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The purpose of this paper is to analyze a case where electronic date interchange implementation has been successful and to distill the main reasons for this success and understand how the actors involved dealt with the main inhibiting factors suggested by the information systems management literature.

The aim of the paper being explorative and partially confirmatory, an “information rich” case was selected to generate new knowledge and review the extant literature on EDI adoption's antecedents and consequences.

Whereas some suggestions from the literature were confirmed, others are to be reviewed. The main findings are the following: managerial commitment, technological readiness (both of the systems themselves as of employees) and unclear return on investment are the main inhibitors of EDI adoption. One inhibiting factor that, to the authors' knowledge, has not received enough attention in the literature is the fear of data disclosure. The main benefits are not a mere reduction in administrative costs by improved supply coordination and exceptions management. Finally, the personal relationship between participants is the most important for the success of an implementation.

This case can be of value for vertically (relationally) integrated companies that aim to improve supply chain coordination through electronic integration in the apparel, but also in other, industries.

To the authors' knowledge there has not been any study yet analyzing EDI implementation in vertically integrated companies in the apparel industry so far. Also the authors feel that an in‐depth single case study considerably adds to the knowledge of the phenomenon in question because of the possibility of envisaging the relevance of contextual factors.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the competitive position of the company Inditex in the period 1990-2013 as a case study, identified by academics and professionals as a successful company. The analysis has focussed on the comparison of Inditex with its competitive environment.

The methodology used to achieve the objectives was: data envelopment analysis for the analysis of efficiency and for the second the Tobit regression to determine the factors explaining efficiency. The authors have used additional methodologies such as social networks or cluster analysis.

The individual company analysis reveals that the average efficiency level by years for the period 1990-2013, is relatively high 88.8 percent. The determinants of efficiency have been; the resources of the company in terms of assets whose relationship with is U-shaped curvilinear, where the minimum value (trend change) is produced between years 2002 and 2003. The degree of internationalization of the firm, is positively related to efficiency. As the company increases its expansion, experience and skills, increases efficiency. Finally, the effect of liberalization of textile trade in 2005 had no influence on the efficiency levels.

The limitations involving the methodology, in terms of representativeness, possible generalizations and type of secondary information used, can be offset by the ability to provide good vision and establish alternatives for possible studies.

This paper contributes to the fast-fashion retail industry literature by emphasizing the importance of the case study.