First part defines living standard and its understanding in retail context. Second part concentrates on consitions in retail business and their development in the 90s. Third part summarizes some of the qualitative features of today's retail business with services offered to customers. All with its impact on living standard.

This paper studies the relationship between e-commerce diffusion and number of local establishments in the Nordic regions. The analysis is built upon a model which specifies an industry model with consumers search costs buying from heterogenous producers by Goldmanis et al (2010).  E-commerce technology features, such as price comparison websites, have dramatically lowered consumers’ search costs in the online market. Regressions will be tested on the retail sale of three different sectors: food and tobacco, information and communication equipment, and cultural and recreation goods sectors. The results will be compared to the total retail sale sector, and towards the online-only retail sector. Many jobs are on the line if the trend continues to close down local retail stores, and this paper will give an update on where the number of local retail establishments are heading for both policymakers and firm management. / Den här studien undersöker sambandet mellan e-handels påverkan på antal lokala varuhandel butiker i nordiska regionen. Analysen bygger på en modell som specificerar konsumenters sökkostnader inom en industri som köper från heterogena producenter av Goldmanis (2010). Prisjämförelse hemsidor har drastiskt sänkt konsumenters sökkostnader efter det lägsta priset för en given vara inom e-handel. För att undersöka hur lokala butiker har påverkats kommer regressioner att genomföras för att testa sambandet mellan ökad e-handel och antalet lokala butiker inom industrierna mat och tobaks, IT och kultur. Resultaten kommer att jämföras med den totala handeln för all varuförsäljning, samt mot e-handeln. Många jobb kan komma att försvinna inom en snar framtid om trenden hos företag fortsätter att stänga lokala butiker. Den här studien kommer att ge en uppdaterad bild hur det ser ut för antalet lokala butiker i den nordiska regionen som kommer att vara användbart för beslutsfattare och ledningen inom företag som verkar inom varuhandel.

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Text in Afrikaans, abstract in Afrikaans and English / Suid-Afrika het ongekende verstedeliking ervaar en agtergeblewe verbruikers het hulle in gebiede in en om stede gevestig. Steeds toenemende verstedeliking veroorsaak enersyds probleme aangesien basiese infrastruktuurvoorsiening (elektrisiteit, water, en riool) ontbreek. Andersyds laat die afwesigheid van formele kleinhandelsfasiliteite in die agtergeblewe gebiede die vraag ontstaan wat hierdie verbruikers se behoefte aan afsetpunte behels. 'n Ewekansige-waarskynlikheidsnavorsingstudie met 'n steekproef van 300 huishoudings, 'n vraelys, en persoonlike onderhoude is onderneem om die agtergeblewe verbruikers in die Soshanguve gebied se behoeftes na kleinhandelsafsetpunte te bepaal. Die bevinding is dat die meeste verbruikers buite hul woongebied werksaam is, 'n gemiddelde inkomste van tot R2 000 per maand verdien, en dat taxi's die hoofvervoermiddel is. Kleinhandelsaankope word hoofsaaklik in Pretoria en Mabopane gedoen. Daar bestaan wel 'n behoefte na formele kleinhandelsafsetpunte, veral vir bederfbare produkte en kruideniersware soos voorsien deur bekende kleinhandelsintellings soos die OK Bazaars. Die ondersoek bevestig dat Soshanguve kleinhandelsbeleggingsgeleenthede bied vir verskeie kleinhandelsfasiliteite. / South-Africa experienced unknown urbanisation and disadvantaged consumers flocked to the cities. Continuous urbanisation causes infrastructural problems such as a lack of electricity, water, and sewerage facilities. The absence of formal retail outlets in these areas poses the question what retailing needs these consumers do have. A simple random probability research study with a sample of 300 households, a questionnaire, and personal interviews was used to determine the disadvantaged consumers' needs for retail outlets in the Soshanguve area. The results indicate that most consumers work outside Soshanguve, earn an average of up to R2 000 per month, and use taxi's as a means of transportation. Retail purchases are made in Pretoria and Mabopane. There is a definite need for formal retail outlets, especially for perishables and groceries as provided by retailers such as OK Bazaars. The research confirms that there are retail investment opportunities in Soshanguve for the establishment of various retail facilities. / Business Management / M. Comm. (Business Management)

Text in Afrikaans, abstract in Afrikaans and English / Suid-Afrika het ongekende verstedeliking ervaar en agtergeblewe verbruikers het hulle in gebiede in en om stede gevestig. Steeds toenemende verstedeliking veroorsaak enersyds probleme aangesien basiese infrastruktuurvoorsiening (elektrisiteit, water, en riool) ontbreek. Andersyds laat die afwesigheid van formele kleinhandelsfasiliteite in die agtergeblewe gebiede die vraag ontstaan wat hierdie verbruikers se behoefte aan afsetpunte behels. 'n Ewekansige-waarskynlikheidsnavorsingstudie met 'n steekproef van 300 huishoudings, 'n vraelys, en persoonlike onderhoude is onderneem om die agtergeblewe verbruikers in die Soshanguve gebied se behoeftes na kleinhandelsafsetpunte te bepaal. Die bevinding is dat die meeste verbruikers buite hul woongebied werksaam is, 'n gemiddelde inkomste van tot R2 000 per maand verdien, en dat taxi's die hoofvervoermiddel is. Kleinhandelsaankope word hoofsaaklik in Pretoria en Mabopane gedoen. Daar bestaan wel 'n behoefte na formele kleinhandelsafsetpunte, veral vir bederfbare produkte en kruideniersware soos voorsien deur bekende kleinhandelsintellings soos die OK Bazaars. Die ondersoek bevestig dat Soshanguve kleinhandelsbeleggingsgeleenthede bied vir verskeie kleinhandelsfasiliteite. / South-Africa experienced unknown urbanisation and disadvantaged consumers flocked to the cities. Continuous urbanisation causes infrastructural problems such as a lack of electricity, water, and sewerage facilities. The absence of formal retail outlets in these areas poses the question what retailing needs these consumers do have. A simple random probability research study with a sample of 300 households, a questionnaire, and personal interviews was used to determine the disadvantaged consumers' needs for retail outlets in the Soshanguve area. The results indicate that most consumers work outside Soshanguve, earn an average of up to R2 000 per month, and use taxi's as a means of transportation. Retail purchases are made in Pretoria and Mabopane. There is a definite need for formal retail outlets, especially for perishables and groceries as provided by retailers such as OK Bazaars. The research confirms that there are retail investment opportunities in Soshanguve for the establishment of various retail facilities. / Business Management / M. Comm. (Business Management)

No description available.

Foreign direct investment (FDI) in food retailing has generated a considerable amount of attention in both the media and the business world throughout the 199Os, with a strong focus on Asian and Central and Eastern European countries. Among these countries, China is a key player and a nation that no international retailers can afford to ignore due to its population size of 1.2 billion and its rapid economic development. Food retailers from different parts of the world have been keen to use their modern retail concepts and technology to seek expansion opportunities in China. Consequently, two important questions emerge: What does the process of FDI in food retailing entail? Is the retail and distribution market in China easily entered? Regarding the first question, substantial research effort has been vested in this topic. However, a conceptual framework that incorporates the whole scope and complexity of the process is still lacking. For the second question, a prudent scrutiny reveals that foreign food retailers are confronted with a lot of complications due to the legacy of the previous command economy and the unique Chinese social and business structure. The thesis develops an analytical model in which critical variables, and their logical relationships, are used to analyse and explain the process of FDI of food retailers in the contemporary era, using China as the domain for the empirical work. Methodologically, the study adopts a qualitative approach using case studies with thirteen foreign food retailers in China. The research focuses on three main areas: long-term strategic objectives behind retail international expansion, market entry issues, and retail operational issues. Firstly, the long-term strategic objectives that underlie retailers’ undertaking of foreign direct investment are investigated. Evidence shows that the prevailing concept of reactive retail internationalisation and the tenet of psychic distance do not fully reflect the reality of retail internationalisation. Secondly, three issues related to market entry are explored. The first issue is the legal and regulatory infrastructures that foreign retailers face when entering China. The second issue is the selection of Chinese partners, managing partner relationships and the share of managerial control. The third issue is the technical and political procedures of site selection and store development. The empirical work reveals that the lack of a systematic and well-developed legal system complicates the process of foreign direct investment and having a Chinese partner who possesses the appropriate guanxi network alleviates the problem. Furthermore, the exercise of dominant control over operational and managerial issues is practised by the foreign retailers in their joint ventures. Significant conflicts between partners appear not to exist under such an arrangement. On the other hand, political procedures of site selection and store development are found to be onerous. In terms of technical procedures, respondents reported that the methods that are being used in developed countries are not entirely applicable in China. The third area on which the research focuses is operational issues that foreign food retailers confront in the host countries. These include supply chain management; adjustment and adaptation; and development of human resources. Findings suggest that there are two types of retail know-how: core and peripheral. No changes to core elements should be made in the overseas operation so that the uniqueness of the individual retailer is preserved. Adjustments, however, have to be made to peripheral elements in order to match particularities of local consumer demand. A learningoriented culture within a retail organisation is found to be an important underlying element that contributes significantly towards successful retail internationalisation. Taking a holistic perspective, the foreign direct investment behaviour in the retailing sector and the manufacturing sector, from which the prevailing foreign direct investment theories were developed, appear to be very different. The foreign direct investment behaviour of retailers seems to be better explained and understood within a framework that emphasises market power seeking, stresses the dynamics of different elements that constitute retail know-how, and underscores the notion of knowledge accumulation and utilisation.

This study is designed as an exploratory empirical attempt to audit the effectiveness with which retail buyers select fashion wearing apparel that meets needs and wants of their constituent target markets. This study presents the retail buyer of fashion wearing apparel as the "gatekeeper" who controls the flow of apparel products through various "checkpoints" as these products move from producer to consumer, thus controlling product availability. This study has a three-fold purpose. The first is to determine if significant differences exist between retail buyers' selections (ratings) and constituent market selections (ratings) when given like; alternatives on manufacturing levels. The second is to determine whether differences exist between the extents to which department store retail buyers and specialty store retail buyers meet the needs and wants of their constituent markets. The third purpose is to determine if significant differences exist between sales performances of like and unlike retail buyer/consumer choices.

The thesis is dealing with retail which goes through the continually changes. I focus on improvement of competitive postition store COOP in Planá u Mariánských Lázní. Several recommendation which arise during this thesis could improve the market position.

This thesis examines the transformation of two Southeast Asian national retail markets altered by the entry of globalising food and general merchandise transnational retail firms. The study examines the dynamic and often contested evolution of Malaysia and Thailand’s retail systems from the 1990s to the mid-2010s and considers how domestic actors and transnational retail firms have shaped the nature and direction of market transformations. Central to this study is the examination of sector-specific regulatory frameworks devised in the early 2000s by Malaysia and Thailand’s national governments to resolve market actor disagreements arising from increased competition and supply system changes initiated by transnational retailers. The research examines the role of state institutions in mediating and guiding the course of development in Malaysia and Thailand’s respective national retail markets. This cross-national comparative study makes an original contribution to the growing economic-geographical literature on the globalisation of retailing by conceptualising national retail markets as dynamic, path-dependent and contested multi-actor sectoral systems that are continually shaped by the institutional and political landscape in which they are embedded. Key to this conceptualisation is the integration of theories explaining processes of globalisation and frameworks that identify patterns of national distinctiveness. Comparative capitalism research is integrated with relational economic geography perspectives in order to conceptualise the complex institutional settings in which national retail markets evolve and are embedded. In particular, the study mobilises the Variegated Capitalism approach to deepen understanding of the diverse causal processes driving national retail market transformation. Making use of qualitative research methods, representatives from both case country retail markets have been interviewed and various sources of documentation have been analysed in order to gain in-depth understanding of the contrasting trajectories of Malaysia and Thailand’s national retail markets. Several key insights emerge from this thesis. Firstly, addressing a current lacuna within the retail globalisation literature surrounding the long-term effects of transnational retail firm entry into national retail markets, it unveils the strategies of resistance and competition by domestic market actors and the mediation of change by national governments through the application of sectoral regulation. Secondly, it highlights the intense negotiations that occur between market actors over the rules that guide economic action in sectoral systems. By examining the formation and implementation of formal regulation this thesis uncovers how different economic actors actively produce and reproduce national retail markets. Furthermore, through the analysis of regulation a wide variety of retail system transitions are revealed. Thirdly, it introduces a heuristic and conceptual framework through which the multi-dimensional nature of retail system change can be examined and linked to the diverse cross-connective globalising processes that contribute to creating distinct national economies. In so doing, this thesis adds to the knowledge about sources of spatial variegation in contemporary capitalism.