Prizes & Awards
2023 The Case Centre Best-selling Classic Case in the Category 'Production and Operations Management'
This case is amongst the top 50 most popular cases in the 50 years history of The Case Centre – 1973-2023
2022 The Case Centre Best-selling Classic Case in the Category 'Production and Operations Management'
2021 The Case Centre Best-selling Classic Case in the Category 'Production and Operations Management'
2021 The Case Centre Best-selling Case in 'Production and Operations Management'
2020 The Case Centre Best-selling Classic Case in the Category 'Production and Operations Management'
2020 The Case Centre Best-selling Case in Production and Operations Management
2019 The Case Centre Best-selling Case in Production and Operations Management
2018 The Case Centre Best-selling Case in Production and Operations Management
2017 The Case Centre Best-selling Case in Production and Operations Management
2016 Best Selling Cases In France, Production / Logistique
2016 The Case Centre Best-selling Case in Production and Operations Management
2015 The Case Centre Best-selling Case in Production and Operations Management
2014 The Case Centre Best Selling Case in Production and Operations Management
2013 The Case Centre Best Selling Case in Production and Operations Management
2012 The Case Centre Best-selling Case in the Category 'Production and Operations Management'
2011 The Case Centre Best-selling Case in the Category 'Production and Operations Management'
2010 The Case Centre Best-selling Case in the Category 'Production and Operations Management'
2009 The Case Centre Best-selling Case in the Category 'Production and Operations Management'
2008 The Case Centre Best-selling Case in the Category 'Production and Operations Management'
2007 The Case Centre Best-selling Case in the Category 'Production and Operations Management'
2006 The Case Centre Best-selling Case in the Category 'Production and Operations Management'
2005 The Case Centre Best-selling Case in the Category 'Production and Operations Management'
Overall Winner of the 2005 Case Centre Awards
2004 The Case Centre Best-selling Case in the Category 'Production and Operations Management'
2003 The Case Centre Best-selling Case in the Category 'Production and Operations Management'
Winner of the Case Centre Awards and Competitions 2003 in the Category 'Production and Operations Management'
2002 The Case Centre Best-selling Case in the Category 'Production and Operations Management'
The case was written to illustrate the importance of business process design as a basis for competition in the textile industry. The case illustrates the impressive performance of Zara, the new fashion player from Spain, which has innovated in process design so as to deliver new collections in its stores with a lead-time of 5 to 7 days. The more traditional approach in textile retailing is illustrated here by Marks & Spencer (M&S), the well-known UK retailer. Notwithstanding M&Ss current problems, the case does not fall into an overly simple comparison between a young, innovative competitor and an aging glory.
The authors have taught this case both in executive education and in the MBA core class on process and operations management. There are four important concepts that we typically stress, more or less, depending on pedagogical objectives: - Newsvendor losses in the textile industry - The role of postponement in final design - The "lean enterprise" aspect of Zara - Process competition and innovation, embedded in technology evolution
- AR2002
- RD0102
- SINGAPORE
- PROCESS COMPETITION
- OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT
- SUPPLY CHAIN
- RETAIL APPAREL
- DELAYED CUSTOMISATION
- DELAYED CUSTOMIZATION
- TIME-BASED COMPETITION
- NEWSBOY MODEL
- INNOVATION
- SERVICES
- DISRUPTIVE TECHNOLOGIES
