Gap Inc. Case Analysis

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Gap and Globalization By Sameena Khan and Ben Robertson Abstract: In this paper we employ a social change and development conceptual framework to interpret the case of "Gap and Globalization" to inform discussions regarding the globalization of economy and society. This research focuses on Gap and its effect on labor markets. The research topic is important because companies like Gap, Inc. are dominant actors in the global clothing industry. The social change and development conceptual framework focuses on the process of globalization. For the purposes of this paper, globalization is operationalized as: (1) decentralization of production; (2) informalization of labor; and (3) global sourcing. Data was gathered through extensive Internet searches and analysis of Gap, Inc.'s website. The conclusion is that while Gap, Inc. claims to uphold its social responsibility in factories around the world, it continues to exploit its employees and the third world nations that house these independent factories for capitalistic gain. INTRODUCTION This paper uses the case of Gap, Inc. combined with the sociology of change and development conceptual framework to inform discussions regarding the impacts on the labor market through a globalization perspective. Globalization has provided the world’s capitalists a way to expand their business horizons while escaping the heavy hand of the state within the national structure. With the advent of global capitalism, “economic activity is international in scope and global in organization.” (Gereffi and Memedovic 2003: 2). Through globalization, two main types of economic networks have been established: producer-driven and buyer driven. The globalization of labor is a frequent topic of discussion for researchers interested in global commodity value chains; common focuses of these discussions include the consequences of the global apparel
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