Ahmedabad Management Association and Fibre2Fashion in coordination with Dr. PR Roy, Eminent Management Consultant and ex-Group Chief Executive Arvind Mills Limited are organizing an International Conference on "Steering Mature Business: A leadership challenge to the textile and clothing industry" on 3rd and 4th October 2009 at Ahmedabad, Gujarat.

Textile, being the 'Mother' industry of all has been experiencing ups and downs since its inception in India. It has been able to demonstrate its holding power under varying conditions, be it pre-independence or post-independence period. One of the major factors contributing to such an ability to withstand has been that the industry held a prime position singularly amongst others, practically being unchallenged over a fairly long period of time, in terms of revenue generation and employment potential.

The textile industry in the past few decades has lost much of its significance to the decentralized sector. This has happened due to various government policies and measures. The textile industry due to its stubborn resistance to change, till the radical economy and trade policy changes took place in the form of integrating Indian economy with the global market economy. Subsequently with the advent of WTO, a new incarnation of the earlier GATT, ushered in major hopes for the Indian textile industry. Infact the country sensed a great opportunity to be a globally competitive major textile player. Investments started pouring in and the Technology upgradation made some meaningful inroads. However, the lack of clear understanding of "competition and competitive strategy" and the dearth of 'Visionary foresight' and 'Missionary zeal' and more so in the context of present global economic meltdown exposed the Leadership crisis in the textile industry in a hitherto unprecedented environment

Some of the modern Technical textiles that are primarily the outcome of interdisciplinary R & D approach have been able to create some 'uncontested market space' by major breakthroughs in the newer and hitherto unknown applications of textiles led by Japan, USA and W. Europe. Indian organized Textile Industry, in all its reality is still very hesitant to travel on those roads and thus have remained classically centered around Apparel and House-hold textiles. Competition is still the name of the game. A critical analysis of the past numerous debates and discussions on the health of the Indian textile industry reveal that those predominantly hovered around Technical issues, Factorial cost and Fiscal prudence. This, over a period of time tended to narrow down the gap in performance between the technically capable leaders and the followers. Distinguished speakers will deliberate upon topics such as Management of Technology, Automation in Garment Manufacturing, Innovations and fashion apparel, Internet business, modern marketing principles and techniques, finance, capital markets and human capital management. These are critical elements for future growth of textile and clothing businesses in India and are at the top of the agenda among business leaders in this industry.