Dynamic Process Analysis

 

    Compared to the more formally defined and standardized structured processes, dynamic processes in business are less specific and more adaptive processes. The process of clothing selection for Zara stores will be examined for this analysis. Zara has an informal process where they decide on the type of clothing available in individual stores. This dynamic process is conducted after each season or annually depending on the store to decide on which selection of clothing is chosen. The changes required are typically to adjust for local expectations and the sizing of clothes. An example of this would concern clothing not properly fitting as the customer might expect it to. This could be things such as women’s sizes needing to be ordered a size up or the clothing line for kids running too small for the local community. Sizing issues like this requires that clothing sizes are adjusted based on the general season. These discrepancies could also lead into an increase in online returns and in-store sales returns. The increase in returns would result in Zara having a higher return ratio for their stores.

During our group’s interview with a General Manager of a Zara store, we learned in more detail about how individual stores adjust their clothing line to better meet customer expectations. The process starts off with the store’s General Manager deciding if there is something that needs to be changed about the local clothing selection for the store. If so, it is important to analyze community preferences in clothing and the general fashion style of the area. For example, the Zara store in Freehold Township has a predominantly large Hasidic Jewish community located in Lakewood, New Jersey. In this particular community, the General Manager discovered that the local Jewish population has a preference towards blue colors, clothes that are more plain in style and color, and that women will only wear clothing that falls below the knee. There was also another unique challenge, the Jewish community does not wear clothes with shatnez material, which means containing both wool and linen. The Jewish book of Torah forbids wearing clothing made from mixed plants and seeds. The next step was for the General Manager to contact Zara’s Project Manager about the changes needed for the local community around the store. The Project Manager then contacts Zara’s design team to make adjustments based on what was suggested. One specific issue that needed to be addressed was the problem with clothing containing shatnez material in Zara’s stores. Zara’s solution was to use a wool blend material instead, which is wool blended with synthetic fibers. The use of wool blend was to cater and accommodate towards the location and demographic of the Zara store in Freehold Township but it was also later implemented in other Zara stores. 

Zara’s dynamic process for its clothing selection in stores allows each store to remain adaptive towards local needs. This specific process requires feedback from the actors participating in the process in order to properly meet the changing requirements of customers. In general, it is an informal process that demands human intuition rather than set procedures from the store’s General Manager.