1. What is the context (markets/customer, competitors/industry structure, technology/innovation history) of this case?
2. Using the differentiation overserved-market (disrupt) and underserved-market (sustain), what is your assessment of the Docker's strategy for Khakis?
3. Diagram a disruptive technology landscape for this case.
4. What are the general implications of this case for the clothing/fashion industry? (hint: Include issues such as mass customization and companies like Zara)
5. Disruptive technology is a misnomer: Who's business model is disrupted?
6. The differentiation overserved-market (disrupt) and underserved-market (sustain) is one way to be sure about whether or not a new product or new service is disruptive.

WHEN IT COMES TO FASHION innovation, rms such as Ralph Lauren and Armani Exchange come to mind. Talk about innovative fashion, and such elements as fabric, cut, and color dene the creative parameters. By all rights, khaki pantsthe classic staple of a man's wardrobecould never be considered cuttingedge. Yet the marketing minds behind Dockersbrand slacks, the khakis made by San Franciscobased Levi Strauss 8( Co., have found a surprising way to differentiate their products in a crowded marketplace. When Dockers were rst introduced in the mid-19805, their television ads focused on the upscale lifestyle of the wearer. But now Dockers are being marketed around a new strategy, one that emphasizes technological innova- tion. The company is changing the basis of competition within the Dockers market segment by building stain resistant technology into the fabric and details such as hidden oversized pockets and an expandable waistband into the construction. \"The Dockers brand has made the conscious decision to be the innovation leader in our industry,\" says Andrea Corso, brand spokesperson. \"We're going to develop the technologies, functionality, and fea tures that will set our products apart.\" In the fashion industry, isn't being a \"technology\" leader just a little unfashionable? Possibly, but there's another way to view Dockers' product strategy: as a distinctly disruptive approach to branding and competition. By intelligently integrating elements of the disruptive innovation playbook, the marketing minds behind Dockers are nding new ways to target customers in a large and potentially lucrative seg- ment of the fashion marketplace. While the clothing maker has not executed a classic disruptive innovation strategyper seunlike many disruptive innovations, these pants are priced at a premiumit has hit on one of the core tenets of newmarket disruption: targeting \"less capable\" or \"less skilled\" customer groups. Although interest in men's fashion has mushroomed, there are still plenty of men who areto put it diplomati callysartorially challenged. "We're talking about guys who don't even own an iron,\" states Corso. \"They' re not too great at doing their laundry, so stains can set and pants can fade. And many really don't know how to dress in a business-casual environment. We analyzed this core cus- tomer group and found ways to address their needs as a consumer.\" The new emphasis on innovation and product features coincided with an explosion in the business casual clothing market segment. According to the Society of Human Resource Management, between 1998 and 2002, the num- ber of businesses allowing employees to dress casually every day expanded by over 40%. Along with Dockers' Go Khaki with Stain Defender technology, developed in partnership with chemical giant DuPont, Levi's has also introduced the Mobile Pant, a line of slacks with extra-large pockets that won't bulge out- ward, specically designed to hold keys, wallets, and vari- ous electronic gadgets such as mobile phones, PDAs, and pagers. The slacks also have a hidden pocket positioned lower down on the thigh to further reduce bulk. Further innovation opportunities were found around men's waistbands. \"We noticed that many men bought pants with waists one to two inches too small,\" Corso says. \"For some it was vanity; that used to be their size. For oth ers, they just really didn't know their size,\" she explains. Product developers created the Individual Fit khaki to address this. The line has a sliding panel at the waist to accommodate up to one full size difference (two inches). The Dockers team intends to stay on top of the market- place by integrating a number of their innovations into other products from both Dockers and Levi's. Stain Defender technology, for instance, will likely nd its way into Dockers' dress shirts and ties, and possibly into Levi's classic line of jeans. By making it easier for fashion challenged men to more easily buy, wear, and maintain their clothing, Dockers' innovation should continue to stay on the cutting edge of the fashion marketplace.