Covid-19 pandemic effect and crisis management in the apparel sector: A qualitative research in Istanbul

COVID-19 is a worldwide crisis that emerged in 2019. In this respect, it is global in nature. It is difficult for companies to predict this global crisis. For this reason, there are very few companies that can foresee the negative effects of this crisis and take measures institutionally. Companies that take timely precautions and anticipate external risks can minimize the risk. It is known that due to the pandemic there are great losses in sectors such as ready-made clothing. One of the most negative consequences of this epidemic is that many brands and retailers face an extremely difficult process in the short term, especially in safety and health. In order for the business to manage the crisis well, it should have proactive decisions. If the business can foresee the consequences of the crisis and take precautions accordingly, the probability of the business to be successful in this crisis increases. In this direction, in this study, it is aimed to examine the studies carried out to determine the pandemic effect and crisis management of senior managers in the ready-made clothing sector in Istanbul. This study, which was carried out using the phenomenology (phenomenology) pattern, which is one of the qualitative research methods, was carried out with face-to-face interview technique with 9 senior ready-to-wear sector managers. The main themes of "Pandemic Process", "Crisis Management", "Pandemic Process and Crisis Management" and their perceptions of the relationship between COVID-19 and crisis management were examined by making detailed subcodings.