The Future of Work and Career Prospects: Textile Industry - Essay Example

The Future of Work and Career Prospects: Textile Industry s Textile industry: overview The occupation under consideration in the present essay is textile industry, which is one of the oldest sectors of the global industry and one of the integral parts in consumer goods industry. Textile industry is the branch ensuring the lion’s share of consumer goods production volumes and employing immense numbers of people all over the world. The key function of the sector is certainly manufacturing of fabrics, yarns and their subsequent products including apparel, non-apparel goods, home furnishings etc. a. Trends in employment Significance and value of the industry is really vast, with textile production making up estimated 6% of global trade and accounting for as much as 400 billion dollars of the world’s export (Vaidya, 2006, p.413). “In 2003, textiles, clothing and leather accounted for 7.5% of manufacturing employment and 1.2% of all jobs in Canada” (Bloskie, 2005, p.3.12). In the course of technical progress, scales of textile production have been growing, and general globalization trends of the 20th century have spread large-scale manufacturing beyond the borders of the developed countries, encouraging international corporations to place their subsidiaries in developing countries and hence creating jobs for millions of people. At the same time, employment trends in the industry have changed since the second half of the 20th century due to progress in technology and rapid globalization. In the U.S. alone, the number of people employed in textile and apparel industry has dropped by 39% since 1973, according to the official data of 1997(Mittelhauser, 1997, p.24), and it have been dropping even more. The report published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2013 indicates that the number of workers employed in textile industry nationwide is 571,000 workers. Canadian textile industry has been experiencing difficulties, too, with the value of the textile market having dropped by 3.3% in the year 2010 (Textile Industry Profile, 2011, p.10) and numerous company shutdowns and job losses. Of course, reduction in numbers of workers/jobs is directly connected to the fact that textile industry is the brightest case of globalization. The industry incorporates a wide range of unionized jobs on all stages of production, which can refer both to primary and secondary labor markets depending on the rank. Unfortunately, the bulk of jobs directly connected to production are rather precarious, and the working conditions in subsidiaries located in developing countries are the richest in healthcare issues among the employees, including risk of cancer (Kuzmickiene & Stukonis, 2007). b. Challenges faced by the industry As far as I am studying business administration, the niche I am going to take in textile industry is closely related to management and running the textile enterprise. This is a family-run textile business belonging to my family and producing a wide range of non-apparel textile goods. The production is mainly focused on lace, i.e. production of various lace goods for home, such as curtains, bedspreads, tablecloths etc. This is a medium-sized business employing around 500 people, yet my family seeks to contribute to revival of Canadian national textile industry, which has been experiencing considerable difficulties in the recent decades due to the fact that Canada – like other members of the World Trade Organization cancelled import quotas for developing countries (Bloskie, 2005, p.3.12). “Textile industries from developing countries, especially from the Asian region, entered the world textile market, which, due to significantly lower labour costs and domestic production of natural textile raw materials” (Corovic, Jovanovic & Ristic, 2013, p.9) threatens the local enterprises. Canadian government – with a number of trade agreements - has provided quota-free access to our market for products exported from the developing countries, where large corporations have their subsidiaries; therefore, our domestic market has been in need of improvement and support. The huge advantage of the developing countries in terms of production lies in the low-cost labor and availability of raw materials necessary for fabric and yarns production and thus materials for manufacturing of apparel and non-apparel goods. However, we believe in the potential of our enterprise as it incorporates two factories: one focused on lace production and another one applying the lace in production of non-apparel textile products. Therefore, the manufacture proves to be quite self-sufficient as lace, the material for production, doesn’t have to be imported from elsewhere. 2. Future career details and purposes Starting with assisting my father, the director of the factory, the position I plan to devote my career to will be management and administration of the enterprise, which would incorporate fulfillment of various tasks related to different aspects of our business. The job entails rather high level of responsibility and qualification, as wages, health and well-being of many workers as well as our family’s benefit are at stake. Moreover, career in this area requires a wide range of administrative skills (planning and organizational skills, scheduling of supplies and production volumes, managing human resources and communicating to the members of the market) and certain competency in the issues of the production process. Considering the fact that my family have been involved in this business for a while, I believe myself to have certain knowledge in textile production peculiarities and process. The factory is a part of the private sector of the national economy, as it is not state-owned, but controlled by a separate family – ours – that is entitled to control and balance its profits and expenditure. As the member of the administration team, I would face rather promising prospects in terms of wages and benefits: it is natural, because we are in control of everything happening in our business. However, we are in charge of the revenue we obtain and hence are interested in improvement of productivity and profitability of the manufacture. As is was mentioned above, the number of textile industry workers has shrunken over the recent decades, therefore, the demand for qualified staff is quite low. However, I am lucky enough to have the place to start my career and I would be glad to provide opportunities for even more jobs in our business in the future. 3. Economic, social or political trends affecting textile industry Unfortunately, the area of my choice is now generally in a condition that leaves much to be desired. It goes without saying that functioning of each sector of economy and hence career prospects of each employee or entrepreneur are strongly affected by a wide range of political, economic and social trends, which define the trajectory and rates of development as well as its overall efficiency. a. Neoliberalism and its effect Currently, the whole international economy has been developing within the framework of neoliberalism, which is often defined as “a loosely demarcated set of political beliefs which most prominently and prototypically include the conviction that the only legitimate purpose of the state is to safeguard individual, especially commercial, liberty, as well as strong private property rights” (Thorsen & Lie, p.14). Neoliberalism as a multifaceted phenomenon on the global scale of economics, social welfare policy and politics has been producing rather ambiguous impacts. Although - after the capitalist crisis broke out a couple of decades ago – this approach was adopted worldwide as the best and the most efficient way to struggle against austerity (Cameron, 2013), it has been producing also negative and even impairing effects. Neoliberalist governments – Canadian government in particular – replace the notion of state patronage for economic sector with the concepts of individual responsibility and private property. As the result of privatization, most textile enterprises become private, including ours, and the key concern of the state is profit flowing from them. However, the negative aspect of this approach is that the government imposes liability for working conditions, safety of the job and other aspects on the investors and entrepreneurs. Particularly, the issue of concern for textile manufacturing is the conditions in which people work. Unfortunately, in most developing countries, international fabric and apparel manufacturers neglect their workers’ welfare for the sake of higher revenue and thus impair and violate the laws of social justice and humanism (which are – obviously – are not controlled on the state level anymore). On one hand, this approach can be understood, as textile manufacturers have to pay taxes and increase in expenditures for workers’ healthcare, wages and ensuring better conditions will inevitably entail financial losses. However, one of the reasons I would like to be involved in textile factory administration is the striving to improve and preserve descent working conditions for our employees. Of course, additional expenses for this aspect of production are likely to endanger cost recovery; therefore, the primary task is to develop a balanced program of improvements that will enhance both conditions and productivity. b. Competition Another aspect that has to be considered in my further professional activity is influence of competition, because textile industry is typically characterized by intense competition and numerous manufacturers offering same-type goods; and – without any governmental control over prices – free market conditions might force set lower (often unfavorable) prices for goods to win consumers. At the same time, the efficient way to make our business stand out among rivals is introducing an element of exclusiveness to our production. This might include continuous renewal of assortment via creating a few new jobs for designers (probably, freelance). c. Political climate change Considering possible effects of political climate change on textile manufacturers, it is necessary to mention that increase or reduction in budget and resources of the state are directly connected to the policy of austerity. When the state improves resources so that they are enough to create undertake some expenses (e.g. in the sphere of social welfare), the need for austerity policy and hence for extremes in neoliberalism is eliminated. In other words, Canada would be expected to revive funding and control at least of social welfare sector. In this case, the area expecting funding injection would be workers’ healthcare and control over working conditions. In other words, it would be easier for our enterprise to function with at least some of our duties undertaken by the state. d. Technological progress Changes and further advances in technology are likely to affect the production process and probably demand for labor force: technological change would unfold opportunities for transformation certain human-controlled production stages to automatically performed ones. Here, we as administration and management of the business are to make a decision: a certain number of workers will be dismissed; instead, qualified machinery operators and maintenance specialists will be needed. We will have to conduct a research of expenditure and revenue prospects for two options including additional training of our workers or hiring high-qualified operators. However, this aspect won’t affect my career as that of an administering worker. e. Consumer tastes Except all large-scale economic and political factors, textile industry and therefore my career can be influence by a set of social factors like effects of marketing and changes in consumer taste. As we are manufacturers of consumer goods, we have to monitor trend in consumer tastes in order to meet the demand successfully and promptly react to changes. In addition, the prognoses of analysts are rather promising in terms of the industry’s prospects after recession: textile market is “predicted to grow at a moderately strong rate through to the end of the forecast period in 2018” (Textile Mills Industry Profile: Canada, 2014, p.7). 4. Overall assessment of career prospects Having carefully researched and evaluated various aspects of career of my choice, I came to the conclusion that it is the fertile soil for development and contributing to the state’s economy and wellbeing. Relying on good marketing results and fruitful cooperation with retailers, one could even expand production creating new jobs and increasing production volumes supplied across Canada. This is likely to meet domestic market’s demands in the areas of specialization (in cooperation with other manufacturers) and reduce need for imported goods. Thereby, we would be able to contribute to the domestic textile market’s revival and help the country to improve economic conditions. Concerning my personal position, this occupation offers very responsible yet rather stable work and income with a minimal probability of job loss, as this is the job in the senior management of the company. In addition, is grants much power and enables earning descent wages for living and self-actualization. Finally, I believe this job to be a perfect option for me in terms of my purposes. I think the power given to me will help me realize my humanistic strivings to make people’s lives better in a way. By this, I mean an opportunity to take care of textile industry workers in this age of neoliberalism and develop the plan of improvements, implementation of which will make their precarious jobs decently paid and unionized. Moreover, expanding production and creating a range of new jobs is likely to contribute to resolution of unemployment issues, as employment growth rate after the recession of 2008-2009 have slowed down (Bernard & Usalcas, 2014, p.2). Considering all the given data and taking possible factors of influence into account, I would definitely insist that occupation in the managerial personnel of the textile manufacture offers a wide array of prospects in financial well-being, self-actualization, helping the society and economy. The job is such are is forever relevant and wanted, because the entire civilized society dresses up, lays tables for dinner and hangs curtains on the windows. References Bernard, A. & Usalcas, J. (2014). The Labour Market in Canada and the United States since the Last Recession. Statistics Canada. Retrieved February 8, 2015 from http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/11-626-x/11-626-x2014036-eng.pdf Bloskie, C. (2005). Canadas Textile and Clothing Industries. Canadian Economic Observer, 18(3), 3.11-3.16. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2013). Labor Force Statistics from the Current Population Survey. Retrieved February 8, 2015 from http://www.bls.gov/cps/industry_age.htm Cameron, B. (2013). Labour solidarity key to quelling austerity, neoliberalism. CCPA Monitor, 20(3), 18. Corovic, E., Jovanovic, P., & Ristic, L. (2013). Current Trends on the World Textile Market and the Competitiveness of the Serbian Textile Industry. FIBRES & TEXTILES in Eastern Europe 2013, Vol. 21, No. 5(101), 8-12. Retrieved February 7, 2015 from http://www.academia.edu/7193714/Current_Trends_on_the_World_Textile_Market_and_the_Competitiveness_of_the_Serbian_Textile_Industry Kuzmickiene, I., & Stukonis, M. (2007). Lung cancer risk among textile workers in Lithuania. Journal Of Occupational Medicine & Toxicology, 214-18. Mittelhauser, M. (1997).Employment trends in textiles and apparel, 1973–2005 and apparel, 1973–2005. Monthly Labor Review. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved February 8, 2015 from http://www.bls.gov/mlr/1997/08/art3full.pdf Textile Mills Industry Profile: Canada. (2014). Textile Mills Industry Profile: Canada, 1-28. Retrieved February 8, 2015 from http://web.a.ebscohost.com.adams.idm.oclc.org/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=bceb3fb4-e89d-4bae-aa1a-57bcd2d95078%40sessionmgr4003&vid=0&hid=4104 Textile Mills Industry Profile: Global. (2014). Textile Mills Industry Profile: Global, 1-32. Retrieved February 8, 2015 from http://web.a.ebscohost.com.adams.idm.oclc.org/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=a442f463-5cf2-4fd0-96c9-c0eff6c45ea0%40sessionmgr4003&vid=0&hid=4104 Textiles Industry Profile: Canada. (2011). Textiles Industry Profile: Canada, 1-40. Retrieved February 8, 2015 from http://web.a.ebscohost.com.adams.idm.oclc.org/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=38&sid=c856e767-5530-4c75-b605-9a17db19afd8%40sessionmgr4003&hid=4104 Thorsen, D. E., & Lie, A. (n.d.). What is Neoliberalism? Retrieved February 7, 2015 from Universitetet i Oslo: http://folk.uio.no/daget/What%20is%20Neo-Liberalism%20FINAL.pdf Vaidya, A. K. (2006). Globalization: International blocs and organizations: Other issues. ABC-CLIO. p. 413. Read More