Journal of Business and Retail Management Research

Sales promotion is a key ingredient in marketing campaigns, with designed short term incentive tools aimed at consumers to influence quicker or greater purchase of particular products or services [Kotler]. Several advantages have been identified as a result of sales promotional activities sides increased sales and revenue. The objective is to find out the reaction of customers of consumer goods to sales promotion using Unilever Uganda as case study. The result reveals that while sales revenue has increased customers perception about products due to sales promotions has not changed much and that loyal customers may not be affected by the price change

Purpose: The research presented here builds a picture of the changing face of retail taking place in India which is a country poised to become a retail power house. India has well over 12 million outlets of all styles and sizes and international retailing has great opportunity here. With 50% of the population in self-employment, many of them in the retail trade, the impact of this retail boom on small retailers has to be studied. Methodology/Approach: Delhi and Ahmedabad a class city was taken up for the study of the effect of malls on small retailers. Ahmedabad is the fastest growing business capital of Gujarat. We have chosen randomly selected samples of 215 small retailers which are referred to as unorganized with an area less than 500 sq. feet and family owned. Findings: The present study indicates that 85% of the retailers reported decline in sales however, in terms of percentage it is only 18% decline in total sales. The Average decline in Ahmedabad was 15% compared to Delhi which was 20%. Small retailers are well aware of their competitive position and adopt adequate strategy according. Store cleanliness is an important change observed during the retail survey. Many retailers have formed cooperative ventures for bulk purchase in Ahmedabad so that products can be purchased at more economical price without affecting the profit. Entry of Malls is good for economy and beneficial consumers. Research Limitations/Implications: The study took only one Metro city and a cl

Customers are more demanding in terms of responsiveness, level of service, quality of products and costs. Firms only could reach these goals simultaneously if they invest in new technologies. A new technology that has received considerable attention from academics and practitioners, especially among retailers, is the Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) because of its large scope of application, advantages and potentialities. This paper aims to present the potentials, requirements, advantages and disadvantages associated with the utilization of RFID both, in general and to the retailers. It intends to highlight the benefits associated with the utilization of the RFID technology in logistics field. That is, it wants to emphasize the importance of this technology to firms perform the logistics activities faster, with more quality, cheaper and with more responsiveness especially in the last echelon of the distribution chain, the retailer. To illustrate this, a case study is presented with a Portuguese fashion retailer about the introduction of the RFID technology and the analysis of the situations that motivate their adoption, as well as the gains reached, difficulties and improvements to the future

With the advent of new technologies, there has been some success at curbing the growth of retail theft in recent years. However, such thefts have been estimated to cost American retailers approximately $40 billion dollars annually, and globally, the losses could reach $100 billion a year! This article explores the prospects for using RFID (radio frequency identification) technology as a new tool for retailers’ use in the ongoing loss prevention battle against theft by both shoplifters and employees. It begins with an overview of the scope of the retail theft problem, including the impact of organized retail crime (ORC) and the economic downturn on shoplifting. We then look at how technologies such as electronic article surveillance (EAS) and video camera surveillance have proven successful in the “arms race” to counter shoplifting. It then presents a brief overview of RFID technology, examining how it differs from the venerable bar code technology and how it is being applied across various settings. We then analyze how RFID is beginning to see utilization in-store, not just as a security device, but also as a vehicle to improve inventory management and business intelligence. We conclude with an analysis of the current situation and the prospects for retail’s RFID-enabled future

This study describes the prevailing marketing arrangements in Tanzania at local, regional, national and export markets using Dar es Salaam and Ifakara in Morogoro as case study examples. The major impediments for trade in Tanzania have been categorized into three groups: 1) Physical infrastructure, 2) know-how and capital, and 3) institutional framework. Insufficient physical infrastructure in terms of roads increases the cost of transportation, works as an informal market barrier, forms a wedge between the supplier price and consumer price, and increases the loss of perishable products. Lack of know-how shows in poor market orientation and business skills, and leads to difficulties in managing and obtaining loans. Furthermore, the current institutional framework is unable to support the formation of strong traders and producers’ associations and other representative bodies to enhance capacity building and to bargain for fairer terms of trade. In addition, the lack of market information and the weak legal framework lead to difficulties in negotiating trade agreements and enforcing the existing contracts. Currently the necessary institutional framework has been substituted for by long supply chains of middlemen, and relying on personal relationships between producers, traders and brokers

This paper seeks to explore and contribute to the underlying notion of sustainability and environmental management in office buildings within the Bristol, Southwest of England. This is important because the activities of office organisations impact greatly upon both the internal and external environment of an organisation. The paper focuses on the key drivers and barriers associated with effective implementation of sustainable environmental management particularly on existing office buildings. The study also examines the environmental management programmes being undertaken in office buildings

The purpose of this study is to investigate commercial bank customers’ satisfaction level in the Shama –Ahanta East District of Ghana. 86 customers were involved in the questionnaire study whilst 10 of them were interviewed to probe further on issues. Simple percentages were used to determine their levels of satisfaction and results revealed that overall, customers were dissatisfied with the issues like relationship, products and services, interests’ rates, waiting times and others. Majority of the customers (82%) were not willing to recommend the bank to relatives or friends and 83% were likely to leave in the near future due to poor customer service. Customers were motivated to join the bank because of its initial low deposit and its numerous branches in the country

Tourists love to shop, and not merely for souvenirs. Shopping is one of the most pervasive leisure activities engaged in by tourists and is recognized by scholars as a significant economic, psychological, and social pursuit by vacationers. However, most current research on tourism shopping has been largely confined to concept building which are dependent on qualitative methods such as Phenomenological observations. These concepts and intellectual speculations are largely untested in empirical settings. The empirical research has been sporadic and fragmented. As a result, there is a need for a theoretical framework that encompasses both cognitive as well as affective aspects for shopping away from home. This study reviews the application and trends of shopping tourism from the literature and contributes to research and theory on shopping tourism by developing a model which advances understanding of tourist shopping behaviour by synthesizing previous studies regarding shopping tourism and proposing a theoretical framework that encompasses attitudinal prospects for shopping tourism

Political marketing research has now established itself as a spirited sub-discipline of main core marketing with scholars writing high quality articles and books. This article is a case study on LDP in Kenya, it’s main focus being to look at its marketing orientations, Attitude towards political concepts, to get the understanding of the party’s grasp of the marketing concept and to identify how the party markets itself whether by sales, market or product orientation. The study on LDP was carried out in March-April 2006. The findings in nutshell proves that political marketing as a concept is feasible and it already exists in Kenya but in a rudimentary form, not the book tailored approach as depicted in marketing models. Finally the recommendations are in two perspectives, the first phase appeal to the academia and second phase is purely recommendations to political marketing practitioners, in this case LDP party think tank

This paper has come about as a result of the researcher’s interest in rural development. One of the authors’ was involved in the implementation stage of the Village Infrastructure Project as assistant project co-ordinator in one of the big districts in Ghana. This paper attempts to analyse the role of the World Bank in reducing poverty in Ghana with respect to Village Infrastructure Projects which started in 1998 and ended in 2003. The total cost of the project was estimated as $60million where communities were encouraged to apply for concessionary funding for rural infrastructure in four key areas namely; Water, Transport, Post harvest Facilities and Capacity Building. Poverty reduction efforts have bedevilled Ghana since independence in 1957. This is due to dramatic reversals in economic and social development. With these problems coupled with debt burden, there has been the need for the government to look elsewhere to support her budget and developmental needs. World Bank, one of the foreign financiers has supported Ghana in various ways such as the Structural Adjustment Programme which many economic commentators regarded it as a failure. Village Infrastructure Projects was meant to augment government efforts to reduce poverty and increase the quality of life in the rural communities. The programme was also meant to be participatory and demand driven. This paper will look at poverty in general and measurement, Village Infrastructure Projects, gains and problems ass

This study proposes a distribution channel strategy model based on the notion that distribution channel strategy is the basic determinant of distribution channel performance which may lead to firm’s success. Its major objective is to assist manufacturers in making effective decision on distribution channel strategy. The proposed model integrates two strategic components: a) distribution channel selection the manufacturer’s choice of distribution intensity, channel location characteristics, channel control and b) distribution channel management’s the channel service quality as to product and as to people. The model proposes how the two strategic components affect distribution channel performances that finally lead to firm’s success

A qualitative study of Jamii Bora was undertaken in August 2007. Jamii Bora is a large, self-sustaining microfinance institution that was established in 1999 at the initiative of 50 street beggar families in Nairobi. It was registered as a charitable Trust in Kenya on 22 November 1999. In-depth interviews with 36 micro-entrepreneurs, all clients of Jamii Bora, reveal that access to microfinance has enabled them to start, expand, and develop their enterprises. Like many non-governmental organizations throughout East Africa, Jamii Bora is part of a regional (and global) movement to assist the poor. Where governments have retreated and markets have failed, microfinance institutions (MFIs) have primarily attempted to improve the lot of informal sector participants, particularly focusing on women. For those individuals that the formal education system has passed by in the developing world, particularly within East Africa, entrepreneurship is a legitimate avenue to enhance life choices. The assumption amongst most microfinance practitioners is the positive externality of access to microfinance so as to improve their quality of life through increased business opportunities