Abstract
The objective of the study is to review trends of clothing export in important countries of the world and thus to know the present stage of clothing export in Korea. For the purpose, changes of export amount, competitiveness and product life cycle were analysed in the countries from the 1960's to the 1990's. The results are as following: First, on the aspect of export amount, industrialized countries lost the lead to newly industrializing countries from the 1960's. Developing countries, as China, win the lead. Second, on the competitiveness aspect, industrialized countries lost competitiveness to newly industrializing countries before the 1960's. And newly industrializing countries were outpaced by China in the export competitiveness from the early 1990's. Third, on the aspect of product life cycle, industrialized countries go first through each period of product life cycle, introduction, growth, maturity and decline, and they all, excluding Japan, sustained period of Maturity for a long time. newly industrializing countries and developing countries go orderly through each period of product life cycle after industrialized countries. As to Korea, duration of each period was short. Specially characteristics of decline period appeared partly in the early 1990's. From the results, the theory of product life cycle, helping to explain changes in production and trade in new product lines, estimated to applicable to clothing export. The phenomena, Italy, Hong Kong and America sustain high competitiveness in the world clothing market for a long time, is needed to be studied carefully. The study about strong points in their clothing industries and competitiveness drive program be to influence Korean export policy in the future.
