Use of Project Management in the Ready Made Garments Sector

Abstract

The export-oriented apparel industry of Bangladesh, popularly known as RMG or the garment industry occupies a dominant position in the economy of Bangladesh. The export-oriented industry sector has experienced a phenomenal growth during the last three decades. The nature of the relationship between the international buyers and the local RMG manufacturers is transactional and ad-hoc. The international buyers manage each order with traditional operations processes such as merchandizing, procurement, quality management, shipment and transportation etc. This research using an illustrative case based on a case study argues that performance and overall competitive advantage of all the stakeholders can be improved if individual orders are taken up as project and existing project management knowledge, skills and tools are used. The benefits can be in terms of overall cost minimization, reduction in lead-time, improved efficiency and productivity among others.