Thesis (Ph. D.)--Michigan State University. Dept. of Agricultural Economics, 2006. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on Nov. 17, 2008) Includes bibliographical references (p. 120-124). Also issued in print.

The problem with which this dissertation is concerned is that of determining the true role performed by the chain supermarket store managers. A comparative study is made of chain supermarket store managers, supermarket chain-level managers, and non-food chain retail store managers and their ranking and rating of the importance of fifteen work functions ordinarily performed by retail store managers. The hypotheses of the study state that there will be a statistically significant difference in the rankings and ratings of the importance of the work functions in each of the six paired comparisons between respondent groups. In comparing chain supermarket store managers to non-food chain retail store managers, there is a statistically significant difference in their ranking of the following work functions: (1) overseeing all forms of security and enforcing store rules, company policies, laws, and other regulations; (2) handling employee disputes and discipline and assuring proper appearance and dress; (3) directing merchandising-- space allocation and display--out-of-stock, pricing, stock rotation, etc.; (4) developing good community relations by participating in civic affairs, cooperating with charities, taking part in local business activities, etc.; and (5) scheduling number of hours and employees needed. When supermarket chain-level managers are compared with nonfood chain retail store managers, there is a statistically significant difference in the ranking of the following seven work functions: (1) interviewing, hiring, and discharging of employees; (2) handling employee disputes and discipline and insuring proper appearance and dress of employees; (3) directing merchandising--space allocation and display-- out-of-stock, pricing, stock rotation, etc.; (4) developing 3 good community relations by participating in civic affairs, cooperating with charities, taking part in local business activities, etc.; (5) scheduling number of hours and employees needed; (6) delegating responsibility and authority to subordinates by allowing them to make decisions within their assigned area of responsibility; and (7) maintaining company identification in the store by following through on company-wide programs and demonstrating and directing loyalty to the company.

Cytiva is a pharmaceutical company in Umeå that manufactures and administer hardware for medical instruments. A recurring problem for Cytiva is a lack of storage space, which is why they currently rent an external warehouse. The lack of space often results in the need to change storage places for items in order to create more storage space. Currently, these changes are made without really knowing the overall effect they have on the system. Moving items around in a warehouse is a common problem type for optimization. There are several proven analysis and optimization methods to combat this problem and many of these solution methods optimize warehouses with one point for input and output (I/O). There are significantly fewer methods that optimize warehouses built using a supermarket structure, i.e. with several I/O. Since Cytiva has a supermarket structure the purpose of this work is thus to create a model to apply optimization methods, where the model evaluates and optimizes the relocation of items within a warehouse built in a supermarket structure. With inspiration from the Assignment Problem and the Knapsack Problem, a mathematical model is formulated for the analysis and optimization of Cytiva’s inventory. The model relocates items between different supermarkets instead of between specific storage locations. Because of the size of the problem, a greedy algorithm is used to solve the optimization. Results are generated and then used to provide suggestions for the optimal stocking of items and to analyze three specific scenarios. The model provides a picture of how the flow will be affected by the three specific scenarios and makes corresponding recommendations thereafter. Concerning Cytiva’sinventory currently, it is concluded that there are indications that Cytiva’s flow can be improved by reviewing inventory. However, further research and development are needed to provide a reliable relocation proposal / Cytiva är ett läkemedelsföretag i Umeå som tillverkar och administrerar hårdvaran till medicinska instrument. Ett återkommande problem för Cytiva är platsbristen i fabriken, vilket också är anledningen till att man idag hyr ett externt lager. Platsbristen resulterar ofta i att man måste byta lagerplatser på artiklar för att hushålla med den lageryta man har. Idag görs dessa byten utan att man egentligen vet den verkliga effekten av dem. Att flytta runt artiklar i ett lager är en vanlig typ av optimeringsproblem. Det finns åtskilliga beprövade analys- och optimeringsmetoder. Många av dessa lösningsmetoder optimerar lager med en punkt för in- och utflöde (I/O). Det är betydligt färre som optimerar lager uppbyggt utefter en supermarket-struktur, det vill säga med flera I/O. Cytiva har en supermarket-struktur och syftet i detta arbete blev således att skapa och applicera en optimerings modell. Denna modell utvärderar och optimerar flytt av artiklar inom ett lager uppbyggt efter ett supermarket. Med inspiration från Tilldelningsproblemet och Kappsäcksproblemet formuleras en matematisk modell för analys och optimering av Cytivas lagerläggning. Modellen flyttar artiklar mellan olika supermarkets i stället för mellan specifika lagerplatser. På grund av problemets storlek används en girig algoritm för att lösa optimeringen. Resultat genererades och användes för att ge förslag till en optimal lagerläggning av artiklar, samt analysera tre givna scenarion. Modellen ger en bild av hur flödet kommer att påverkas av de tre givna scenarion och rekommendationer därefter. Vad gäller Cytivas lagerläggning idag, dras slutsatsen att det finns indikationer på att Cytivas flöde kan förbättras genom att se överlagerläggningen. För att ge ett pålitligt omflyttningsförslag behövs fortsatt forskning och vidareutveckling.

O objetivo desta pesquisa é analisar a competição entre supermercados. Contrapondo parte da literatura econômica segundo a qual o crescimento rápido de grandes redes de supermercados gera poder de mercado e redução do número dos demais formatos de lojas, esta dissertação baseia-se no argumento de que a expansão de grandes cadeias varejistas produz conseqüências complexas, podendo resultar na coexistência de uma grande variedade de formatos de negócios. A pesquisa está dividida em duas etapas. Inicialmente são examinadas as relações de concorrência entre hipermercados e supermercados de vizinhança. Evidências para o Município de São Paulo indicam que estes varejistas formam mercados distintos uma vez que preços não estabelecem entre si um equilíbrio de longo prazo. A segunda etapa aprofunda a análise sobre supermercados de vizinhança. Analisa-se o impacto do tamanho sobre a estratégia de precificação das lojas e comparam-se os supermercados vinculados a redes às lojas independentes. Contrariando a crença geral, supermercados independentes estabelecem preços menores em comparação a supermercados de rede. Argumentos que suportam este resultado são então examinados. / This research analyzes the competition among supermarkets. In contrast to part of the economic literature which suggests that the fast growth of supermarket chains gives rise to market power and reduction in the number of other retailing formats, this dissertation is based on the argument that growth of supermarket chains produces complex consequences and can result in the coexistence of a huge variety of retailing formats. The research is divided in two parts. In the first part, the competition between hypermarkets and supermarkets is examined. Evidences for Sao Paulo Municipal district indicate that these retailers form separate markets. Prices do not establish long term equilibrium. The second part is focused on neighborhood supermarkets. It analyzes the impact of size on price strategy and compares chain supermarkets to independent stores. The results differ from the general belief that independent supermarkets establish higher prices in comparison to chain supermarkets. The results are supported through econometric evidence.

Esta pesquisa teve como objetivo identificar quais são os elementos das experiências de consumo mais importantes para a formação da satisfação dos clientes supermercadistas residentes no interior do Estado de São Paulo. Para atingir o objetivo proposto, optou-se pela realização de um levantamento de campo com uma amostra de 750 indivíduos escolhidos por conveniência e de forma estratificada, sendo que o critério adotado para dividir os estratos foi o nível de educação dos consumidores. O questionário utilizado para coleta de dados foi desenvolvido pelo autor do presente trabalho com base nas variáveis supermercadistas identificadas em referencial teórico previamente pesquisado, e a escala adotada foi a de sete pontos de Likert. A análise de dados foi dividida em três etapas: primeiramente, as variáveis presentes no questionário foram agrupadas utilizando-se a técnica estatística Análise Fatorial; em segundo lugar, os fatores resultantes da aplicação da Análise Fatorial foram utilizados em uma Análise de Regressão, cujo intuito foi desenvolver uma equação de regressão que contivesse as variáveis supermercadistas mais importantes para a satisfação dos consumidores supermercadistas; finalmente, com base no referencial teórico levantado, realizou-se uma análise da equação desenvolvida. Dentre as constatações do presente trabalho, destaca-se a identificação de dois construtos principais que devem ser utilizados de maneira conjunta para explicar a satisfação dos consumidores no varejo supermercadista: a imagem do varejista e as experiências de consumo. Além disso, foi possível identificar os elementos das experiências de consumo mais relevantes do ponto de vista da satisfação do consumidor: o ambiente de loja; o relacionamento entre o cliente e os funcionários do varejista; o sortimento disponibilizado pelo varejista; a conveniência fornecida aos consumidores durante suas compras; a venda de produtos de marcas próprias; a presença de outros tipos de varejistas no ambiente físico do supermercado; a presença de estacionamento; o relacionamento entre os próprios clientes; aspectos monetários; e a comunicação desenvolvida pelo varejista. A principal contribuição acadêmica deste trabalho reside na ampliação do conceito de satisfação no varejo, que passa a ser analisado de maneira mais sistêmica, incorporando diferentes construtos. Adicionalmente, a principal contribuição gerencial deste trabalho reside na identificação de uma série de elementos tangíveis que devem ser administrados para aumentar a satisfação dos consumidores no segmento supermercadista. / This research aimed to identify which elements of the consumer experience are more important for the formation of customer satisfaction in supermarkets in the interior of São Paulo. To achieve our objective, we opted for the operation of a field survey with a sample of 750 individuals chosen for convenience and stratified, and the criterion used to divide the strata was the level of consumer education. The questionnaire used for data collection was developed by the author of this work based on the supermarket variables identified in theoretical previously searched, and the scale used was a seven-point Likert. Data analysis was divided into three stages: first, the variables in the questionnaire were grouped using the statistical technique Factor Analysis, secondly, the factors resulting from the application of Factor Analysis were used in a Regression Analysis, whose purpose was to develop a regression equation that contained the most important variables for customer satisfaction in supermarkets and, finally, based on the theory raised, we developed an analysis of the equation developed. Between the findings of this study, we highlight the identification of two main constructs that should be used jointly to explain consumer satisfaction in the retail market: the image of the retailer and the consumer experience. Furthermore, it was possible to identify the elements of the consumer experience more relevant in terms of customer satisfaction: the store environment, the relationship between the customer and the retailer\'s employees, the assortment offered by retailers, the convenience provided to consumers during their purchases, the sale of private label products, the presence of other retailers in the physical environment of the supermarket, the presence of parking, the relationship between customers, monetary aspects and the communication developed by retailers. The main academic contribution of this work was the extension of the concept of satisfaction in retail, which can be analyzed more systemic, incorporating different constructs. Additionally, the main managerial contribution of this work was the identification of some tangible elements that must be administered to increase consumer satisfaction in the supermarket segment.

Submitted by VINICIUS BIAZOTTO GOMES null (vinicius_bgomes@hotmail.com) on 2017-03-15T03:33:27Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao Concluida Vinicius Biazotto Gomes.pdf: 23006859 bytes, checksum: d4a360594da4255556763a7c4370f3fa (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Juliano Benedito Ferreira (julianoferreira@reitoria.unesp.br) on 2017-03-21T13:53:01Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 gomes_vb_me_prud.pdf: 23006859 bytes, checksum: d4a360594da4255556763a7c4370f3fa (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-03-21T13:53:01Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 gomes_vb_me_prud.pdf: 23006859 bytes, checksum: d4a360594da4255556763a7c4370f3fa (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-02-07 / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) / A atividade supermercadista no Brasil é composta por uma miríade de agentes diferenciados, contemplando desde os pequenos supermercados de vizinhança unilocalizados, até as grandes redes de atuação regional ou internacionalizada que possuem complexos arranjos intragrupo, dispondo de uma grande quantidade de nós descontínuos de administração, distribuição e comercialização, inseridos em dezenas ou centenas de cidades do país. Nosso objetivo neste trabalho é analisar o topo da atividade supermercadista brasileira no período recente, privilegiando a escala da rede urbana, na qual nos interessa a compreensão da lógica de distribuição das operações dos diferentes modelos de estabelecimento. Destacamos ao leitor que, em âmbito setorial, este período foi marcado especialmente por desdobramentos de ações que se desenrolaram após a metade da década de 1990: Primeiramente, a reorganização da estrutura concorrencial do topo da atividade, fruto das ações de modernização tecnológica, da acentuação das práticas de internacionalização e, em seguida, concentração/centralização de capitais, sobretudo sobre a figura das empresas de capital estrangeiro; e, em segundo lugar, por uma reorientação das maiores empresas do ramo no sentido da constituição de estruturas multiformato, multicanais e de múltiplas atividades econômicas. A partir de 2004, por conta de uma inversão na conjuntura econômica e a continuidade de processos socioculturais e demográficos, como a ascensão de novos padrões de consumo e mudanças na composição e organização familiar, os acontecimentos apontados passaram por uma acentuação, sendo acompanhadas por um crescimento generalizado do setor (faturamento e número de lojas) que se estendeu até o ano de 2014. É neste quadro de desenvolvimento destacado do segmento supermercadista brasileiro no período recente, e especialmente na questão da dispersão das atividades de suas maiores empresas na rede urbana, que focamos a análise aqui apresentada. / The supermarket activity in Brazil is made up of a myriad of different agents, covering from small business of just one supermarket, to large regional or internationalized operations that have complex intra-group structures, featuring dozens of discontinuous administration, distribution and commercialization nodes, inserted into tens or hundreds of cities. Our goal in this paper is to analyze the top of the Brazilian supermarket activity in recent years focusing on the net urban scale, in which, we are interested in understanding the logic of operations distribution of the different model of stores by the largest supermarket players. We point out to the reader that in sectorial level, this period was marked especially by stock splits that have taken place since the post-middle of the 1990s, first, the reorganization of the competitive structure of the top of the activity, result of technological modernization actions, the accentuation of internationalization and then concentration/centralization pf capitals, especially on the figure of foreign-funded enterprises, and secondly, by a reorientation of the largest companies in the industry towards of multiformat, multi-channel and multi-activities structures. Since 2004 because of a reversal in economic conditions and the continuity of socio-cultural and demographic questions, such as the rise of new consumption patterns and changes in family composition and organization, these events passed through an accentuation, being accompanied by a widespread growth of the sector (sales and stores) which lasted until 2014. Is in this highlighted development for the Brazilian supermarket segment in the recent period, and especially on the issue of the dispersion of the activities of its biggest companies in the urban net that we focus the analysis presented here. / CNPq: 34228/2014-6

Define-se supermercado como o local onde se pratica comércio varejista de mercadorias em geral, predominantemente de produtos alimentícios, em uma área de venda de 300 a 5000 m2. Embora responda hoje por cerca de 85,0% das vendas de alimentos no Brasil, esse setor permanece ainda muito pouco estudado, particularmente em relação aos aspectos sanitários. Em Ribeirão Preto, os supermercados representam o principal local de venda de alimentos para todas as classes sociais, ao mesmo tempo que vêm sendo causa de número crescente do total de reclamações feitas à Divisão de Vigilância Sanitária (Visa) do município. Esta investigação teve o objetivo de: avaliar as condições higiênico-sanitárias e físico-estruturais dos supermercados e hipermercados (área de venda acima de 5000 m2) de Ribeirão Preto, com vistas a classificá-los segundo essas condições; avaliar o cumprimento da legislação vigente; detectar áreas/condições de risco à saúde pública; recomendar medidas corretivas. O trabalho foi conduzido durante as inspeções de rotina da Visa, utilizando-se a Ficha de Inspeção de Estabelecimentos da Área de Alimentos (FIEAA) adotada no Estado de São Paulo, a qual padroniza os procedimentos de inspeção e divide os itens que serão inspecionados em cinco grandes blocos. Foram incluídos todos os 56 supermercados e os 2 hipermercados da cidade. Os percentuais de adequação para cada bloco foram: 32,2% para o bloco 1, correspondente à situação e às condições da edificação; 27,1% para o bloco 2, correspondente aos equipamentos e aos utensílios; 68,1% para o bloco 3, correspondente ao pessoal de produção, manipulação e venda; 35,9% para o bloco 4, correspondente às matérias-primas e aos produtos expostos à venda; 42,3% para o bloco 5, correspondente ao fluxo de produção/manipulação/venda e ao controle de qualidade. Assim, apenas o bloco 3 foi classificado como regular, ficando todos os demais como deficientes. Na classificação final dos estabelecimentos, 46 (79,3%) foram classificados como deficientes, 11 (19,0%) como regulares, e apenas 1 (1,7%), como bom. Apesar de se reconhecer a existência de algumas inadequações nos pontos de corte padronizados para a classificação dos itens estudados, concluiu-se que a situação exige intervenção rigorosa das autoridades sanitárias, para se fazer cumprir a legislação vigente. Recomenda-se a adoção de algumas adaptações à legislação, entre as quais a obrigatoriedade de inclusão, no corpo de funcionários dos supermercados, de profissional capacitado na área de alimentos, bem como a mudança dos critérios de classificação dos estabelecimentos, visando a uma maior racionalidade na programação de inspeções rotineiras da Visa. / The definition of supermarket is that of a place where retail market of general merchandise, mainly food products, is practiced in a sales area beteween 300m2 and 5000m2. Though it currently represents about 85% of food sales in Brazil, this sector still remains understudied, especially when it comes to its sanitary aspects. In Ribeirão Preto the supermarkets represent the main sales area of food for all social classes, at the same time that it has been the subject of an increasing number of complaints that have arrived at the City Division of Sanitary Surveillance (DSS). This investigation aimed to evaluate the sanitary, hygiene, physical and structural aspects of the supermarkets and hypermarkets (sales area over 5000m2) of Ribeirão Preto, to classify them according to these conditions, to evaluate the applicability of the legislation, to detect areas/conditions of public health risks and to recommend correction measures. The work was conducted during DSS´s routine inspections, using the guidelines for inspection of the food enterprises adopted in the state of São Paulo, which divides the subjects to be inspected in five big blocks. All of the city 56 supermarkets and 2 hipermarkets were included. The percentage of adequacy for each block were 32.2% for block a, corresponding to the situation and conditions of the edification, 27.1% for block b, corresponding to equipments and utensils, 68.1% for block c, corresponding to the production, manipulation and sales staff, 35.9% for block d, corresponding to the raw materials and products displayed for sales; 42.3% for block e, corresponding to the flow of production/manipulation/sales and quality control. Only block c was classified as regular, being the others considered as insufficient. In the final classification of the supermarkets, 46(79.3%) of them were considered insufficient, 11(19.0%) regular and only 1(1.7%) good. Although some inadequacies in the cutoff criteria for classifying the supermarkets are recognized, it becomes clear that the situation demands a rigid intervention of the sanitary authority in order to apply the existing legislation. Based upon the findings of this investigation, some recommendations can be done. Among them is the inclusion in the supermarket staff of an employee skilled in the food field, as well as a change in the criteria used for the classification of the supermarkets, aiming a higher rationality in the DSS programming of routine inspections.

Thesis (Ph.D. (Marketing))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2004.

Background:This thesis strives to analyze aesthetic services used in supermarkets. Supermarkets facefierce competition and varied marketing dilemmas such as traditional marketing versusservice marketing. Nevertheless, encompassing elements from both traditionalmarketing, such as physical products, and service marketing, such as relationshipbuilding, supermarket management is challenging. Thus, it is crucial to understandconsumers’ perceptions for both services and products in order to satisfy their needs andwants and succeed in the market place. Therefore, this thesis offers a betterunderstanding of aesthetic elements used in supermarkets from customers’ perspective.Aim:The main purpose of this thesis is to investigate the applications of aesthetics insupermarkets. It intends to examine and theorize the consumer perceptions regardingaesthetic elements applied in supermarkets; to test the differentiation strategy insupermarkets, through the usage of aesthetic elements, from consumers’ perspective.Definitions:Aestheticization of daily life: it can be seen as the extension of art or the appreciation ofart on daily life. It suggests ‘the collapse of the distinction between high art and massculture, leveling out of symbolic hierarchies and cultural declassification’ (Featherstone,2007). It reflects onto business through its emphasis on beauty, sensory appeals,pleasure consumption etc. Analyzing aesthetic applications in supermarkets from acustomer perspective, this thesis finds out that from both companies’ and consumers’perspective, these applications are based on aestheticization of daily life.Completion and Results:Aesthetic elements used in supermarkets are identified in the content analysis anddiscussed in the empirical study through focus group interviews. It is found out thataesthetic services indeed improve customer satisfaction. However, the fierce pricecompetition limits supermarkets’ services to instrumental rather than expressiveperformance. Moreover, utilized aesthetic services in supermarkets tend to bestandardized, due to benchmarking processes, in consumers’ eyes, causing theseservices to lose their value to be differentiated.

The primary hypothesis of this study was that low-income individuals purchase more packaged foods of lower healthiness and lower price compared to similar packaged foods of higher healthiness and higher price. The Nutrition Metric was chosen as the system to measure the nutritional value of foods because it is in the public domain and uses nutrients common to the Nutrition Facts panel; however, prior to use, the validity of the Nutrition Metric needed to be tested. The convergent validation of the Nutrition Metric was tested with four systems (NuVal, Guiding Stars, WXYfm, Go-Slow-Whoa) that met the study criteria. A sample of 600 foods that were purchased over a 104 week period that ended in November 2009 by 34,407 low-income households was drawn to achieve at least 168 items having scores available for each system. The Nutrition Metric had a positive correlation with all scoring systems for the 174 foods (P<0.01) that verified its validity as a tool to assess food healthiness. The Nutrition Metric was used to measure the healthiness of packaged products from the list of low-income food purchases (n=316). Products had a negative mean healthiness score of -0.88 ± 1.72 and low levels (<5% Daily Value) of dietary fiber, vitamin A and C, iron, and cholesterol. The majority of the products (n=305) did not have a nutrient claim on product packaging. The Nutrition Metric was a successful tool that can be utilized to assess the healthiness differences between products with and without nutrient claims purchased by low-income shoppers with counterpart products at the supermarket. Food price and healthiness differences were evaluated for the list of packaged products (n=305 (minus 11 single ingredient cooking staples)) commonly purchased by low-income shoppers to counterpart products of the same brand and package size with or without nutrient claims. Products with nutrient claims (n=77), on average, had higher healthiness scores and prices than products without claims (n=77) (P<0.01). Research and education initiatives that promote the selection of products with claims instead of products without claims are potential options to improve the diets of low-income consumers. / text