A model to develop small and medium enterprise sector in Sri Lanka: subcontracting linkages in the Sri Lankan garment industry

Subcontracting is recently one of the most important features of industrial networks and industrial development. There are few studies in the area of subcontracting in garment industry in Sri Lanka. Jayaweera and Dias (1989) have only analyzed nature of subcontracting activities in the Sri Lankan garment industry. They however only focused on the impact on women. The proposed paper investigates the main characteristics of subcontracting activities and the nature of subcontracting linkages in garment industry in Sri Lanka in which subcontracting challenges will be identifies. We use data from field survey of garment firms in Sri Lanka in 2011. Field survey was conducted by the researchers and final year undergraduate students of department of Economics, Faculty of Arts, University of Colombo. In addition, case studies were conducted to get a deep understanding about subcontracting activities in the sector.

Sri Lanka Journal of Advanced Social Studies, 2013; Vol 3(1); Page 54-75