Limited access to, and availability of, fresh, healthy, and affordable food is a major concern in several communities across the United States of America. Such conditions have long perpetuated a wide variety of negative health outcomes that include, but are not limited to, obesity, diabetes, and other heart-related disease and illness, not to mention socio-economic immobility. Furthermore, the prevalence of limited food access and food insecurity is well researched and documented as an issue that disproportionately affects non-white, lower-income communities. The following research paper aims to better understand the characteristics of food deserts, the communities that are most affected by them, and the challenges that food deserts present to the local community. Additionally, the following research paper seeks to explain why most conventional grocery stores and supermarkets do not enter underserved markets. As such, it discusses the financial difficulties associated with grocery anchored retail developments in underserved markets, and examines why such communities struggle to attract investment in general. / 0 / SPK / specialcollections@tulane.edu

This report measures and explains the way that new grocery store development in underserved neighborhoods impact economic development. This study evaluates a new grocery storeÕs economic impact in six critical areas: 1) Job Creation 2) Income Creation 3) Tax Revenue Creation 4) Impact on Surrounding Residential Real Estate ) Impact on Surrounding Commercial Real Estate 6) Lower Food Costs The research shows that when these six effects areas are considered together, the potential economic impact of a new grocery store in a food desert is immense. The most important of these topics is the new stores ability to create jobs, local income, and it effect upon the surrounding real estate. National data shows that a new grocery store can have an employment multiplier of nearly 20, meaning that for every directly created job, 20 more are either created or supported elsewhere in the economy. Furthermore, between 50 and 75 percent of directly created jobs are filled locally, helping to pump income into the local communi . Thirdly, the opening of a new grocery store has an immediate and significant effect upon commercial and residential real estate. Data from the Pennsylvania Fresh Food Financing Initiative indicates that the opening of a new store instantly boosts home values by between four and seven percent and reverses negatively trending home values. While the effect on commercial real estate is less measurable, it is no less significant. The new store acts as an anchor retailer, attracting smaller retailers to the area and helping to reduce community vacancy rates and spur economic development. Lastly, the new store will reduce the cost of food to the local community by providing food at cheaper prices than local convenience stores and by removing many of the unnecessary transportation costs that food desert residents frequently encounter. Illustrating these potential impacts, the proposed development of a new Jack and Jakes Grocery Store on O.C. Ha y Boulevard in the Central City neighborhood of New Orleans is a perfect case study. As defined by the USDA, Central City is a low-income food desert. For years it has suffered serious economic decay that has seen its main commercial corridor, O.C. Haley Boulevard, become completely defunct. However, in applying national data and several widely accepted economic theories, this report concludes that the development of a new grocery store in this area is ideal. The new store will help to make community attractive to economic investment and redevelopment once again. By providing jobs and income to the surrounding community, retail demand in the area will be increased. This in turn will make the commercial corridor more attractive to businesses. Furthermore, as an anchor retailer, the new grocery store will further promote economic development by helping to apply downward pressure on community vacancy rates, both residential and commercial. / 0 / SPK / specialcollections@tulane.edu

The ‘food desert’ has become a popular metaphor for describing fragmented pockets of America’s retail food environment characterized by limited access to affordable healthy foods and consequent heightened incidences of obesity and other diet-related health problems. Although researchers have addressed the locations and boundaries of food deserts, influential cross-sectional analyses are limited in that they cannot identify the direction of causality between the food environment and health outcomes. This study approaches the problem from an ecological perspective that examines the interplay between retailer and consumer in urban and rural settings of both food desert and non-food desert areas in the Texas South Plains centered on Lubbock. The principle methods of data collection entailed observations of purchases at full-service grocery stores and administration of a short survey as a means to determining what foods are being purchased and why. Additional semi-structured interviews with store representatives, along with several individuals located in underserved areas, and a general familiarization with the larger retail food environment, focusing on convenience and discount stores, provided important context to the research. The results challenge many existing assumptions, indicating problems associated with linking food deserts to poor health outcomes without accounting for additional variables, and further provides strong evidence that consumer choice is responsible for the larger retail food environment. / text

Mesmo reconhecendo a importância das centrais de negócios no contexto brasileiro, pode-se dizer que existe pouco conhecimento sobre o assunto. Essa iniciativa ganhou força apenas nos últimos cinco anos no país e a maioria dos estudos encontrados na literatura, possuem caráter predominantemente exploratório. Nesse sentido, o presente trabalho buscou fomentar importantes discussões sobre as centrais de negócios de supermercadistas de pequeno e médio porte, ao analisar de forma crítica a sua formação, identificando os fatores que influenciam a sua sustentabilidade. A metodologia do estudo fundamenta-se em cinco etapas que se complementam. A primeira refere-se ao levantamento bibliográfico e pesquisa em dados secundários, cujo objetivo era ampliar o conhecimento teórico sobre as centrais de negócios. Em um segundo momento, foi realizada uma pesquisa qualitativa de natureza exploratória junto a três centrais de negócios, visando uma percepção prática do tema, a definição das etapas metodológicas, e a elucidação do problema, proposições, perguntas e variáveis da pesquisa. Na seqüência foi realizado um estudo qualitativo com seis centrais de negócios formadas há pelo menos um ano e que possuíam maior conhecimento e experiência no seu processo de formação. Na quarta etapa metodológica foi feita uma pesquisa quantitativa com 21 centrais de negócios em diversos Estados brasileiros para analisar proposições, investigar a correlação entre as variáveis e descrever as características das centrais de negócios no território nacional. Finalmente, por meio de uma pesquisa qualitativa, buscou-se identificar nas experiências internacionais dinamarquesas, potenciais ações que pudessem ser adaptadas ao contexto nacional. Os resultados discutidos podem contribuir para uma melhor compreensão do processo de formação das centrais de negócios. Pôde-se concluir que para ser bem sucedida, ela precisa ter uma proposta abrangente, mas ao mesmo tempo focar em objetivos claros, tratar da qualificação e capacitação profissional dos seus membros e incluir e unir o econômico, o social e o cultural. No final do estudo apresentam-se recomendações voltadas à sustentabilidade das centrais de negócios de supermercadistas de pequeno e médio porte. / Even recognizing the importance of the business networks composed by the small and medium grocery retailers for its sustainability in Brazil, the lack of publications is notable. This working force has just received more attention in the country in the last five years and the studies found in the literature have predominantly exploratory character. Based on these facts, the objective of this study is to foment important discussions about the business networks composed by small and medium grocery retailers. It analyzes critically it formation, identifying the influence factors at its sustainability. The methodology of the study is based on five stages that complement each other. The first one refers to the bibliographical research and secondary data research, that attempts to promote the theoretical knowledge on the business networks. In a second moment, an exploratory research was accomplished with three business networks formed by small and medium grocery retailers, seeking a practical perception of the theme, the definition of the methodological stages, and the elucidation of the problem, propositions, questions and variables of the research. In the sequence a qualitative study was conducted with six business networks of small and medium grocery retailers formed at least one year ago that could improve larger knowledge and experience in it formation process. In the fourth methodological stage a quantitative research was realized with 21 business networks in several Brazilian States to analyze propositions, to investigate correlation among the variables and to describe the characteristics of the business networks in the national territory. Finally, through a qualitative research, it was attempted to identify, based on international Danish experiences, potential actions that could be adapted to the national context. The discussed results can contribute to a better understanding of the process of formation of the business networks composed by the small and medium grocery retailers. As a result, for this union succeed, it needs to include a proposal, but at the same time to focus in clear objectives, to improve the qualification of the processes and the professional training of their members, and to include the economical, social and cultural perspective. Since one of the attempt of this study was to provide recommendations focused on the sustainability of the business networks composed by small and medium grocery retailers, the study provides useful insights that should be taken for which business network that aim to be maintainable.

Bakgrund: Livsmedelsförsäljningen online befinner sig i den mest expansiva fasen i branschens historia. Det är svårt att hitta en prisnivå som täcker de tillkommande kostnaderna som onlinehandeln medför och som kunderna är villiga att betala. Den decentraliserade styrningen och det självständiga ägandet som ICA innehar står i konflikt med hur en effektiv e-handel bedrivs. Det råder således många frågetecken kring hur onlinehandeln för dagligvaror ska bli ekonomiskt hållbar. Syfte: Studien syftar till att genom en fallstudie undersöka och förklara upplevda möjligheter och utmaningar som har uppstått vid implementeringen av e- handeln inom dagligvaruhandeln. Vidare syftar studien till att undersöka och förklara hur den decentraliserade styrningen har påverkat upplevda möjligheter och utmaningar samt hur organisationen arbetar för att skapa en ekonomiskt hållbar affärsmodell. Genomförande: Studien är en fallstudie av kvalitativ karaktär där empirin har samlats in genom semi-strukturerade intervjuer med representanter från ICA-butiker och ICA Sverige. Den abduktiva ansatsen har möjliggjort en djupare förståelse av fenomenet då empirin och teorin har utvecklats och bearbetats under studiens gång. Slutsats: Studiens resultat visar på flertalet möjligheter och utmaningar som är relaterade till organisation, internt nätverk samt kundrelation. Möjligheter som har uppstått är bland annat; nya marknadsandelar, ökad kundkännedom samt ökat kundvärde. Utmaningar som har uppstått är bland annat; ökad konkurrens, prissättningsproblematik, ineffektiv plockningsprocess och en enhetlig bild av företaget. Vissa av dessa är specifikt relaterade till den decentraliserade styrningen och franchiseägandet och andra är oberoende av organisations- och distributionsstruktur. En ekonomiskt hållbar affärsmodell skapas genom bland annat; motiverade medarbetare; nyttjande av lastbilens fulla kapacitet samt en framåtanda som genomsyrar hela organisationen. / Background: Online grocery shopping is in its most expansive phase in history. It is difficult to find a price level that covers the additional costs related to e-commerce and the customer’s willingness to pay. The decentralised control and the franchise ownership ICA possesses is in conflict with an effective e- commerce. Therefore, there are several questions about how e-commerce for groceries can be economic sustainable. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine and explain perceived opportunities and challenges that have emerged by the implementation of e-commerce. Furthermore, the study aims to examine and explain how the decentralised control has affected perceived opportunities and challenges and how the organisation works with creating an economic sustainable business model. Completion: This is a case study based on a qualitative method and the data has been gathered through semi structured interviews with representatives from ICA stores and ICA Sverige. The abductive research approach has enabled a deeper understanding of the phenomenon by allowing the data and theory to adapt during the process. Conclusion: The result of the study displays several opportunities and challenges related to organisation, internal network and customer relationship. Opportunities that have emerged are for example; new market shares, increased customer knowledge and increased customer value. Challenges that have emerged are for example; increased competition, pricing problems, ineffective picking process and a homogenous picture of the company. Some of these challenges are specifically related to the decentralised control and the franchise ownership while other are neither affected by the organisation- nor distribution structure. An economic sustainable business model is created by, for example, motivated employees, usage of the truck’s full capacity and a forward thinking that influences the entire organisation.

Mesmo reconhecendo a importância das centrais de negócios no contexto brasileiro, pode-se dizer que existe pouco conhecimento sobre o assunto. Essa iniciativa ganhou força apenas nos últimos cinco anos no país e a maioria dos estudos encontrados na literatura, possuem caráter predominantemente exploratório. Nesse sentido, o presente trabalho buscou fomentar importantes discussões sobre as centrais de negócios de supermercadistas de pequeno e médio porte, ao analisar de forma crítica a sua formação, identificando os fatores que influenciam a sua sustentabilidade. A metodologia do estudo fundamenta-se em cinco etapas que se complementam. A primeira refere-se ao levantamento bibliográfico e pesquisa em dados secundários, cujo objetivo era ampliar o conhecimento teórico sobre as centrais de negócios. Em um segundo momento, foi realizada uma pesquisa qualitativa de natureza exploratória junto a três centrais de negócios, visando uma percepção prática do tema, a definição das etapas metodológicas, e a elucidação do problema, proposições, perguntas e variáveis da pesquisa. Na seqüência foi realizado um estudo qualitativo com seis centrais de negócios formadas há pelo menos um ano e que possuíam maior conhecimento e experiência no seu processo de formação. Na quarta etapa metodológica foi feita uma pesquisa quantitativa com 21 centrais de negócios em diversos Estados brasileiros para analisar proposições, investigar a correlação entre as variáveis e descrever as características das centrais de negócios no território nacional. Finalmente, por meio de uma pesquisa qualitativa, buscou-se identificar nas experiências internacionais dinamarquesas, potenciais ações que pudessem ser adaptadas ao contexto nacional. Os resultados discutidos podem contribuir para uma melhor compreensão do processo de formação das centrais de negócios. Pôde-se concluir que para ser bem sucedida, ela precisa ter uma proposta abrangente, mas ao mesmo tempo focar em objetivos claros, tratar da qualificação e capacitação profissional dos seus membros e incluir e unir o econômico, o social e o cultural. No final do estudo apresentam-se recomendações voltadas à sustentabilidade das centrais de negócios de supermercadistas de pequeno e médio porte. / Even recognizing the importance of the business networks composed by the small and medium grocery retailers for its sustainability in Brazil, the lack of publications is notable. This working force has just received more attention in the country in the last five years and the studies found in the literature have predominantly exploratory character. Based on these facts, the objective of this study is to foment important discussions about the business networks composed by small and medium grocery retailers. It analyzes critically it formation, identifying the influence factors at its sustainability. The methodology of the study is based on five stages that complement each other. The first one refers to the bibliographical research and secondary data research, that attempts to promote the theoretical knowledge on the business networks. In a second moment, an exploratory research was accomplished with three business networks formed by small and medium grocery retailers, seeking a practical perception of the theme, the definition of the methodological stages, and the elucidation of the problem, propositions, questions and variables of the research. In the sequence a qualitative study was conducted with six business networks of small and medium grocery retailers formed at least one year ago that could improve larger knowledge and experience in it formation process. In the fourth methodological stage a quantitative research was realized with 21 business networks in several Brazilian States to analyze propositions, to investigate correlation among the variables and to describe the characteristics of the business networks in the national territory. Finally, through a qualitative research, it was attempted to identify, based on international Danish experiences, potential actions that could be adapted to the national context. The discussed results can contribute to a better understanding of the process of formation of the business networks composed by the small and medium grocery retailers. As a result, for this union succeed, it needs to include a proposal, but at the same time to focus in clear objectives, to improve the qualification of the processes and the professional training of their members, and to include the economical, social and cultural perspective. Since one of the attempt of this study was to provide recommendations focused on the sustainability of the business networks composed by small and medium grocery retailers, the study provides useful insights that should be taken for which business network that aim to be maintainable.

This research examined the factors contributing to the performance of online grocers prior to, and following, the 2000 dot.com collapse. The primary goals were to assess the relationship between a company’s business model(s) and its performance in the online grocery channel and to determine if there were other company and/or market related factors that could account for company performance. To assess the primary goals, a case based theory building process was utilized. A three-way cross-case analysis comprising Peapod, GroceryWorks, and Tesco examined the common profit components, the structural category (e.g., pure-play, partnership, and hybrid) profit components, and the idiosyncratic profit components related to each specific company. Based on the analysis, it was determined that online grocery store business models could be represented at three distinct, but hierarchically, related levels. The first level was termed the core model and represented the basic profit structure that all online grocers needed in order to conduct operations. The next model level was termed the structural model and represented the profit structure associated with the specific business model configuration (i.e., pure-play, partnership, hybrid). The last model level was termed the augmented model and represented the company’s business model when idiosyncratic profit components were included. In relation to the five company related factors, scalability, rate of expansion, and the automation level were potential candidates for helping to explain online grocer performance. In addition, all the market structure related factors were deemed possible candidates for helping to explain online grocer performance. The study concluded by positing an alternative hypothesis concerning the performance of online grocers. Prior to this study, the prevailing wisdom was that the business models were the primary cause of online grocer performance. However, based on the core model analysis, it was hypothesized that the customer relationship activities (i.e., advertising, promotions, and loyalty program tie-ins) were the real drivers of online grocer performance.

Digitalization has forced retailers to reevaluate their business models and channel strategies. Traditional brick-and-mortar retailers are no longer the standard and most of today’s retailers offer customers multiple sales channels to purchase from. The present study focusses on the grocery retail industry, which is rapidly shifting towards a more online purchasing setting. There is a need for further research regarding customer experience and customer loyalty, in an online grocery setting, with the aim to identifyimportant online attributes. Previous studies on online grocery and purchasing behavior have neglected to consider customers’ shift from the physical to the online store. Therefore, this study contributes to explain how factors of Brand Equity, Online Customer Experience (OCE) and E-loyalty affect customers’ willingness to stay with same grocery retailer while moving from offline to online. The study used a quantitative research approach by distributing a questionnaire on social media, resulting in 128 useful responds. The result demonstrated a positive relationship between the three concepts and customers’ willingness to choose the same online grocery retailer as offline. Brand was a significant factor in both offline and online. An online grocery retailer’s Website, Products, Interaction and Convenience wereshown to be important online attributes. Feeling secure with providing personal information and using acredit card online, was important. Lastly, maintaining a relationship with their online grocery retailer andfeeling emotionally satisfied after their online purchase was essential. Future research couldcomplement with other concepts that further explain grocery customers’ shift from the physical store to online.

The aim of this thesis is to provide a comprehensive understanding of successful strategies in retail trade, overview of the Czech online grocery retail market and provide recommendations how to succeed in this market. This diploma thesis is intended to help established big grocery retailers, start-ups venturing into the online grocery retail and prospective investors into such start-ups understand the Czech online grocery market. First, we provide a summary of the major developments in the history of retail trade and e-commerce accompanied by several business strategy frameworks proposed by academics for achieving success in these two markets. Second, we define online grocery retail with its different business formats, analyse strategies used across the world and the biggest challenges of this business. Third, we provide an overview of the Czech grocery retail market, both store based and online based. Fourth, we present our findings from our customer survey and form our recommendations based on the findings of the whole thesis. The main contribution of this thesis is in providing an integrated understanding of the Czech online grocery retail market.

<p><strong>Introduction:</strong> The retail market in the 21^st century will be determined on how quickly and efficiently the retailer can respond to shifts in consumer demands. Due to the physical environment of the store (store value) and the interaction with the consumer (shopping trip value), the local retail store has the advantage of generating this tangible and intangible information. It is then of importance that this information will be transferred towards the retailer, who has the opportunity to use this information and generate it into outputs that can be used as negoitables; this value creation process is an unique success indicator for creating a value network within retail supply chain.</p><p><strong>Purpose:</strong> The aim of this research is to present an understanding on the value creation process in the grocery retail chain.</p><p><strong>Methodology:</strong> Having an inductive nature, this thesis tried to bring a new understanding on value creation in grocery retail business, by using hermeneutics as a methodology approach. For empirical study, the qualitative approach was used. Data was collected through open-ended interviews with representatives in grocery retail chains.</p><p><strong>Conclusion:</strong> The main players in the value network were determined in a grocery retail chain as retailer, local retail store and other stores in the chain; and the suppliers. An intensive value exchange between the retail store and the retailer was found and following that, it was concluded that the retailer converts the value input from the local retail store into tangible and intangible value outputs towards suppliers. Combining the conclusions, the research defines that a value network is existing, but on a very low level. But more to the point, the study shows the importance of value creation by the retail chain, and that creating the possibility to share information about products, in-store experience, consumer knowledge, and consumer requirements is one of the biggest advantage the grocery retail chain has to develop this value network further.</p><p> </p>