Keri Davies

From the retail brand to the retail‐er as a brand: themes and issues in retail branding research

Purpose – The purpose of the paper is to present a review of the existing research themes in the area of retail branding, and note how these have developed as the conceptualisation of “branding” in retailing has itself evolved.Design/methodology/approach – This paper reviews existing research themes within retail branding. There is a vast body of academic literature on branding, or aspects of branding in retailing. The initial focus of academic work was upon the product perspective via studies of the store brand. This body of work is summarised under five broad themes – the characteristics of store brand prone consumers and the product attributes which attract consumers; the growth of and motivations for retail brand development; the role of changing channel relationships and behaviours on store brand development; intra‐category brand relationships; and the concept of copycat brands. From this initial, rather narrow, perspective research has evolved, taking on a wider view the brand in retailing which in ...

The Development of Superstore Retailing in Great Britain 1960-1986: Results from a New Database

Superstore retailing has been the focus of much study. Most research has been based solely on trading superstores. A complete analysis of the development of the format however, has also to include refused or withdrawn applications. A database for planning applications for superstores is used here to provide an analysis of superstore development processes in Britain, disaggregated by phases of development, location and company.

RETAILING IN SINGAPORE: COPING WITH CHANGE?

The nature of retailing in Singapore has changed significantly over the past three decades, reflecting the growing affluence of the population and the influx of tourists, particularly those from Japan. A major influence in these changes has been the Government which has arranged for the development of planned shopping centres in both the central area and the suburban new towns. However, in the 1990s a further wave of change is coming: the nature of retailing is changing as a result of an economic downturn and the growing number of foreign retailers operating on the island. In addition, the Government has decided to shake up the small shop sector and to allow major retail developments in the suburban areas. The net result is likely to be a further period of upheaval and it is by no means certain that Singaporean retailers are going to be winners this time.

Trade barriers in East and South East Asia: the implications for retailers

Many countries in East and South East Asia have erected trade barriers at various times since 1945. Many retail markets have therefore been closed to outside influence and investment. In the 1990s however such measures are being reversed and markets in East and South East Asia are becoming increasingly open. This openness is both a willing embrace of outside investment and a less willing acceptance of external pressures. This paper reviews the changes taking place and concludes that those retailers taking advantage of the opportunities are faced with a variety of problems. Indeed, it would seem that the removal of international trade barriers simply leads to their replacement with more difficult domestic market policies.

The trading profiles of community retail enterprises

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the key features of the community retail enterprises sector in the UK.Design/methodology/approach – This paper reports on the results of a postal questionnaire survey of 197 community retail enterprises. The information gathered from this survey was supplemented by visits to 21 of the shops run by these enterprises and short interviews with some of the shop staff.Findings – The community retail enterprise sector is growing very quickly, with a significant number of new shops opening every year in the UK. It is a very diverse sector that provides a wide range of goods and services, reflecting the desire to meet the needs of members and local residents. It is heavily dependent on the involvement of the local community, particularly as volunteers, but this can lead to other tensions around the role of the shop and the enterprise in general.Originality/value – This paper provides an overview of an area of retailing that is growing in size and will be of in...

Consumer co‐operatives and retail internationalisation: problems and prospects

Purpose – This paper aims to explore the retail internationalisation activities of consumer co‐operatives.Design/methodology/approach – Conducts a survey of the available information on these internationalisation activities.Findings – A survey of the available information on these internationalisation activities shows that they have been restricted to a relatively small number of co‐operatives and that the “failure” rate has been very high. Some suggestions are made as to why the co‐operatives have been unable to convert their early‐mover advantages into sustainable retail networks.Research limitations/implications – The restricted nature of the sample means that these exploratory findings are primarily descriptive. Further, in‐depth work with a sample of these co‐operatives would help us to better understand the reasons for the moves into and out of various international activities.Practical implications – Expands the literature on retail failure in general and also provides some more depth to the litera...

Localism and the community shop

There has been considerable interest in recent years in the establishment of community retail enterprises; local shops owned and run by the local community often as an alternative to the closure of the last privately-owned shop in the area. Government efforts to give local communities more rights and powers, including a community right to bid for ‘assets of community value,’ would seem to offer new opportunities for such enterprises. However, there are more barriers to the establishment and continued running of these enterprises than might appear at first sight. Community retail enterprises often need specific support from local and national organisations tailored to the different stages in their development if they are to fulfil their potential.

Recent changes in the Japanese wholesale system and the importance of the Sogo Shosha

Abstract Interest in Japanese distribution as a field of academic study has waned in recent years, but there is a continuing interest with the activities of Japans general trading companies or Sogo Shosha. Previous research has concentrated largely on their function as international trade intermediaries but it has overlooked their role in the domestic economy. In recent years, the same Sogo Shosha have expanded their involvement in domestic distribution, in particular into food wholesaling, but more recently into retailing. The aim of this paper is to explore the extent of this involvement and to present an analysis of the reasons behind such a shift from both a managerial and a theoretical perspective. Further, we look at the current and future consequences of such large, internationally powerful companies taking a significant share in domestic distribution in Japan.

Management education at a distance and its effects on career progression: The case of MBA in retailing and wholesaling students

Students who register for any MBA programme anticipate that their career opportunities will be improved. When they are also practising managers, evidence shows that career changes may occur at any time during the course of their programme. Using a survey on students studying the University of Stirlings MBA in Retailing and Wholesaling by distance learning this paper was able to support this evidence as well as investigating the type and frequency of career changes being experienced by managers.

Food Superstore Retailing in Great Britain 1960-1986: On the Campaign Trail?

Gwyn Rowley (1990) has levelled a number of charges against our earlier article (Davies and Sparks, 1989). These criticisms stem basically from a lack of understanding of the scope and focus of the original article, a misrepresentation of aspects of our work, and an apparent desire on Rowleys part to campaign for a particular source of data on retailing. These criticisms are refuted and Gwyn Rowleys recognition and acceptance of the importance of looking at applications for retail development is welcomed as a step forward in developing an understanding of food superstore development.