| The U.S. upholstered furniture industry has faced increasing global competition, adversely affecting this labor-intensive industry. Guided by the economic comparative advantage theory, this study assessed how U.S. manufacturers might adapt to the global forces shaping the furniture industry. Interview data from 31 industry leaders in the U.S. and Chinese upholstered furniture industry supported the research in this phenomenological study on the globalization of the U.S. furniture industry. Numerical averages were calculated from a supplemental survey which supported the interview data, triangulating the research. Twenty-one themes emerged by using the modified Van Kaam method to code, analyze, and organize the interview data, suggesting that viable options exist for U.S. manufacturers in this global market. Three important trends summarize the themes from the data: (a) a rise in the Chinese cost structure, (b) an inability of U.S. furniture management to adapt quickly, and (c) numerous strategies for U.S. firms moving forward requiring companies to niche their market focus. The participants expressed the need to develop strategies that leverage the geographic proximity of U.S. manufacturers to their customer base. Social change implications for this study included outcomes that yield a sustainable competitive advantage for U.S. furniture manufacturers that might increase U.S. employment and improve the value proposition to the customer. |
