development.
#2 : From my perspective, the main reason is the high capacity and variety of Chinese apparel products. Even though 91.6% of Chinese apparel imports will still be hit with a 15% tariff due to the tariff war, it is very challenging for the US to shift the imports from China to other countries. Firstly, it is hard for other countries to meet such capacity under pandemic situations. Currently, China has been actively controlling the pandemic situation and the production is becoming normal, while other counties may have to overhaul the productions due to the pandemic, which would affect the US apparel imports. Another reason could be that it is very time-consuming and tricky for companies to build new relationships to ensure compliance with various product safety and labor regulations in a short time. I think tariff war is a wrong strategy. As we all know, the apparel industry is a global sector. The tariff war has increased costs and induced inflation, evident by the fact that Americans suffer higher costs on apparel products even with the economic difficulties brought by pandemics.
#4: In my opinion, the tariff war cannot stop the steps of globalization. Firstly, the apparel industry in some other less developed countries can expect increasing sourcing. Due to the tariff war, the market prices of textile and apparel products from China would increase. Hence, some US companies may choose to source apparel products in other countries, such as Vietnam and African countries. It is evident that Vietnam exports to the United States rose by 35 percent or $17.5 billion in 2020. However, as discussed before, the impact of changing the sourcing will be limited due to the high capacity and variety of Chinese textile and apparel products.