Supply chain management practices and performance of textile and apparel firms in Malaysia

Supply Chain Management (SCM) plays a significant role in determining the success of
manufacturing companies. Despite the relevance and applicability of SCM to manufacturing firms, the review of the previous research reveals that there is limited research that attempted to investigate the effect of SCM practices on the performance of manufacturing companies, particularly among the textile and apparel companies in Malaysia. As a result, there is not only lack of information but also little knowledge concerning SCM practices and its effect on the performance of textile and apparel
companies in the country. This study initiates an attempt to address this limitation by
examining the relationship between SCM practices and the performance of textile and apparel firms in Malaysia. By using structured questionnaire, the data for the study was collected from 100 firms operating in the textile and apparel industry. The results of the analysis of the data indicate that SCM practices such as customer relationship, strategic supplier partnership, and strategic outsourcing adopted by the textiles firms are significantly associated to their performance.