Business Commons^™

Consulting Staff On Change Management Initiatives Takes A Lot Of Valuable Time And Effort - Why Not Just Let The Decision Makers Get On With The Task?, Gerard Glynn, Kevin Byrne, Edward Sweeney

Conference proceedings

Purpose: The disciplines of organisation development (OD), organisational behaviour (OB) and supply chain management (SCM) share much in terms of the ongoing occurrence of change and how it is facilitated and managed. This paper utilises scenario foresight planning as an instrument of change management through the lens of OD, OB, and SCM. It gives particular emphasis on how the involvement and engagement of the people dimension [human supply chain continuum], contributes to the achievement of satisfactory outcomes. It seeks to outline progression in terms of both research into the fields and business process improvement. Design/Methodology/approach: The authors commenced an assessment …

An Exploration Of The Gaps Between Theory And Practice In Fashion Retail Segmentation: A Developmental Paper., Amanda Ratcliffe

Conference proceedings

This developmental paper reviews the literature on market segmentation in the context of the fashion retail sector with specific regard to the mature female consumer of fashion. The paper identifies two gaps between the academic theory and marketing practice: The first gap relates to the prevalence of developing complex, statistical models of segmentation in the literature, while there is a paucity of guidelines for practitioners to implement segmentation projects in practice.

The second gap exists in relation to the segmentation and targeting practices of fashion retailers who are still practising an “only youth = fashion” approach (Jackson and Shaw, 2009). …

Are Mature Female Consumers Well Served By The Fashion Retail Sector?, Amanda Ratcliffe

Conference proceedings

The fashion retail sector is going through extremely challenging times with continuing globalisation and the ongoing impact of the recent global recession in many markets. Markets are highly competitive and companies must strive to craft strategies which will deliver competitive advantage. Across the developed and the developing world, populations are ageing. The trend is so marked as to have been termed an ‘Agequake’ by A.T. Kearney, (2011, 1) in terms of its predicted impact on economies, companies and most particularly, retailers. Women aged 50 and over are now one of the most powerful consumer groups in the UK, spending more …

The International Review Of Retail, Distribution And Consumer Research, Edmund O'Callaghan, John Murray Dr.

Conference proceedings

This special issue of The International Review of Retail, Distribution and Consumer Research offers a selection of the best papers presented at the 19th International Conference on Research in the Distributive Trades of the European Association for Education and Research in Commercial Distribution (EAERCD). The EAERCD has continued to offer a forum for academic exchange over a 27 year period on both current and emerging issues within the distributive trades and retailing. This year the School of Retail and Services Management, Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) hosted the EAERCD conference. The School of Retail & Services Management offers specialist retail …

The Specification Of Store Environments: The Role Of Design-Architecture In The Development Of Retailer Brand Loyalty, John Murray, Jonathan Elms Dr.

Conference proceedings

This paper proposes a conceptual framework for the inclusion of the aesthetic in the study of retail branding. It proposes modifications to the Mehrabian & Russell (1974) stimulus-organism-response model which characterises most approaches to the holistic study of store environments. Store prototype and retailer attachment are among the global and attribute level variables that could together with collative variables such as novelty and complexity help explain retail brand loyalty. The framework is exploratory and aims to add to existing knowledge on the dynamic, situated, perceptive processes at hand when consumers are exposed to the multitude of cues and messages typically …

Towards A Better Specification Of The Store Environment Stimulus: An Augmented Stimulus-Organism-Response (Sor) Model That Captures Brand Expressiveness, John Murray

Conference proceedings

Abstract: This paper proposes an augmented SOR model which facilitates design/architect practitioners when they review store concepts. The paper contributes to the knowledge base of designers/architects when making deliberate brand expressions in development of the store environment. The global nature of the SOR model, it is argued, does not allow for discrimination between consumer interpretations of store brands; nor does it propose a realistic means of engaging design-architect practitioners at the concept proofing stage of development. This conceptual paper argues that retail branding studies benefit from inclusion of more flexible frameworks founded on separable and integral design-architecture and brand communicative …

Internal Branding And Brand Commitment: A Quantitative Investigation Into Corporate Brand Building In A Retail Store Network, Edmund O'Callaghan

Conference proceedings

The aim of this quantitative study was to investigate the relationship between the perceived effectiveness of internal branding activities on brand commitment among owner managers within a retail store network of previously independent retailers. Brand commitment was hypothesized as essential for coherent and consistent corporate brand building within this context. Two new scales were developed and tested to measure internal branding and brand commitment. Perceived clarity of vision, core values and brand communications were highly correlated with strong brand commitment, while lack of perceived business supports and adequate reward systems were potential inhibitors. Interalia, findings validate the significance of internal …

Fathers: A Contemporary Perspective On Their Role In Child-Driven Materialism, Catriona Nash, Serge Basini

Conference proceedings

This paper explores the contemporary role of fathers in child-driven materialistic consumption, a little explored territory. Commencing with an exploration of the child consumer and their influence in personal and family spending, both of which have grown considerably over that last number of decades, followed by an analysis of changes in families and the role fathers now play in the aforementioned. It is also acknowledged that fathers have previously been ignored to a large extent in the majority of research studies concerning parent-child consumption and purchases. As such, valuable insights emerged through an interpretative framework utilised to explore this area. …

Does Understanding National Business Cultures Help Build Regional Development?, Amanda Ratcliffe, Thomas Cooney Dr.

Conference proceedings

An EFER report in 1995 observed that little of the growth ofEurope’s top 500 companies came from existing products in existing markets, but almost two-thirds of the growth came from entering new markets. A large majority of Europe’s 500 are active in export markets, with exports accounting for 40% of their turnover as opposed to the 10% export share for SMEs overall. One of the critical reasons for the poor performance of SMEs within the international arena is their ignorance of local business cultures. Yet for a country – or a specific region – to achieve strong economic growth, it …

Towards A Conceptual Framework Of Corporate Branding In Retailing, Edmund O'Callaghan

Conference proceedings

The view that corporate brand building in retailing is different to any other context (Burt and Sparks, 2002) is predicated in the belief that ‘goods’ retailers need to manage a range of corporate components, its multiple relationships with customers and its dependence on employees to personify and deliver much of the corporate identity. These differences in operations are perceived as adding a degree of complexity to an already challenging process of corporate brand development. This paper proposes a conceptual framework for the corporate brand building process within an SME retail context. It develops on the work of Hatch & Schultz’s …

Passport To Trade: Connecting Europe’S Smes From East To West?, Amanda Ratcliffe, Thomas Cooney

Conference proceedings

: An EFER report in 1995observed that little of the growth of Europe’s top 500 companies came from existing products in existing markets, but almost two-thirds of the growth came from entering new markets [1]. A large majority of Europe’s 500 are active in export markets, with exports accounting for 40% of their turnover as opposed to the 10% export share for SMEs overall. One of the critical reasons for the poor performance of SMEs within the international arena is their ignorance of local business cultures. This paper is based upon the work of an EU initiative with the project …

Child Targeted Tv Advertising And Its Influence On The Child- Parent Purchase Relationship:, Catriona Nash, Serge Basini

Conference proceedings

Since the 1970s an argument has raged over the influence child targeted advertising has on its young audiences (Lawlor & Prothero 2003). An area of particular interest is the effect of child targeted advertising on the parent-child purchase relationship, commonly referred to as ‘pester-power’. In recent years, harnessing its power has become a Holy Grail for those who believe it to be the key to parent’s purse strings (Harding 2004). Industry spending on advertising to children has significantly increased in the past decade, from $100 million in 1990 to more than $2 billion in 2000 (www.media-awareness.ca). This paper outlines preliminary …

Exploring The Relationship Between Customer Loyalty And Electronic Loyalty Schemes: An Organisational Perspective, Edmund O'Callaghan, Joan Keegan

Conference proceedings

Electronic loyalty schemes (ELSs) first appeared on the Irish retail landscape when Superclub was launched by the Irish grocery multiple Superquinn in 1993. While ELSs are now commonplace in the Irish retail sector, the rationale for their introduction remains unclear. Loyalty measurability remains a ubiquitous concern within the business literature. This paper offers an organisational perspective on the role and operation of one electronic loyalty scheme. It investigates the benefits of ELSs and their contribution or otherwise to the development of loyalty. The paper reiterates the belief that the real advantage of ELSs resides with their data mining potential to …

Large Retail Developments In Ireland: An Overview, Edmund O'Callaghan

Conference proceedings

This paper illustrates the Irish public policy response to the location and development of large stores, through new planning guidelines issued in 2001. These guidelines provide the basis for a framework to guide local authorities in preparing development plans, in line with the broad principles of ‘sustainable development’. The context against which the new planning guidelines were deemed necessary is outlined. The paper concludes that the new guidelines will not seriously hinder non-food formats, nor disadvantage potential new international or national entrants. While it will limit large food-store development, average food-store size will continue to increase and existing operators will …

Superquinn Alive And Kicking: An Illustration Of Innovation In The Irish Grocery Market, Edmund O'Callaghan, Mary Wilcox

Conference proceedings

Superquinn is one of Ireland’s most successful indigenous retailers operating in an intensely competitive grocery market. Despite the arrival of large overseas retailers and an increased level of acquisition and alliance activity, it has survived and thrived. The company attributes its success to its innovation strategy. The practice of innovation now permeates all facets and functions of the Irish grocery sector and consequently is a pre-requisite for maintaining competitive advantage and ensuring business success. This paper illustrates many Superquinn innovations, and relates its strategy to themes within innovation literature. Based on an in-depth interview with its managing director, Feargal Quinn, …

The Impact Of Change On The Irish Retail Environment, Edmund O'Callaghan, Mary Wilcox

Conference proceedings

The turbulence of environmental change is a constant challenge for the modern retailer. It acts as a Jeckyl and Hyde change agent in that it presents opportunities for the entrepreneurial firm or is ever threatening for the reactive enterprise. The law of natural selection which dictates that firms ‘adapt to this turbulence or die’, is a reality. The firm must work within parameters of ever increasing environmental change and its ability to anticipate this change becomes a prerequisite for survival. Mathur argues that markets are not a given, that it is firms which dictate the market environment through their generic …