a recent Touche Ross survey revealed that the textile industry, in contrast to other industrial sectors, misunderstands and underutilizes IT. A questionnaire was sent to a mixture of finance directors and computer systems managers representing 210 different fabric manufacturers. Many participants dyed and finished their own fabric; others were engaged in cutting and sewing. The survey encompassed all types of fabric: woven and knit, natural and synthetic. Although the respondents indicated that they planned to use computers to enhance customer relations, emphasize on time delivery, and quicken turnaround times, the data revealed that most companies limited the use of their IT systems to finance. Only a few companies employed IT systems in marketing respondents expressed dissatisfaction with their information systems, and over 40 percent planned to upgrade their core computer systems.