The purpose of this research was to investigate whether a balance of technology and management could be used in order to sustain a viable United States (US) short staple yarn production industry. The methodology used in this study consisted of primary research comprising two phases. The first phase consisted of interviews with industry executives in order to find out what US yarn manufacturers think are the important factors in maintaining a competitive yarn industry. The second phase was an online survey with industry customers in order to find out why weavers and knitters buy from US manufacturers. Results reveal that US manufacturers have competitive advantages over other countries because of skill level of workforce, variety of products offered, customer relationships, innovation and technology, and product quality. In order to keep these competitive advantages, “technology” and “management” strategies should be implemented. Results also reveal the areas in which the US yarn manufacturers should focus their resources in order to stay competitive or indeed survive. 1. Introduction No one who has passed from the 20th to 21st century can deny that the world today has become significantly more competitive. With the advent of instantaneous communications and relatively fast transportation systems, there is truly a global manufacturing base where products can be sourced at competitive prices. It is essential that companies embrace these changes in the business environment to ensure their growth or, in some cases, survival. Some industry experts have recommended that, for yarn manufacturers to stay competitive in a “global” environment, quick response in the hemisphere is very important. Others have suggested that not only is quick response important but quality in products that respond tocustomer needs is also important for the company to stay competitive [1]. In order to achieve these goals, it is necessary to optimize the use of available technologies. For example, it is obvious that in yarn manufacturing two immediate prerequisites to success are high productivity and high quality; however, these must also be accompanied by correct pricing and customer service (including short delivery times and technical support). There is, however, a paramount danger in focusing on just one of the above parameters. For example, since it is evident that if one only considers advances in technology which yield significant benefits in productivity, vortex spinning would be the only choice of spinning systems used, conversely, it is clear that there are many other
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