M.Tech. / The study explores the role of interior designers in the design and implementation of retail stores. Through application of case study methodology, the process of retail design within the Group Property Development Department of Edgars Consolidated Stores (Edcon) was established and the role of interior designers within this process determined. The context of the case is the clothing and footwear retail market in South Africa. Presently, this market is dominated by several large holding companies that constitute the greater part of the leading retail brands in the country. The foremost South African clothing and footwear retailer is Edcon. The case study for this research study is the Group Property Development Department of Edcon that manages the leasing, conceptualisation, design development and construction of all new and refurbished retail stores for all of Edcon’s retail chains. Literature describes retail design as a complex activity that involves many role players who make use of expert knowledge and a variety of skills that contribute to the successful implementation of a retail brand identity through the design of retail stores. The literature review further indicates that most of the published research on retail design is in retail management, marketing and psychology. However, the consideration of the contribution of interior designers, as role players in retail design, is not documented or described in existing literature. Retail design is a field of practice that is well established in the interior design profession. Interior designers are able to support retailers by increasing the benefits of retail design in the course of retail differentiation and strategic leadership. The importance of retail design in the interior design profession is confirmed through this research study as it reveals that nine higher education institutions, affiliated with the South African Institute of the Interior Design Professions (IID), include retail design projects in the interior design curricula.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The consumer in 2000 has various new options on which to spend money, even when compared to only one year ago. In South Africa new spending destinations and higher interest rates, fuel prices and administered prices led to changes in consumer patterns, which implies less spending on traditional retail products such as furniture, clothes, shoes and more spending in the growth sectors such as cell phones and internet. The retailer who wants to ensure success in this changing environment has to competently address a number of strategic issues. Effective positioning significantly contributes to an organisations competitiveness and consequent success in any line of business. The loss of the Edgars group clothing, footwear and textile market share despite expensive efforts to buy sales and add space, was the clearest indicator that every retailer's most treasured asset, the customer, was migrating to competitors, and/or spending less with the group. In this study the key strategic issues that led to Edgars decline in marketshare from 1995 through to 2000 has been examined in the light of changes in the internal and external environment of retail. Case study research in the form of documentary analysis of Edgars, together with knowledge originating from the literature review, provided a sound basis for generating questions to be answered. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die verbruiker het in die jaar 2000 verskeie nuwe opsies waarop geld spandeer kan word. Nuwe bestedingsareas in Suid-Afrika het as gevolg van hoër rentekoerse, brandstofpryse en administraiewe kostes gelei tot verandering in verbruikerspatrone, wat impliseer dat minder op tradisionele handelsprodukte soos meubels, klere, en skoene teenoor sektore soos selfone en die internet spandeer word. Die handelaar wat 'n sukses in so 'n situasie wil verseker, moet 'n aantal strategiese vraagstukke op 'n bekwame en vaardige wyse aanspreek. Effektiewe posisionering sal 'n besondere bydrae maak tot enige onderneming se mededinging en sukses. Die verlies aan markaandeel van Edgars se klerasie, skoene en tekstiel bedryf ten spyte van hoë besteding aan bemarking en addisionele vloerspasie, was 'n duidelike aanwysing dat elke handelaar se mees gewaardeerde bate, die klient, na kompetisie migreer of minder by die handelaar spandeer. In hierdie studie word verskeie strategiese vraagstukke ondersoek in die lig van die interne en eksterne omgewing van die handelaar. Identifisering van hierdie veranderinge en tendense sal handelaars help om probleme te formuleer vir verdere strategiee. Gevallestudie navorsing in die vorm van dokumentere analise rakende die Edgars ondersoek, tesame met kennis verkry uit literatuuroorsig, het 'n sterk grondslag gelê vir die formulering van vrae wat beantwoord kan word.

This dissertation relates to the study of valuing a business. Edcon, a well known listed retailer, was found its market values to be lower than its net asset value at 2002 financial year-end, while all of the major competitors of Edcon had a market value considerably in excess of net asset value. It was possible that Edcon's share was underpriced at year-end recently, as it was known that Edcon was a well-managed company with sound fundamentals. The "true" value of Edcon was investigated in this dissertation. Two valuation models, Discounted Free Cash Flow and Economic Profit model, were used and simple assumptions had to be made in order to arrive at a consensus valuation in this dissertation. Finally, all valuation performed in this case revealed that the share of Edcon was underpriced at year-end, and it was concluded that investors using these fundamental valuation methods and buying the shares could have made a profit. / Thesis (MBA)-University of Natal, Durban, 2003.