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Dressing China

Harvard Business Review

All the world's apparel manufacturers and retailers have joined the race to clothe China. Unsurprisingly, apparel spending in China has been growing by a robust 16% per annum. In 2009, sales totaled $114 billion, making China the world's second-largest apparel market behind the $287 billion U.S.

Apparel 13
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Don't Underestimate China's Luxury Market

Harvard Business Review

In 2009, Rolex, Omega, Longines, and Cartier held nearly 50 percent of the luxury watch market in China, according to our analysis. Besides Burberry and Dunhill, two Italian brands, Armani and Ermenegildo Zegna, and one German brand, Hugo Boss, dominate the apparel market. Other foreign countries account for 25 percent.

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Why CEOs Should Watch the Royal Wedding

Harvard Business Review

costofweddings.com estimates that the average couple spends $24,000 per wedding, probably an underestimate once one adds up a year's worth of planning for apparel, beauty treatments (including weight loss), officiants and music, venues and catering, and numerous other services. In the U.S.,

CEO 16
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How This Lingerie Store Boosted its Bottom Line, Despite the Downturn

Harvard Business Review

Among its intimate apparel store peers — who are in the business of helping women find the perfect undergarments through a sometimes thrilling and at other times exasperating process — Journelle stands out. From first quarter 2008 to 2009, bankruptcy filings leapt by 75%. Journelle in New York City is no ordinary store.

TSR 15
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The 3 Essential Jobs That Most Retention Programs Ignore

Harvard Business Review

For example, in 2009 professors Brian Becker, Mark Huselid, and Richard Beatty estimated that in most companies less than 15% of jobs are what they call strategic positions and said management should focus “disproportionate investments” on finding A players for those jobs. Connectors in the middle.

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Getting Back to Growth

Harvard Business Review

This preserved one of the indicators that have consistently pointed north since the economy emerged from recession in 2009. But when the retailer took a more careful look, it found that its best opportunity was to get people to buy more in the categories they were already shopping (such as apparel or electronics or groceries).

Retail 11
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Income Inequality Is a Sustainability Issue

Harvard Business Review

While this measure fell to 19% in 2009, it has since recovered.) After a terrible fire killed many workers in Bangladesh apparel factories, European retailers Primark and C&A worked to establish long-term compensation funds for victims and their families. And directly, the trends are literally unsustainable. Take an Interest.