Upgrading in the Global Clothing Industry: The Transformation of Boyner Holding

Abstract

The authors examine the complexity of the structure and corporate practice of Boyner Holding, a Benetton supplier in Turkey as well as a manufacturer and a retailer in its own right. Their analysis has implications concerning the fluid, intricate and dynamic power relationships within the global clothing industry, as well as concerning the availability of upgrading opportunities for corporations in peripheral places such as Turkey. The analysis also points to the current blurring of the traditional distinctions between production-based and distribution-based firms, between full-package manufacturers and original brand name manufacturers and, in fact, between lead firms and their suppliers.