This paper serves to address the effect of time on the sales of clothing retail, from 2010 to May 2019. The data was retrieved from the US Census, where N=113 observations were used, which were plotted to observe their trends. Once outliers and transformations were performed, the best model was fit, and diagnostic review occurred. Inspections for seasonality and forecasting was also conducted. The final model came out to be an ARIMA (2,0,1). Slight seasonality was present, but not enough to drastically influence the trends. Our results serve to highlight the economic growth of clothing retail sales for the past 8 years, cementing the significance of the production economy's stability. The quarterly GDP data was collected in order to find out the relationship with the differenced clothing data. Some observations of GDP data were affected by the clothing data before removing the seasonality. After removing the seasonality, the clothing expense is white noise and not predictable from the historical GDP.

Retail sales have increased significantly in recent years, posing a major challenge for merchants in maintaining a consistent consumer experience across several channels. Changing consumer behaviors have had a big impact on this shift in buying patterns. Customers and retailers are also contending with the complications of adapting to these developments, which have been compounded by the global COVID-19 outbreak. The Internet retail sector, in particular, has seen significant development, which has surprised many. As a result of the digital revolution, online customers' preferences are changing, as they seek fulfillment amid a variety of available possibilities. The changing environment of customer behavior has been a key focus, formed in part by the distinct patterns that have emerged in reaction to COVID-19. This study seeks to shed light on how the retail phenomenon of COVID-19 has impacted customer purchasing behaviors, with the goal of discovering and validating unique insights that may affect decision-making, particularly among millennials in Sweden and China. In the beginning stages of this investigation, a comprehensive approach integrating qualitative and quantitative approaches was used to attain this goal. The study used a sequential exploratory design with two data gathering gathering periods. Our conclusions were guided by empirical data gathered through focus group meetings and replies to a web-based survey. Two key discoveries have given rise to a novel hypothesis, showing that customers in both Sweden and China enjoyed large benefits from online purchasing. Furthermore, the research has shown previously unknown and unanticipated ways in which COVID-19 continues to influence client purchasing behavior. This exploratory and constructive research seeks to enhance our understanding of these transitions, ultimately providing useful insights into the emerging retail scene in a post-pandemic world.

Much research has been undertaken to gain insight into business alignment of IT. This alignment basically aims to improve a firm’s performance by an improved harmonization of the business function and the IT function within a firm. The thesis discusses previous approaches and constructs an overall framework, which a potential approach needs to fit in. Being in a highly regulated industry, for airports there is little space left to increase revenues. However, the retailing business has proven to be an area that may contribute towards higher income for airport operators. Consequently, airport management should focus on supporting this business segment. Nevertheless, it needs to be taken into account that smooth airport operations are a precondition for successful retailing business at an airport. Applying the concept of information intensity, the processes of gate allocation and airport retailing have been determined to appraise the potential that may be realized upon (improved) synchronization of the two. It has been found that the lever is largest in the planning phase (i.e. prior to operations), and thus support by means of information technology (for information distribution and improved planning) may help to enable an improved overall retail performance. In order to determine potential variables, which might influence the output, a process decomposition has been conducted along with the development of an appropriate information model. The derived research model has been tested in different scenarios. For this purpose an adequate gate allocation algorithm has been developed and implemented in a purposewritten piece of software. To calibrate the model, actual data (several hundred thousand data items from Frankfurt Airport) from two flight plan seasons has been used. Key findings: The results show that under the conditions described it seems feasible to increase retail sales in the magnitude of 9% to 21%. The most influential factors (besides the constraining rule set and a retail area’s specific performance) proved to be a flight’s minimum and maximum time at a gate as well as its buffer time at gate. However, as some of the preconditions may not be accepted by airport management or national regulators, the results may be taken as an indication for cost incurred, in case the suggested approach is not considered. The transferability to other airport business models and limitations of the research approach are discussed at the end along with suggestions for future areas of research.

Internationale und europäische Normen (DIN EN ISO 9241-2: 2006; DIN EN ISO 614-2: 2000) fordern die Einhaltung von “Merkmalen gut gestalteter Aufgaben” bei der Tätigkeitsgestaltung. Die Gültigkeit dieser Normen wurde allerdings für Arbeitstätigkeiten mit Klienten- oder Kundeninteraktion – etwa 70 Prozent aller Arbeitstätigkeiten in der Bundesrepublik (Statistisches Bundesamt, 2005) noch nicht nachgewiesen. Exemplarisch wurden daher die Arbeitstätigkeiten von knapp 500 Beschäftigten in verschiedenen Branchen und Unternehmensgrößen des Einzelhandels mittels bedingungs- und personenbezogener Verfahren untersucht. Die statistische Auswertung bestand im Vergleich unterschiedlich „gut gestalteter“ Einzelhandelstätigkeiten in Bezug auf wahrgenommene Tätigkeitsmerkmale und erlebte psychische Beanspruchungsfolgen. Die Ergebnisse empfehlen die Anwendung der Normen zu „Merkmalen gut gestalteter Aufgaben“ auch für Einzelhandelstätigkeiten, wobei Modifikationen der Normmerkmale – insbesondere des Kernmerkmals „Ganzheitlichkeit“ vs. „Fragmentierung“ – erforderlich sind.

Much research has been undertaken to gain insight into business alignment of IT. This alignment basically aims to improve a firm’s performance by an improved harmonization of the business function and the IT function within a firm. The thesis discusses previous approaches and constructs an overall framework, which a potential approach needs to fit in. Being in a highly regulated industry, for airports there is little space left to increase revenues. However, the retailing business has proven to be an area that may contribute towards higher income for airport operators. Consequently, airport management should focus on supporting this business segment. Nevertheless, it needs to be taken into account that smooth airport operations are a precondition for successful retailing business at an airport. Applying the concept of information intensity, the processes of gate allocation and airport retailing have been determined to appraise the potential that may be realized upon (improved) synchronization of the two. It has been found that the lever is largest in the planning phase (i.e. prior to operations), and thus support by means of information technology (for information distribution and improved planning) may help to enable an improved overall retail performance. In order to determine potential variables, which might influence the output, a process decomposition has been conducted along with the development of an appropriate information model. The derived research model has been tested in different scenarios. For this purpose an adequate gate allocation algorithm has been developed and implemented in a purposewritten piece of software. To calibrate the model, actual data (several hundred thousand data items from Frankfurt Airport) from two flight plan seasons has been used. Key findings: The results show that under the conditions described it seems feasible to increase retail sales in the magnitude of 9% to 21%. The most influential factors (besides the constraining rule set and a retail area’s specific performance) proved to be a flight’s minimum and maximum time at a gate as well as its buffer time at gate. However, as some of the preconditions may not be accepted by airport management or national regulators, the results may be taken as an indication for cost incurred, in case the suggested approach is not considered. The transferability to other airport business models and limitations of the research approach are discussed at the end along with suggestions for future areas of research.

The study employed 206 entry-level, retail sales associates working for a large telecommunications company across 70 store sites. The purpose of the study was to discriminate successful performers from those with little sales potential via a valid, fair, and practical selection procedure. The experimental test set consisted of the General Ability Battery, Sales Attitude Checklist, Wonderlic Personnel Test, SRA Verbal Form, School and College Ability Test Verbal, SPA Arithmetic Index, and SRA Reading Index. Supervisory ratings and percent revenue data were used as measures of sales performance. Based on the multiple regression results, the SPA Reading Index and SRA Verbal Form were chosen to compose the final selection system for the retail sales position.

Internationale und europäische Normen (DIN EN ISO 9241-2: 2006; DIN EN ISO 614-2: 2000) fordern die Einhaltung von “Merkmalen gut gestalteter Aufgaben” bei der Tätigkeitsgestaltung. Die Gültigkeit dieser Normen wurde allerdings für Arbeitstätigkeiten mit Klienten- oder Kundeninteraktion – etwa 70 Prozent aller Arbeitstätigkeiten in der Bundesrepublik (Statistisches Bundesamt, 2005) noch nicht nachgewiesen. Exemplarisch wurden daher die Arbeitstätigkeiten von knapp 500 Beschäftigten in verschiedenen Branchen und Unternehmensgrößen des Einzelhandels mittels bedingungs- und personenbezogener Verfahren untersucht. Die statistische Auswertung bestand im Vergleich unterschiedlich „gut gestalteter“ Einzelhandelstätigkeiten in Bezug auf wahrgenommene Tätigkeitsmerkmale und erlebte psychische Beanspruchungsfolgen. Die Ergebnisse empfehlen die Anwendung der Normen zu „Merkmalen gut gestalteter Aufgaben“ auch für Einzelhandelstätigkeiten, wobei Modifikationen der Normmerkmale – insbesondere des Kernmerkmals „Ganzheitlichkeit“ vs. „Fragmentierung“ – erforderlich sind.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Retail sales promotions are one of the most fundamental and high profile concepts of retail marketing. Everyday consumers are bombarded with various forms of information regarding sales promotions. Manufacturers and retailers go to great expense, up to 75% of the United States' marketing expenditures are spent on promotions (Lewison, 1994), but very little is done to measure the effectiveness of these promotional activities (Walters, 1991). Price promotions form an integral part of the marketing strategies of both manufacturers and retailers, yet they are often neglected in terms of assessing their impact on the marketing strategies of individual products. Lewison (1994) supports this statement by saying, "the precise positioning of sales promotion in terms of marketing strategy is often vague". "The increase in sales promotion spending in consumer goods field is greater than that of advertising promotion. However, it is important to know that a substantial part of this money is being misspent, some of it through poor planning" (Shapiro 1977). This statement is dated and probably aimed at the American retail market in particular, but it evokes some relevant questions about the South African domestic market. Are our manufacturers and retailers misspending valuable promotional budget on poorly planned and illogical sales promotions? An article in Sales and Marketing Management (1979) made a good, and relevant, point that "sales promotion is an orphan child of marketing. Both sales promotion budgets and sales promotion objectives are virtually ignored by senior management". More than twenty years later one would expect that the effectiveness of promotions would be monitored more closely and the promotional budgets of both manufacturers and retailers would be subject to close scrutiny by marketing directors. This appears, however, not to be the case, and little study has been done, particularly in South Africa, on the profitability and marketing effectiveness of price promotions within the retail grocery market. The use of trade promotions has risen considerably during the late 20th century. Within companies intense competition and increasing sophistication in sales promotion techniques together with a greater pressure to increase sales has resulted in an increased frequency of promotions. .Market factors have also fostered an increase in promotions. These factors include a rise in the number of brands (especially generic brands) and a decrease in the efficiency of traditional advertising due to increasingly fragmented consumer markets and advertising 'clutter'. A review of the marketing literature on grocery retail price promotions appears to be indicating a move toward a new approach to retailing which sees more focus being given to cutting costs out of the system, usually through improvements to the supply chain. Retail giant Wal-Mart introduced a policy of Every Day Low Pricing (EDLP) and moved heavily toward certain supply chain methodologies like Quick Response and Efficient Consumer Response which focus on reducing inventories and increasing supply chain efficiencies. These policies shun the retail sales promotion in favour of more constant sales trends and supply of goods. It appears that this policy is working, and not just in America, but in Canada and Germany as well (Kalish, 2000). This paper will focus on the inefficiencies of the traditional South African retail price promotion, particularly prevalent in the grocery chains, versus the current American and European retail promotion techniques that focus less on temporary price reductions and more on eliminating costs out of the value chain. A current South African price promotion model is given and a price promotion model for the future is proposed. Without a more complete study it would be immature to think that this paper could be a definitive study of the reasons, cause, and effects of retail price promotions, rather it is intended as a stimulus for further research in this area. This mini-thesis looks at pricing policies in the South African grocery retail market relative to international trends. Particular detail is paid to the grocery value chain and the effects of retail price reduction promotions on the supply chains within the value chain. Inefficiencies in the current South African pricing system are highlighted from both a marketing and a supply chain management perspective. A future value chain is proposed and the migration to this new value chain discussed. International trends like EDLP are discussed with relevance to the South African grocery retail market. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Kleinhandel reklame promosies is een van die mees fundamentele and hoë profiel begrippe van kleinhandel bemarking. Daaglikse verbruikers word gebombardeer met verskeie vorms van inligting betreffende reklame promosies. Vervaardigers en kleinhandelaars gaan groot kostes aan, tot 75% van die Verenigde State se bemarkingsuitgawes is gemik op promosies (Lewison, 1994), maar daar word baie min gedoen om die doeltreffendheid van hierdie promosionele aktiwiteite te meet (Walters, 1991). Prys promosies vorm 'n integrale deel van die bemarkingstrategie van beide vervaardigers en kleinhandelaars, nogtans word hulle dikwels afgeskeep in terme van die beraming van hulle impak op die bemarkingstrategieë van individuele produkte. Lewison (1994) steun hierdie bewering deur op te merk dat, "the precise positioning of sales promotion in terms of marketing strategy is often vague". "The increase in sales promotion spending in consumer goods field is greater than that of advertising promotion. However, it is important to know that a substantial part of this money is being misspent, some of it through poor planning" (Shapiro, 1977). Hierdie opmerking is verouderd en waarskynlik spesifiek gerig op die Amerikaanse kleinhandel mark, maar lok sekere relevante vrae uit in verband met die Suid Afrikaanse plaaslike mark. Is ons vervaardigers en kleinhandelaars besig om waardevolle promosie begrotings op ondeurdagte en onlogiese reklame promosies te verkwis? 'n Artikel in "Sales en Marketing Management" (1979) maak die goeie en relevante punt dat "sales promotion is an orphan child of marketing. Both sales promotion budgets and sales promotion objectives are virtually ignored by senior management". Meer as twintig jaar later sou mens verwag dat die effektiwiteit van promosies in detail gemonitor word en die promosie begrotings van beide vervaardigers en kleinhandelaars noukeurig bestudeer word deur bemarkingsdirekteure. Dit blyk nie die geval te wees nie en, veral in Suid Afrika, is daar min navorsing gedoen oor die winsgewendheid en bemarkings effektiwiteit van reklame promosies binne die kleinhandel kruideniersmark. Die gebruik van handelspromosies het merkbaar gestyg in the laat twintigste eeu. Binne ondernemings het intensiewe kompetisie en toenemend gesofistikeerde handelspromosietegnieke tesame met groter druk om reklame syfers te laat styg gelei tot 'n toename in die frekwensie van promosies. Hierdie faktore sluit in 'n styging in die aantal handelsmerke (veral generiese handelsmerke) en 'n afname in die doeltreffendheid van tradisionele advertering weens toenemend gefragmenteerde verbruikersmarkte en advertensie "romme!". 'n Hersiening van die bemarkingsliteratuur op kruideniershandel reklamepromosies blyk daarop te dui dat 'n verskuiwing plaasvind na 'n nuwe benadering waarin meer fokus daarop geplaas word om kostes in die sisteem te sny, gewoonlik deur middel van verbeteringe aan die verskaffingsketting. Kleinhandel reus Wal-Mart het 'n beleid van "Every Day Low Pricing (EDLP)" ingestel en sterk beweeg na sekere verskaffingsketting metodologie soos "Quick Response" en "Efficient Consumer Response" wat fokus op die verminderde inventarisse en verhoogde doeltreffendheid in die verskaffingsketting. Hierdie beleide vermy die kleinhandel reklame promosie ten gunste van meer konstante reklame tendense en verskaffing van goedere. Dit blyk dat hierdie beleid besig is om te werk, nie net in die Verenigde State nie, maar ook in Kanada en Duitsland (Kalish, 2000). Hierdie werkstuk sal fokus op die ondoeltreffendheid van die tradisionele Suid Afrikaanse reklame prys promosie, veral heersend in die kruidenierskettingwinkels, teenoor die huidige Amerikaanse en Europese reklame promosie tegnieke wat minder toegespits is op tydelike prys verlagings en meer op die eliminasie van koste in die waardeketting. 'n Huidige Suid Afrikaanse prys promosie model word daargestel en 'n prys promosie model vir die toekoms voorgestel. Sonder 'n meer deeglike studie sal dit naief wees om te dink dat hierdie werkstuk 'n beslissende studie kan wees vir die redes vir, oorsaak en gevolge van kleinhandel prys promosies. Die bedoeling is eerder dat dit dien as 'n stimulus vir verdere narvorsing op die gebied. Hierdie mini-thesis ondersoek die prys beleid in die Suid Afrikaanse kruidenierskleinhandelmark relatief tot internasionale tendense. Veral word daar aandag gegee aan die kruidenierswaardeketting en die invloed van kleinhandel prysvermindering promosies op die verskaffingskettings binne die waardeketting. Tekortkominge in die huidige Suid Afrikaanse sisteem van prysbepaling word uitgelig uit beide 'n bemarkings en verskaffingskettings bestuur oogpunt. 'n Toekomstige waardeketting word voorgestel en die migrasie na hierdie nuwe waardeketting bespreek. Internasionale tendense soos EDLP work bespreek met betrekking tot die Suid Afrikaanse kruideniers reklamemark.

A reestruturação do Setor Elétrico Brasileiro introduziu uma nova categoria de clientes no mercado consumidor. Os chamados Clientes Livres, ao contrário dos Clientes Cativos, podem formalizar a aquisição de energia elétrica para atendimento dos requisitos de seu processo produtivo, através de contratos bilaterais, onde os prazos, os preços e os volumes são livremente negociados entre os agentes. A segmentação imposta pelas reformas do setor promoveu a competição na atividade de comercialização, repercutindo em novas responsabilidades para os agentes setoriais, com oportunidades para a busca de resultados financeiros, mas, por outro lado, com riscos associados que requerem adequado gerenciamento. Conseqüentemente, o estabelecimento de contratos neste ambiente evidencia a importância da adoção de estratégias de hedge adequadas para mitigar os riscos de exposição financeira dos Clientes Livres ao Mercado de Curto Prazo. Sob essa perspectiva, o texto aborda a formação de preços contratuais no curto e longo prazos, propõe critérios de risco para aferir as estratégias mais promissoras, de acordo com o perfil do consumidor, de modo a otimizar a obtenção de energia no Ambiente de Contratação Livre, contemplando, também, o efeito da recente possibilidade da comercialização dos excedentes de energia elétrica, como forma de flexibilização contratual para esta categoria de consumidores. / The power sector reforms in Brazil introduced a new sort of consumers in the electricity market. The Free Consumers are able to choose their suppliers and freely negotiate contractual terms. The restructuring process of electricity industry promoted the competition into the retail sales subindustry. It gave new responsibilities to market participants and also potential opportunities to reduce its energy costs. On the other hands, the Free Customers are requested to manage their own risks. It is important therefore the establishment of contracting strategies to hedge against price risks. As consequence, the purpose of this study is to address a methodology to implement short and long-term contract pricing and evaluate the risks associated with its strategies. Moreover, the work identifies the contracting decisions to optimize electricity costs accordingly to customer´s needs. Finally, it is presented a study on contract flexibility where an opportunity could be given to such kind of consumers, making possible to resell part of their electricity contracts.

A reestruturação do Setor Elétrico Brasileiro introduziu uma nova categoria de clientes no mercado consumidor. Os chamados Clientes Livres, ao contrário dos Clientes Cativos, podem formalizar a aquisição de energia elétrica para atendimento dos requisitos de seu processo produtivo, através de contratos bilaterais, onde os prazos, os preços e os volumes são livremente negociados entre os agentes. A segmentação imposta pelas reformas do setor promoveu a competição na atividade de comercialização, repercutindo em novas responsabilidades para os agentes setoriais, com oportunidades para a busca de resultados financeiros, mas, por outro lado, com riscos associados que requerem adequado gerenciamento. Conseqüentemente, o estabelecimento de contratos neste ambiente evidencia a importância da adoção de estratégias de hedge adequadas para mitigar os riscos de exposição financeira dos Clientes Livres ao Mercado de Curto Prazo. Sob essa perspectiva, o texto aborda a formação de preços contratuais no curto e longo prazos, propõe critérios de risco para aferir as estratégias mais promissoras, de acordo com o perfil do consumidor, de modo a otimizar a obtenção de energia no Ambiente de Contratação Livre, contemplando, também, o efeito da recente possibilidade da comercialização dos excedentes de energia elétrica, como forma de flexibilização contratual para esta categoria de consumidores. / The power sector reforms in Brazil introduced a new sort of consumers in the electricity market. The Free Consumers are able to choose their suppliers and freely negotiate contractual terms. The restructuring process of electricity industry promoted the competition into the retail sales subindustry. It gave new responsibilities to market participants and also potential opportunities to reduce its energy costs. On the other hands, the Free Customers are requested to manage their own risks. It is important therefore the establishment of contracting strategies to hedge against price risks. As consequence, the purpose of this study is to address a methodology to implement short and long-term contract pricing and evaluate the risks associated with its strategies. Moreover, the work identifies the contracting decisions to optimize electricity costs accordingly to customer´s needs. Finally, it is presented a study on contract flexibility where an opportunity could be given to such kind of consumers, making possible to resell part of their electricity contracts.