University of Texas at Austin School of Human Ecology TXA 365 (#55113) Maymester Abroad 2013

Course Title and Description

China’s role in globalization of textile manufacture and fashion retailing

Study abroad course for ’s textile, apparel, and retailing industry. Three credit hours for onsite lecture and tour of China’s supply chains for international fashion retailing industry, and China’s historical and cultural attractions. Course contents cover an overview of Chinese geography and culture, a brief of China’s modern textile industry, an introduction to China’s textile and apparel manufacture, and an outline of China’s fashion retailing system. Pre-requisite: upper division standing; TXA 205/105L; 3 credit hours of coursework in apparel design; and 3 credit hours of coursework in retail merchandising; or equivalent coursework (with permission of instructor).

Instructor

Dr. Jonathan Chen Office: GEA 304 Tel. 471-0633 Email: [email protected] Class Meeting: M T W Th 911 am; 24 pm Class Site: University, China (Room # TBA)

Course Objectives

1. To get knowing China in terms of geography, history, culture, and customs in food, clothing and housing; 2. To examine state-of-the-art technologies, capacity, and infrastructure of China’s textile and apparel manufacture firsthand; 3. To learn Chinese apparel style, retailing models, and fashion trend and market; 4. To understand supply chain relationships between the U.S. apparel retailing industry and the Chinese textile and apparel industries; 5. To understand the importance of developing competition strategies that can make the U.S. retail business succeed in China; and 6. To gain a sense of improving intercultural communicating skills in an international business context.

Course Arrangement

This course is offered at Nantong University, Nantong, China. Students enrolled in this course are required to complete onsite registration on the day before class begins. Course deliveries include lecture; guest speeches; tours of textile heritages, museums, cultural attractions, textile and apparel manufacturers; export/import companies; fashion retailers; and group discussion. Students may also have opportunities to interact with Chinese scholars, students, and business people working in the areas of fashion design, textile manufacture, apparel making up, textile/apparel distribution, and international trade.

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Course Requirements

Assignments. Throughout this course each attendant needs to write a daily study journal in response to what happens on that day (lecture topic, guest seminar topic, outreach activity, etc.). Other assignments include reference reading, information searching, article analysis and abstract, and preparation for class discussion either in oral or in written form.

Lecture Test. In the end of onsite lecture, there is a comprehensive written test.

Group Report and Presentation. Course attendants will be divided into small groups (23 students in a group) to work on a group report to conclude this China Study. The report needs to address a theme or topic generated in this course study. Length of the report is no less than 15 pages. The report should include title, abstract, introduction of a theme, analysis and finding, and summary. Supporting data used for the report should result from lecture, seminars, observations, experience, and various reference sources. Each study group is also required to orally present its report in the class. Each presentation should be the PowerPoint format. Length of the presentation should be controlled within 20 minutes.

By living and touring in China, students will be inspired by many things they learn and see, such as how to negotiate, China’s competitive advantages, technology innovation, business opportunities, sustainable compatibility of Chinese supply chains, global brand with local adaptation, global growth through franchising, and Chinese brands going global. Students are free to select report topics. The topics listed below are just some samples for course participants to think about.

1. Discuss major factors that indicate China’s economy booming. 2. Discuss the current status of China’s textile and apparel manufacturers. 3. Analyze China’s retailing industries (infrastructure, scale, strength and weakness compared to global retailers, future development trend, etc.). 4. Compare differences in food, clothing, housing, and traveling between China and the U.S. 5. If you are taking a leading role in a company for developing a new business with Chinese partners, identify priorities you think you should focus. 6. Summarize your most impressive experience during this China Study course, including your overall assessment of this study abroad experience.

Course Materials

Required: Rivoli, P. (2005). The Travels of the T- Shirt in the Global Economy. John Wiley and Sons: New Jersey Swithart, D.W., Liu, I., Mu, J.Z., and Meng, C. (2012). Success with Chinese – A Communicative Approach for Beginners, Level 1: Reading & Writing. 9780887276019; Listening & Speaking. 9780887274251. Cheng & Hsui Publishing, Boston, MA.

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References: Institute of Economic Research of Renmin University of China (2011). Enrich Annual Economic Review Series, Volume 3 China's Economy 2011. 978-981-4339-42-1. Bernan Publications, Lanham, MD. Enrich Series on China's Economic Issues Volume 3 Foreign Trade Growth and Economic Development in China: Retrospective and Future Prospects. 978-981-4298-22-3. Bernan Publications, Lanham, MD. 2011. Chen, Xulu (2011). Metabolism of Modern Chinese Society Two-volume Set. 978-981-4339-79-7. Bernan Publications, Lanham, MD. Lord, J.V. (2007). The Essential Guide for Buying from China's Manufacturers: The 10 Steps to Success, BookSurge Publishing Grace Kunz and Myrna Garner, Going Global: The Textile and Apparel Industry, Fairchild Publications, Inc. New York, 2007. Sue-Mei Wu, Yue-Ming Yu, Yanhui Zhang, and Weizhong Tian, Chinese Link: Elementary Chinese, Prentice Hall, 2006.

Course Grading

Grades will be computed on the following basis: Journal Completion 100 points (40%) Group Report 75 points (30%) Presentation 25 points (10%) Lecture Test 25 points (20%) Total 300 points (100%)

A 93–100% A- 90–92.9% B+ 87–89.9% B 83–86.9% B- 80–82.9% C+ 77–79.9% C 73–76.9% C- 70–72.9% D+ 67–69.9% D 63–66.9% D- 60–62.9% F 0–59.9%

Course Policies

1. All aspects of the UT academic honesty policy apply: Policy on Scholastic Dishonesty: Students who violate University rules on scholastic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary

3 penalties, including the possibility of failure in the course and/or dismissal from the University. Since dishonesty harms the individual, all students, and the integrity of the University, policies on scholastic dishonesty will be strictly enforced. You should refer to the Student Judicial Services website at http://deanofstudents.utexas.edu/sjs/ or the General Information Catalog to access the official University policies and procedures on scholastic dishonesty as well as further elaboration on what constitutes scholastic dishonesty.

2. Good behavior is expected at all times for all participants. This course follows UT’s guidelines for student code of conduct including: (1) exercise self-control, self-respect, and self-discipline, (2) demonstrate a positive attitude, (3) respect the rights and feelings of others, (4) respect school and facility property, (5) support the learning process, (6) adhere to rules, and (7) promote a safe environment.

3. This course enforces the UT Standards of Conduct prohibiting unlawful possession, use, or distribution of illicit drugs and alcohol. http://www.utexas.edu/student/studentaffairs/pdf/drugfree07.pdf

4. This course urges all participants to follow policies and rules of Nantong University when living and studying in that campus.

5. This course has additional requirements for all participants to show proper behavior and responsibilities when studying and traveling in China. These are: (1) to be fully responsible for all academic matters, money matters, communication matters, and safety and security matters; (2) to stay in class groups as much as possible; (3) to ask the instructor’s permission for any plan of individual activity (i.e., you want to go somewhere outside the campus or hotels alone); and (4) to help each other and be willing to share limited resources.

4 Tentative Course Schedule

Date Time Activity Tentative Topic 5/26 Week 1 arrive in Nantong Univ. Shanghai Pudong Intl Airport pick up 5/27 AM Registration & Orientation Room and Board Logistics PM Class Course Overview Evening Welcome Party

Knowing China—Overview of Chinese 5/28 AM Class geography & culture Knowing China—Overview of Chinese PM Class economy 5/29 AM Guest seminar Chinese language and customs PM Class China’s textile industry—brief history 5/30 AM Tour: Nantong Toray Synthetic fiber production PM Tour: Nantong Teijin Apparel fabric production Tour: Nantong JUST Fashion 5/31 AM Children's fashion production Co., Ltd PM Tour: Nantong A-Z Corporation Textile dyeing and finishing Wolf Mountain Scenic Spot, 6/1 (Sat) 9 am - 4 pm Local cultural & natural attractions Nantong City Museum 6/2 Week 2 PM Social with Chinese students China’s textile industry—structure & 6/3 AM Class products China’s textile industry—Technology & PM Class capacity China’s textile industry—market and & 6/4 AM Class economic development PM Class China’s apparel industry—Overview Highlights of regional economic 6/5 AM Guest seminar development China’s apparel industry—design & PM Class production for domestic market 6/6 AM Class China’s apparel industry—export capacity PM Class Group project development Apparel Fabric Service 6/7 AM Dyed yarn woven fabrics Center Jiangsu Golden Sun Textile PM Household textiles Tech Co, Ltd. Nantong Blue Calico Gallery, Embroidery Museum, Abacus 6/8 (Sat) 9 am - 8 pm Local cultural & natural attractions Museum, Boatride Night Tour of Haohe Canel 6/9 Week 3 PM Social with Chinese students China’s fashion retailing 6/10 AM Class industry—distribution China’s fashion retailing industry—retailing PM Class models 6/11 AM Guest seminar Chinese art and fashion design

5 China’s fashion retailing industry—China's PM Class fashion market 6/12 AM Class Students’ project presentations PM Class Exam and course wrap-up Evening Program ceremony

6/13 7:00 AM Nanjing High Hope Int'l Group International merchandising seminar Presidential Palace, stay in Nanjing PM Nanjing historical sightseeing Fangyuan Jin Ling Hotel 6/14 AM Nanjing historical sightseeing Sun Yet-Sen's Mausoleum Business uniform design & production for PM Wuxi East Asia Uniform Group 5-star hotel employees Arrival in Wuxi Grand Hotel; visit Qin Ming Evening Wuxi Sightseeing Qiao historical street Jiangsu Shenli Co., Ltd. 6/15/ (Sat) AM (Jiangyin New Tech & Eco Dev Knitted fabric and garment production District, 88 Changshan Rd.) Wuxi Jiangyin Hailan Textiles PM Men's suit production line & exhibition and Garments Group 6/16 Week 4 AM Wuxi Sightseeing Lake Tai PM Wuxi Sightseeing Linshan Giant Buddha

Museum of Suzhou Embroidery 6/17 AM Chinese Silk Embroidery Art Art Suzhou Garden; coach to PM The Humble Administrator’s Garden Shanghai Huangpu River Cruise. Stay in Holiday Inn Evening Tour Shanghai Downtown Shanghai Maglev Fastest Train, World Exhibition 6/18 AM Tour Shanghai China Hall Nanjing Road High Fashion Clusters; Yu PM Tour Shanghai Garden for Shopping Evening Tour Shanghai Acrobatic Show Arrival in Beijing Sunworld Wangfujing 6/19 AM Flight to Beijing Hotel PM Tour Beijing Forbidden City; Tiananmen Square 6/20 AM Tour Beijing Great Wall PM Tour Beijing Ming Tombs 6/21 AM Tour Beijing Temple of Heaven Leave for Beijing International PM Return to U.S. Airport

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