John Pal

Measuring the effectiveness of town centre management schemes: an exploratory framework

Town centre management as an activity has been in operation for over five years in the UK. A postal survey of town centre managers and local planning officers in northwest England and North Wales showed that few had any means of assessing the effectiveness of their schemes. Identifies reasons for failure to provide clear measurement criteria and outlines a three by three matrix to remedy this shortfall.

Locational decision making in retailing: An exploratory framework for analysis

Competitive pressures on retailers in the 1990s are leading to a closer consideration and use of location as a source of competitive advantage. Increasingly, locational decisions involve not only the evaluation of potential new sites, but also the management of existing ones. This paper takes stock of the range of locational decision-making activity being undertaken by retailers through an exploratory study of thiry-seven companies in the UK. The need for a strategic perspective for understanding locational decision-making activity is highlighted. A review and synthesis of work undertaken in the fields of strategic marketing and the geography of retailing leads on to the development of a conceptual framework for exploring the operational and strategic dimensions of location. The paper concludes with the identification of a research agenda for further work in this area.

The five Ss of retail operations: a model and tool for improvement

Reviews the academic and practitioner literature on retail operations and identifies five core elements of retail operations. Proposes a method by which managers can examine ways of improving their operations by the use of a modified cause‐effect technique. Provides worked examples of the technique.

Local shopping in the UK: towards a synthesis of business and place

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide an examination of the current state of local shopping provision (LSP) in the UK, identifying and evaluating approaches to maintaining its vitality and viability.Design/methodology/approach – The paper is based on a review and synthesis of secondary data and published work.Findings – In recent years, LSP has been under much pressure as retail trade has become increasingly concentrated. The recent recession and structural changes in the convenience sector have added to the pressures of change, but government is now recognising its social and economic importance. The analysis shows that the vitality and viability of LSP are very variable within and between regions and conurbations. A wide range of responses to maintaining the vitality and viability of LSP is identified, and a schema is posited which seeks to integrate elements of business and place management as the best way forward, concluding that sensitivity to local conditions is paramount and that local ...

Local Authority Responses to Retail Change: : The Case for Town Centre Management

Identifies some of the industry‐wide changes such as the decentralization of retailing and the impact and implications for town centres of retailing and its wider function. Examines the recent upsurge of interest in town centre management in the context of current government planning policy guidelines and ministerial statements. Identifies the key components of successful town centres including private/public sector partnerships and funding. Demonstrates, through an examination of initiatives taken by two particular authorities, the need for a flexible interpretation of the concepts of town centre management.

Analysing retail failure from an historical perspective: A case study of A. Goldberg & Sons plc

Organisational failure has been considered from various perspectives in the academic literature, but there has been less focus on the causes of retail failure. This paper considers the case of A. Goldberg and Sons plc, a retail organisation which, prior to its demise in 1990, had grown from a single Glasgow store in 1908 to a chain of over 100 outlets. Drawing on annual reports, interviews with former directors, and the contents of a company archive, the paper provides evidence of the key factors and decisions that led to the firms failure. Various internal and external pressures, including over-expansion into new retail space and the general economic downturn, effected Goldbergs ‘failure’.

How to reinvent the High Street: evidence from the HS2020

Purpose The purpose of the paper is to present and critically discuss the findings of the ESRC-funded HS2020 project. The aim is to discuss the retail-led change that has happened to the High Streets that participated to the project that, in some cases, is revolutionary and is leading to the reinvention of the place. To do so reference is made to various retail change theories discussing both institutional and consumer-led change. Design/methodology/approach This is a discussion paper on the findings of the HS2020 project. Findings The major finding reported in this paper is that the reinvention is a natural learning process that involves the comprehension of change and the development of knowledge that will lead to the reinvention of the High Street. Research limitations/implications The findings of the research are based on data that were collected from a total of ten towns across the UK. Practical implications The paper suggests that to reinvent the High Street the stakeholders that are involved in the place decision-making processes they should embrace the change as a natural development and try to understand and learn from it rather than resisting to it. The HS2020 project provides a comprehensive guide of the areas that change can be managed and if it happens it can facilitate the reinvention. Originality/value The paper is relevant to the academic community, as it offers insight to the theories of retail change, and to the practitioners, as it provides evidence as to how to deal with the change that happens to the High Streets.

Retail services ride the waves

Within the UK, the continuing development of out of town retail outlets is well documented in the literature. The process is usually depicted as a set of four waves. However, all four waves focus on the retailing of goods rather than of services. Asserts that there are growing indications that retail services complexes are playing an increasingly leading role in the process of retail decentralisation. Describes some of the contributions to the growth of out of town services retailing and outlines a number of planning issues associated with them. Focuses on multiplex cinemas, leisure complexes and hyperpubs.

A. Goldberg & Sons Plc

Attempts to draw out the salient factors at work during the late 1970s and 1980s that led to success, initially, in the retail sector, but ultimately to the failure of the company in 1990. Charts the successes: the first retailer in Europe to introduce a comprehensive EPoS system; the company′s expansion; one of the first retailers to embrace the concept of lifestyle retailing; the introduction of its own stylecard for customer credit; and product and market development, including own‐labels. Bad management decisions produced internal conflicts in stores (especially where three trading formats operated in one store); increased use of concessions within other stores; acquisition bids by other companies. Profits fell, stores were closed and staff redundancies occurred; finally resulting in the company going into receivership.

SPOKES IN THE WHEEL OF RETAILING

Reviews a 1938 issue of Chain and Multiple Store, detailing the then current focus of conglomerate retailing, innovations, benefits to the customer, etc. Explores the issues of expansion and concentration, store and merchandise marketing, customer service, working conditions, environmental issues. Concludes that the basic retailing issues of 50 years ago differ very little from those of today, emphasizing, as they did, customer service, a formally undefined marketing mix, the fears of small shopkeepers, gender confrontation in the workforce and head/branch office antagonisms.