1 | INTRODUCTION

The expectancies, predictions and uncertainties with the coming of every New Year create a nostalgic feeling, and it had reached its peak, especially for 2020 when the global economy was due for an upturn as of December 2019. The year, however, took the world by storm as in December 2019, a month to the New Year, the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission had reported on cases of ‘viral pneumonia’. This viral condition, on further research, was identified as ‘Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and within days and weeks, had escalated and travelled the world over, displacing the intelligence of the world thought to be at the peak of technology with excellent global medical facilities and preparedness (Nicola et.al., 2020). The director general of the World Health Organisation (WHO), in an emergency meeting on 30th January 2020, declared the novel coronavirus a pandemic (WHO, 2020). The Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Centre’s update as of 30th July, 2020, stated that the total cases were about 17,061,855 with 667,808 deaths and 188 affected countries (JHU, 2020).

This pandemic has had a negative impact on the morbidity and mortality of the world, with the manufacturing industry, especially the apparel sector, which relied heavily on China, the centre of production. COVID-19 has uncovered the vulnerabilities in the global fashion manufacturing with the cancellation of orders, difficult demands, payment delays and factory closures with its ripple effect on those with vulnerable positions in the supply chain (Almila, 2020). It is inferred from the study that disruptions in the supply chain usually happen due to the enormous influence of events like natural disasters, wars, terrorist attacks and pandemics. According to Parsons (2020) as cited in Majumdar et al. (2020), COVID-19 is the most cursed pandemic as its interference has had an undulating effect on the entire supply chain as well as the populace. A look at the Fortune 1000 companies indicated that about 94% of companies have had supply chain challenges due to COVID-19, which included suppliers to producers and other suppliers (Sherman, 2020).

According to the Financial Express (2020), the garment industry lost $4.33 billion in exports between March and June 2020 as a result of the cancellation of foreign orders. Due to the enormity of cancellations by international buyers and brands, an estimated number of about 2.28 million workers in the garment sector were also affected directly or indirectly. Due to the sharp decline in orders due to the lockdown, some companies in India and Bangladesh had to close, bringing the industry to a halt, though some South East Asian garment producers sought to cope with the upsurge by using surplus materials or ordering from local suppliers from the orders already in the production process (ILO, 2021). As asserted by the World Bank Group (2020), every nation would be exposed to a plunging growth as South Asia’s economy would diminish by 2.7%, Sub-Saharan Africa by 2.8%, the Middle East and North Africa by 4.2%, Europe and Central Asia by 4.7%, and Latin America by 7.2%. These predictions would by no means reverse the dexterity and goals of the nations, tipping some back into recession and dangerous poverty. Companies that had established online presence and robust digital capabilities were better positioned to adapt to the changing market dynamics (McKinsey & Company, 2021). COVID-19 accelerated the digital transformation of the apparel industry. Brands and retailers invested more in digital technologies, including virtual showrooms, virtual try-on tools, and enhanced online shopping experiences, to engage with consumers and mitigate the impact of store closures (McKinsey & Company, 2021).

Although the COVID-19 pandemic is unparalleled in its impact on the apparel industry, there have been other pandemics and health crises that have had varying effects of the apparel industry. The SARS pandemic in 2002, which was in the East and Southeast Asia, led to the disruption of manufacturing processes, factory closures and production delays, which affected the textile and apparel manufacturing industries (World Health Organization, 2020). In 2009, the H1N1 influenza pandemic, commonly known as the Swine Flu, moved across the globe and within the apparel sector, issues relating to the health and safety of workers in densely populated factory environments emerged and prompted adjustments in workplace protocols (World Health Organization, 2009) The Zika virus outbreak in South America in 2015-2016 raised peculiar challenges for the apparel industry in relation to safety 19 at work, particularly for pregnant employees. As a result, protective measures were introduced by some manufacturers, which affected production schedules (World Health Organization, 2016). In West Africa, the Ebola outbreak between 2014 and 2016, though primarily a health crisis, disrupted trade and supply chains, including those linked to textile and apparel production. This disturbance underscored the vulnerability of global supply networks and the potential ramifications for production and distribution (World Health Organization, 2016).

The apparel industry in Ghana has been a sector that has contributed significantly to the country's economy, but the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic presented unprecedented challenges. The garment industry had about 138 medium- and large-scale garment production companies in the mid-1970s, according to Mensah (1998) and however, this young and vibrant industry experienced a downward trend due to policy changes, government instability, and an overreliance on the textile industry. As part of efforts to revamp the sector, the Association of Ghana Apparel Manufacturers (AGAM) was established in 2017 (Oxford Business Group, 2020). The innovations of new and established companies, such as Christy Brown, Abrantie the Gentleman, and Pistis Gh, contributed to an increase in exports, valued at approximately $98 million in 2017. However, the COVID-19 pandemic hit and turned the world upside down, impacting the industry's growth. The world has seen several pandemics throughout history, including the Antonine Plague in 165 AD, the Black Death in 1346, the Spanish Flu of 1918, the Asian Flu of 1957-1958, and the swine flu of 2009. Nonetheless, the novel Coronavirus pandemic started in 2019 and was unprecedented. According to Panovska-Griffiths et al. (2019), the incidence of these pandemics demonstrates the never-ending threat to nations and highlights the importance of ensuring detailed preparations for future pandemics.

The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the global economy, with the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs predicting a loss of approximately $8.5 trillion by 2022. This would likely plunge several individuals into intense poverty. The pandemic's impact was severe on China, India, Italy, Bangladesh, and the USA, among others, the world's leading apparel manufacturing countries (Richter, 2020). A study by Aktar et al. (2021) on the impact of COVID-19 on the ready-made garment sector of Bangladesh revealed that exports, imports, payments, and economic growth declined drastically due to the pandemic. The economic and social status of the sector was severely damaged. In Africa, the demand for supplies and merchandise from China decreased, and access to mass-produced goods was hindered due to lockdown measures and travel restrictions, causing further havoc to an already unstable economy.

In Ghana, the COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted the apparel industry. According to the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS), in conjunction with the World Bank and the UNDP (United Nations Development Programme), approximately 770,000 workers' salaries were slashed, and around 42,000 workers were laid off (UNDP, 2020). The demand and supply of products and services declined, with an estimated 115.2 million Ghana cedis decrease in sales from the trade and manufacturing sectors. The COVID-19 pandemic led to disruptions in global supply chains, affecting the sourcing and availability of raw materials for the Ghanaian apparel industry. Approximately 51.4% of businesses experienced significant difficulties in procuring raw materials. The unavailability of raw materials led to an increase in the cost of production, resulting in a decline in production and exports in the apparel industry. The lockdown measures implemented to prevent the spread of COVID-19 reduced consumer demand for apparel products in Ghana. The apparel sector, which deals mostly in bespoke garments, had to shut down due to the pandemic. The lockdown resulted in a reduction in consumer demand for apparel products in Ghana and brought about economic uncertainties, income loss, and discretionary spending, which included clothing purchases. Consumers prioritised essential goods, impacting the apparel industry's sales and revenue. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed structural vulnerabilities in Ghana's $127M apparel export sector, where 72% of firms relied on imported Asian textiles pre-crisis. Unlike Bangladesh's export-focused collapse (Aktar et al., 2021) or China's domestic market pivot, Ghana's response combined emergency PPE manufacturing with unprecedented government-industry coordination.

To mitigate the negative impacts of the pandemic, the government launched a GHC 600 million Coronavirus Alleviation Programme (CAP) to support small and medium-scale enterprises, which account for about 92% of businesses across the nation (Adams, 2020; UNDP, 2020). USAID also provided support through the Analytical Support Services and Evaluations for Sustainable Systems (ASSESS) for Dignity Do The Right Thing (DTRT) and Ethical Apparel Africa (EAA). This article explores and analyses the significant role collaborative efforts played in enhancing the resilience and adaptive capacity of the apparel industry in Ghana during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Jüttner and Maklan (2011), effective public-private partnerships are crucial in navigating disruptions, a notion further supported by Christopher and Peck (2004), who emphasise the need to advocate for agile supply chains that can adapt to unexpected challenges. Additionally, Sheffi and Rice (2005) emphasise the importance of proactive risk management for achieving resilience in supply chains. Kumar et al. (2021) provide insights into the broader impacts of COVID-19 on global supply chains, while Ivanov (2022) highlights the necessity of collaborative efforts for recovery during crises. An Examination of the collaborative initiatives, partnerships, and innovative strategies that ensued during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic will provide insights into how these approaches contributed to mitigating the negative impacts and fostering a more sustainable future for the industry in Ghana.

 

2 |  METHODOLOGY

This study utilised a descriptive case study approach to examine the powerful collaboration between the apparel industry in Ghana, the government and stakeholders during the COVID-19 pandemic. The descriptive case study method was suitable in this regard as it allowed for an in-depth study of selected companies. The justification of the case study is that it made it possible to identify and select apparel companies that were relevant and constituted a good representation of the industry. Case studies can be single or multiple, but the latter allows for comparisons to be made between two or more cases. This research therefore employed the case study method as it targeted selected Tiers 1, 2 and 3 apparel manufacturers in Ghana. This made it possible to assess how these companies dealt with the COVID-19 pandemic. It also satisfied the conditions of using a case study, which, according to Yin (2018), are the ‘how’, or ʽwhyʼ questions, and the researcher must have no control over the happenings. Cresswell (2013) also asserts that case studies involve the discovery of a real-life event through thorough data collection using multiple sources of information. This design allowed for an in-depth investigation of the industry's response to the pandemic, emphasising contextual intricacies and unique dynamics. The study employed a purposive sampling technique to select thirty-eight (38) participants from the apparel companies and a representative from the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry (MoTAI). Interviews were conducted on collaboration, resilience strategies, and results were explored, whereas documents such as industry reports, press releases, and official statements provided related information and were analysed to validate the interview findings. The data obtained from the interviews were analysed using thematic analysis, and themes related to collaboration, resilience strategies, and outcomes were identified and categorised based on the research objectives. Anonymity was ensured by representing respondents from apparel companies as ‘RAI’ (Respondent from Apparel Industry), ‘T1’ represents (Tier 1, 2 or 3).

The respondents from the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry are represented as MoTAI. The alphabet and figure ‘A1’ indicate the numbering of the respondents from each company (e.g., RAI (A1T1)). The study adhered to ethical considerations by ensuring that all sources of literature reviewed were cited correctly and credited to their respective authors. The selected apparel production companies had been segmented into Tiers one (1), two (2) and three (3) by the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry. Respondents for the Tier 1 interviews were located in Accra, Koforidua, and Kumasi, with a minimum of nine (9) to a maximum of forty (40) years in existence. They included four (4) females and one (1) male CEOs/Managers of the companies with educational levels from undergraduate to graduate degrees. These companies have employees ranging from 120 to 3,150, as shown in Table 1. Tier 2 interviews were located in Sunyani and Accra, with a minimum of eight (8) to a maximum of forty-seven (47) years. Interviewees included two (2) females and five (5) males with educational levels from technical education to undergraduate degrees. These have employees ranging from 30 to 200 (Table 2). Respondents for the Tier 3 interviews included eighteen (18) females and eight (8) males with shops located in Accra, Sunyani, and Kumasi and a minimum of two (2) to a maximum of twenty-five (25) years in existence, as shown in Table 3.

Table 1. Demographic information for Tier 1 companies

CODE	LOCATION	YEARS	NO . OF EMPLOYEES
RAI (A1T1)	Accra	9	3,150
RAI (B1T1)	Koforidua	16	600
RAI (C1T1)	Accra	30	120 (450 during COVID-19)
RAI (D1T1)	Accra	10	500
RAI (E1T1)	Kumasi	40	400

Table 2. Demographic information for Tier 2 companies

CODE	LOCATION	YEARS	NO . OF EMPLOYEES
RAI (A1T2)	Accra	47	300 (sewing section)
RAI (B1T2)	Accra	10	30
RAI (C1T2)	Accra	13	100-200
RAI (D1T2)	Accra	8	30
RAI (E1T2)	Sunyani	30	94
RAI (F1T2)	Sunyani	26	75
RAI (G1T2)	Sunyani	35	30

Table 3. Demographic information for Tier 3 companies

CODE	LOCATION	YEARS	NO . OF EMPLOYEES
RAI (A1T3)	Kumasi	5	5
RAI (B1T3)	Kumasi	4	6
RAI (C1T3)	Kumasi	7	4
RAI (D1T3)	Kumasi	2	3
RAI (E1T3)	Kumasi	7	4
RAI (F1T3)	Accra	3	3
RAI (G1T3)	Kumasi	2	5
RAI (H1T3)	Kumasi	2	5
RAI (I1T3)	Kumasi	15	6
RAI (J1T3)	Kumasi	8	8
RAI (K1T3)	Kumasi	8	7
RAI (L1T3)	Accra	10	6
RAI (M1T3)	Kumasi	7	6
RAI (N1T3)	Kumasi	10	6
RAI (O1T3)	Kumasi	8	5
RAI (P1T3)	Kumasi	15	6
RAI (Q1T3)	Kumasi	25	10
RAI (R1T3)	Kumasi	8	7
RAI (S1T3)	Sunyani	3	8
RAI (T1T3)	Kumasi	10	5
RAI (U1T3)	Accra	12	17
RAI (V1T3)	Kumasi	3	4
RAI (W1T3)	Accra	6	4
RAI (X1T3)	Kumasi	6	5
RAI (Y1T3)	Kumasi	18	24
RAI (Z1T3)	Kumasi	6	4
RM1	Accra

Table 4. Sampling Framework, adopted from MoTAI's classification system for cross-scale representation

Tier	Operational Scope	Selection Parameters	Sample Size
T1	Large-scale manufacturers (120-3,150 employees)	• CEO/Manager interviews • 9-40 years operation • Accra/Koforidua/Kumasi base	5 companies
T2	Medium-scale manufacturers (30-300 employees)	• Technical supervisors • 8-47 years operation • Accra/Sunyani base	7 companies
T3