bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Country of origin marking
Authors: Foster Ann
Published: February 2008

Patriotism, whilst not exactly outmoded, is less important for consumers in buying goods than other factors such as price and value for money, according to a recent survey carried out for the National Consumer Council. They are also concerned about service — how long a product is likely to last, how much it will cost to run, and the availability of spare parts. The Council's view is that further legislation about origin marking should be given no greater priority, so far as consumers' interests are concerned, than other types of information labelling which may be more directly valuable to consumers.
How to influence people and gain customers
Authors: Evans Martin
Published: February 2008

This paper proposes that to be systematic in gaining customers, retailers could benefit from recognising the marketing implications of a set of pre‐ and post‐purchase stages of customer behaviour. A parallel theme is that retailers possess several weapons in their armoury for persuasion purposes. More specifically, not only can advertising be used to influence people, but every element of the retailer's marketing mix: the combination of merchandise and service provided, at the time, place and price offered. The writer then analyses customer behaviour in terms of their responses to the marketing communications activities of retailers, finally providing an overview of the variety of these marketing activities.
Freightliner
Authors: James Ivor
Published: February 2008

With increased costs of transport more companies are looking for specialised and efficient distribution services. Freightliners is a good example of an intermodal company which has grown from being simply rail‐based to its present capacity in terms of distribution of merchandise door‐to‐door.
Specialist requirements
Authors: Bristow D M
Published: February 2008

In contrast to the paper from Bernard Doré of Booker Belmont, this one from Safeway Food Stores gives us the benefits of centralised distribution. As the title suggests, the province of this article is the specialised area of perishable goods. D M Bristow has been involved in the business of distribution for Safeway since 1962. Prior to this he was a Director of John Gardners Supermarkets, one of Safeway's processor companies, and has been dealing with their distribution needs for 12 years.
Standard computer documentation
Authors: Harris D G
Published: February 2008

It seems that as far as analysing sales data and physical distribution is concerned, the technological changes of the new few years will affect speed and accuracy of information. It also seems that no manufacturer or retailer can afford to overlook the possible benefits of these developments and not weigh them up against the costs. Donald Harris joined Tesco 15 years ago from International Computers and Tabulators (now ICL) where he was in charge of a programming section. His first appointment was as computer manager with responsibility for setting up and running Tesco's computer department. In 1970, he was appointed a Director of Tesco Stores Ltd, and acquired additional responsibilities covering distribution of goods throughout the country. In June 1977, Mr Harris became the Chairman of the Article Numbering Association.
Push‐button shopping
Authors: Foster Ann
Published: February 2008

“The technology”, as our American friends say, “is already here” for TV shopping and ordering by home computer. The shopper will look at merchandise on a TV screen, listen to a salesman talking about it, compare what he says with findings in Which?, order the goods by punching in his personal code — and then pay by EFTS. Simple. But when will it all happen? At a conference in London organised by Gower Conferences, the general impression seemed to be the late 1990s. No need for panic just yet.
CANADA
Authors: Shaw Gareth
Published: February 2008

The 1960s saw a remarkable boom in Canada's economy, with disposable income per capita increasing over the decade by almost 88 per cent. This was accompanied by substantial population growth. The major retail sector to be boosted by this social and economic change was the planned shopping centre, which increased its share of total retail trade from 2% in 1956 to over 23% in the mid‐1970s. Dr Gareth Shaw spent some time towards the end of last year on a research project in Canada, where he made a special study of major new shopping complexes. In this feature he outlines the reasons for the rapid growth of shopping centres and looks particularly at one of the most controversial developments, the Eaton Centre in Toronto.
How computers can help with design in retailing
Authors: Coutts Nick
Published: February 2008

Few people in retailing are unaware of the contribution being made by computers in areas such as stock control, accounting procedures and merchandise management. Less familiar is computer‐aided design and its potential impact on store design and planning. CCD is a computer drafting company which was set up by Nick Coutts a year ago, and they have been regularly demonstrating CAD techniques to store planners who realise the advantages the system can give them. CCD have installed the first Calcomp IGS‐500 interactive graphics computer in the UK, and have ordered an additional workstation which will enable them to handle the increased work load.
Programmables in production and distribution
Authors: Turnham Mike
Published: February 2008

Programmable calculators are now used even in companies where there is access to either a bureau or an in‐house computer. This article explains why this should be — savings in time, money, and greater accuracy, as well as relieving the staff of many repetitive jobs. Examples of specific areas where the programmable computer has been of value are: better use of storage space, better production forecasting, distribution performance and look‐up tables.
The case for Third Party Distribution
Authors: Stanton Anthony G.
Published: February 2008

Distribution costs are rising faster than the general level of inflation. It is of course possible to reduce these costs and make savings — but should the retailer himself take on this function, or leave it to the experts? Tony Stanton, speaking at the CIES Biennial Conference on Warehousing in Berlin recently, asserts that the main point of attack must be in delivery consolidation, and in this paper gives three examples of retail companies who have initiated or influenced such schemes — Sainsbury, Asda and Tesco.
A tale of two markets
Authors: Wood Stephen
Published: February 2008

Covent Garden and Les Halles have three things in common: In the sixties they were both dominated by busy wholesale markets, by the seventies the produce markets had moved out, and by 1980 both sites had been transformed, but in very different ways. Stephen Wood compares the development of these two exciting ventures in a paper presented to the PTRC Summer Annual Meeting at Warwick.
Shopping for the Disabled
Authors: Sharples Sue
Published: February 2008

As the International Year of Disabled People draws to an end what has been happening in the high street? What changes have been made in attitudes and design policies to accommodate the needs of so‐called disabled people? In a wide‐ranging review RDM discovered that there's little or no legislation to tie the hands of the planners, developers, designers and shop owners, and that while there was an air of optimism among disabled groups, only in exceptional cases was there contact between such groups and shop owners.
Personal computers for the retailer
Authors: Foster Eric
Published: February 2008

Personal computers are most commonly thought of as consumer products, but now they are being developed for use by many different classes of retailer; in fact they have found application in small newsagents, pharmacists and others. Additionally, in conjunction with portable data recording terminals they can be used as packaged systems which will read bar coded labels, and carry out localised data processing of the information gathered. This article examines some of the latest developments and looks at the relevance of this class of system at a cash point within a retail outlet.
How unplanned are impulse purchases?
Authors: McGoldrick PJ
Published: February 2008

Are your purchases planned or unplanned? A straightforward question, the answer to which can be oversimplified, ignoring the degrees to which customers can be reminded by advertising or attracted by a special offer. Concentrating on pharmacy customers, researchers at UMIST have taken an analytical look at impulse buyers.
Computer controlled distribution of packaged textiles
Authors: Cliff Mike
Published: February 2008

Fashionflow is a specialist carrier in textile distribution moving merchandise from manufacturer to retail point. Errors of despatch or receipt made by either side can be costly; this paper (an edited version of that presented at EPoS 81), describes a micro‐computer based Transit Control System which monitors the movement of every package from collection to delivery, produces documentation and maintains despatch records for proof of delivery and management information purposes.
Scanning
Authors: Auld Charles
Published: February 2008

The advantages and disadvantages of scanning for the retailer have received a great deal of publicity; less has been said about the possibilities which exist for the intelligent use of scanning — and EPOS generally — by the supplier, and especially the food supplier. Charles Auld is firmly of the view that scanning can be used as a marketing tool; to assist the manufacturer in range rationalisation, in providing information about regionality of consumer behaviour, and in range extension. This is an edited version of a paper deliverd by Charles Auld at the annual conference of the Marketing Society held in November in London.
Managers and supervisors: A problem of relationships
Authors: Smith Julian
Published: February 2008

Two new training films on working relationships — although ostensibly concerned with industry — have lessons for the retail and distributive trade.
How retailers use marketing information in the USA
Authors: Piercy Nigel
Published: February 2008

The use of marketing information by retailers has developed to a greater degree in the States than in this country, according to Nigel Piercy. He visited a number of organisations in the United States in the summer of 1981 as winner of the Lord Mayor's Travelling Scholarship, awarded by the Institute of Marketing. In this article he discusses the implication of new technology for producing valuable marketing information, and the strategic importance of controlling this developing source of information.
Videotext in the High Street
Authors: Marti John V. , Zeilinger Anthony J.
Published: February 2008

Teletext and Viewdata, recently developed information technologies collectively known as Videotext, could have a significant effect on the retail sector over the next few years. It is estimated that by the middle of next year there will be one million households with TV sets capable of receiving teletext, so that several million people will become familiar with the technology. From the retailer's point of view, Viewdata would appear to be more useful since it is “transactional”. The retailer could use it as part of an internal administrative system, or a customer information system, or as an extension of shop based selling. Through viewdata, retailers can offer teleshopping services — so that consumers can order and pay for merchandise by terminal from their homes or places of work. The authors argue that the ‘push button age’, will not radically alter ‘shopping’, as we recognise it today, although it will begin to modify shopping patterns. Customers will continue to visit shops to examine merchandise so that they can have the opportunity to speak to specially trained sales staff. Teleshopping is set to complement existing shopping methods, by offering us all a wider range of shopping choice and ways by which orders can be placed.
Managing for profit
Authors: Forrester R.A.
Published: February 2008

What can a manager do to contribute to profitability? It needs rather more than telling the last one out at night to turn out the lights, or being polite to customers. Our contributor has six clear answers. They may at first sight look pretty obvious; but in how many of these six approaches have your managers been instructed as to how they might achieve positive results?
Fork lift trucks: the great forward leap
Authors: Williams Ivor
Published: February 2008

Most people think the fork lift truck hasn't changed much in the last twenty years. They could be wrong. In fact, our contributor thinks that the “re‐shaping” of the truck has now generated a large family of specialised trucks, each designed for a narrower purpose, but each more versatile. The fork lift truck can now do almost the same job as a computer‐controlled stacker crane — but at much less cost. With the rapid spread of EPOS techniques this is happening at the right time.
SHOP LAYOUT
Authors: Ashbourn Justin
Published: February 2008

Selling more to your customers is one area of modern retailing examined in a new study The Way Ahead for Sports Retailing published by Storeplan, shop interior specialists from Gravesend, Kent. In this extract, Justin Ashbourn discusses the importance of correct shop layout and merchandise presentation in the quest for increased sales.
Buying for profit
Authors: Forrester RA
Published: February 2008

One of the vital roles of retail buyers is an ability to strike good deals for their companies — haggling over that precious 1% which could mean a profit increase of 20%. The foremost skill involved is the art of negotiation, and for those not born with such an aptitude, but who would benefit by achieving it, the St Helens School of Management Studies has designed a course to train buyers in such strategies. Bob Forrester reports.
America's maturing innovation: off‐price apparel stores
Authors: Rogers David
Published: February 2008

Successful retailing concepts never remain static. When they become popular, competition increases and this inevitably leads to the need for differentiation and a repositioning of marketing appeal. In America off‐price apparel retailing originated in the early 1970s, selling high quality brand name clothes from relatively spartan stores where the overheads were minimal. It was designed to serve a marketing void that fell between high priced department and speciality store goods and discount operations. Their success and growth has inevitably meant a move up market, however. In the second of an irregular series of articles on American retailing Dr David Rogers describes this experience and muses on whether an equivalent operation could work in the UK.
Hypermarkets in France
Authors: Burt Steve
Published: February 2008

The independent shopkeeper in France has always played a very important role, and historically they have been supported — if only in theory — by government intervention. Hypermarkets began to develop in France in the early 1960s and it was not long before their increasing share of total retail trade began to alarm the smaller operators. In 1973 the Loi Royer, which attempted to restrict hypermarket expansion beyond certain limits, was introduced. Has it had any effect? Or has the slowing down in hypermarkets in France has been due to a number of other causes? Steve Burt suggests that the law may not have had the restrictive effect that was expected. Any decline in the number of large units opened may be attributable to changing economic conditions and organisational trends.
EFTS and the consumer
Authors: McFadyen Edward
Published: February 2008

In all the discussions about the political situation surrounding EFTPOS — who pays for it, the need for standardisation, the apparent lack of firm representation by retailers — the question of the consumer has tended to be overlooked. Two recent conferences did something to redress the balance, and also threw some light on how EFTPOS might evolve.
Alternatives to EFTPOS: Is the Smartcard smart enough?
Authors: Kingaby Tim
Published: February 2008

As we discussed in our last issue, there are a number of difficulties which are impeding the satisfactory introduction of EFTPOS, not the least of which seems to be a remarkable slowness on the part of retailers and bankers to come to any agreement. In this article Tim Kingaby is suggesting the Smartcard as a simpler and more satisfactory alternative to EFTPOS. The Smartcard looks like an ordinary credit card, but in effect it is a tiny computer, with its own memory, which records the transactions for which it is used. Tim Kingaby claims that it offers the maximum of flexibility together with virtually complete security. Noting that the banks are heavily committed to their plans for the 1986 EFTPOS experiment, he wonders whether they have made the right choice. In a further article he will look at ATM networks and Customer Activated Transactions Systems.
ECONOMIC FORECASTS — We need them, but can we trust them?
Authors: Eliot Stuart
Published: February 2008

For retail management as for management generally, it is essential to keep well informed of present and future economic trends. One might expect that with sophisticated computerised techniques, economic forecasting would be a great deal more accurate than it was, say, twenty years ago. But is this necessarily so? Stuart Eliot looks at some of the reasons why forecasts go wrong, and how useful they are anyway.
Breaking the code
Authors: Jones Gil
Published: February 2008

For some time the pharmacy sector has been in the unusual position of having two codes at its disposal — the standard EAN code and its own Pharmacists Interface Product (PIP) code. The latter has been used by independent chemists and especially members of the NPU. Now Boots has decided to “go EAN”. Gil Jones discusses the implications of this decision for the pharmacy sector.
Alternatives to EFTPOS: 2
Authors: Kingaby Tim
Published: February 2008

The first part of this article, published in our March/April issue, looked at the Smartcard — a computerised creditcard which the author suggests would be a considerably less complex and more secure method of cashless payment than EFTPOS. In this second article, Tim Kingaby looks briefly at EFTPOS systems in Belgium and the States, where the banks are in the unusual position of being forced to foot the bill. He then goes on to suggest two further, and cheaper, alternatives to EFTPOS: an extensive network of ATMs in all sorts of consumer‐convenient locations; and the customer activated transaction (CAT) system in America.
Extending the cool chain for fresh produce
Authors: Saphir John
Published: February 2008

The cool chain, which has been developing rapidly in the produce sector over the past two years, allows products to be harvested at optimum maturity and taken through to supermarket shelves under controlled core temperatures. This is an abridged version of the paper presented by John Saphir to the IGD Convention on physical distribution at Stratford‐on‐Avon in September.
Putting fun into bookshop design
Authors: Sharples Sue
Published: February 2008

It's a pleasure to find that retail outlets designed for grown‐ups can be fun. Claude Gill bookshops, which have been around for well over 35 years, came under new management in 1982 and soon after plans were underway to update the chain. Isherwood & Co's new design has given the units a light, fresh feel, but most of all they've added a touch of humour.
Market research in retailing
Authors: Rogers David
Published: February 2008

Acquisitions are becoming an increasingly important part of corporate strategy in the UK retail sector. In this, the second of a series on the applications of market research in retailing, David Rogers discusses the need for an organised approach to the evaluation of prospective acquisitions — and the part that market research should play in this process.
Shopping centres in Canada
Authors: Hallsworth Alan
Published: February 2008

The general trend of shopping centre location over the last few years has been to move back into town centres. The writer of this article, who has recently returned from a five week tour in the United States and Canada, here discusses whether major retail developments can stand alongside office and residential functions in the future of the American city. He gives particular attention to the Eaton Centre in Toronto and to centres in Houston, Texas.
Asda brush up their act
Authors: Sharples Sue
Published: February 2008

The veteran superstore group Asda have been quick to respond to critics of their recent lack‐lustre performance. A new design is being rolled out which will make the stores and their products more easily understandable. Added to which Asda are sharpening up their attitude to the merchandise itself, and a much larger own label input should return them eventually to their erstwhile strong position in the retailing stakes.
Organising for marketing in retailing
Authors: Piercy Nigel
Published: February 2008

Dr Nigel Piercy wrote earlier in RDM about the trend towards the formal organisation of marketing in retail firms, and is actively involved in research on this topic. In this article he restates the case for formalising marketing in retail firms and formulates an agenda for retail management to consider, which provides a framework for analysis and action.
Attracting the right recruits
Authors: Clarke William
Published: February 2008

While customers' image of retailing may be growing increasingly positive, the same cannot be said of potential recruits to the industry. A recent survey has indicated a severe image problem: while young people may list attributes applicable to retailing as something desirable in a career, deeper investigation reveals that they not only don't relate these qualities to retailing, but are unaware of the scope of the jobs covered by the industry. William Clarke looks at the survey's disappointing findings.
How the boardroom can influence warehousing costs
Authors: Cecil‐Wright Jeremy
Published: February 2008

When management decisions are being made, consider the plight of the warehouse, advises consultant Jeremy Cecil‐Wright. Boardroom decisions affecting marketing policies can have a major impact on distribution costs without the board realising the implications of its decisions. He goes on to argue that if senior executives better understood the relationship between service requirements and costs, then great savings could be obtained and major costs avoided.
Retail planning for the next ten years
Authors: de Somogyi Jan
Published: February 2008

Retail planning is more complex than some retailers imagine; its success depends upon policies about goods, prices and peole. Strategies such as store location, market segmentation, shop design or format innovation are only the means to the end. And how does UK retailing compare with its counterpart on the continent? The last few years on the continent have seen the rapid growth of hypermarkets, novel formats, multi‐national networks, and town centre redevelopment. Yet UK retailers are still, broadly speaking, much more profitable. Jan de Somogyi presented this paper to the Chief Executive Meeting of the International Association of Department Stores in Rapallo earlier this year.
Expert Systems in decision support
Authors: Jones Gil , Ledger John
Published: February 2008

Expert Systems — which forms a small part of Artificial Intelligence — presents opportunities for the retailer, with applications to such areas as buying, merchandising, warehousing and distribution, and retail operations. The authors suggest that senior management in retailing should be aware of the changes taking place and evaluate the impact of these changes in order better to plan their future competitiveness.
Demographic data reports
Authors: Rogers David
Published: February 2008

Retailers are fully aware of the importance of demographic data, but may not be clear how to use it profitably. Dr Rogers describes the different data collecting methods and explains their practical usage.
Distributing imported goods to British customers
Authors: McKinnon Alan
Published: February 2008

Interest in international physical distribution in Britain has traditionally focused on the problems exporters experience in transporting their goods to overseas customers. Very little consideration has been given to the way in which foreign manufacturers distribute their products in the home market. In a country such as Britain, where import penetration has reached a high level, foreign produced goods accounts for a large proportion of total freight movement and warehouse stock. Foreign manufacturers have invested heavily in distribution facilities in the UK and many are major clients of specialist distribution companies. The quality and efficiency of foreign manufacturers' distribution operations in the UK also affect their ability to compete with indigenous producers and to meet wholesalers' and retailers' delivery requirements. This article examines the nature and extent of foreign manufacturers' involvement in physical distribution in the UK.
New software horizons
Authors: Hughes Chris
Published: February 2008

The retail software situation is changing rapidly. A large number of different suppliers are developing software to support their hardware, and a wider range of complete systems is coming on to the market, many of them at prices that make installation realistic. And the availability of fourth generation languages is an added plus.
ASDA'S ‘GABLES’
Authors: Sharples Sue
Published: February 2008

It is a pleasant surprise when a superstore is commended by a design panel. This was the accolade granted to Asda's Harrogate store, which has been open for over a year now, providing not only a useful amenity but a distinctive and appropriate architectural feature.
Credit where credit's due!
Authors: Worthington Steve
Published: February 2008

In a recent issue Steve Worthington discussed the relationship between the use of credit cards and direct marketing. He follows up the theme in this article with a description of the Style card, operated by the Scottish retailer, Goldbergs of Glasgow. It is a “shopping” card — that is, it can be used in a variety of outlets other than Goldbergs, including the South of Scotland Electricity Board and Scottish Gas. It has 360,000 card holders and is the largest credit card operation in Scotland.
SUNDAY TRADING
Authors: Clements Michael A
Published: February 2008

Since the 1960s there have been over twenty attempts at changing the ambiguous and confusing 1950 Shops Act; the most spectacular failure was the most recent attempt, the Shops Bill in April 1986. This piece of legislation foundered although it carried the support of the Prime Minister, her Cabinet, and a sizeable number in the House of Commons. In all cases attempts to change the legislation has been successfully blocked by a coalition of churchmen, trades unions, some retailers and other committed sections of the general public. The latest attempt, in the form of a (Tory) Private Member's Bill, is currently under way. Its thrust is a much more watered‐down set of proposals than those suggested in the Auld Report (and subsequent 1986 Shops Bill), calling for only DIY stores and garden centres to be allowed to open on a Sunday. Dr Clements takes a look at the implications these proposals might have on enforcement of the law, and reports the findings of two consumer studies that suggest that the proposals are not going far enough for many consumers. Empirical data referred to in the paper is drawn from two studies, each of over 1,000 households randomly selected in North Staffordshire, in November 1983 and again in November 1985.
Marketing in UK retailing
Authors: Piercy Nigel
Published: February 2008

In the first of two RDM articles Dr Nigel Piercy discusses the position of marketing in retail firms in the UK. This article examines the findings of a recent survey of the marketing organisation and strategies of some 70 major retailers in the UK, covering some 15% of total retail turnover. The second article will focus specifically on the types of Marketing Department operated by major UK retailers and the implications for the strategic relationship with manufacturers; this article discusses the more general findings of the survey.
AMERICAN REFLECTIONS
Authors: Rogers David
Published: February 2008

In this second feature on American developments, David Rogers looks at convenience stores, electronic retailing, department stores and children's clothing.
Cashless shopping
Authors: Worthington Steve
Published: February 2008

Credit cards are in the news again. In 1986 there was a rise of 14% in the amount of outstanding consumer credit, more than three times the rise in prices and double the rise in earning. Credit advanced in March 1987 was at a record level of £3.2bn. And retailer credit cards are doing excellent business. This feature looks at the background to the credit card explosion and then examines, in detail, the latest recruit to the fold, the Co‐op VISA card. We also take a look at the Connect card story, and conclude with a summary of the RMDP survey on retailers' attitudes to EFTPoS.
The growth off part‐time work in grocery in Britain and France
Authors: Gregory Abigail
Published: February 2008

There are evident similarities in the way large‐scale grocery retailing has developed in Britain and France, and in the manpower planning problems confronting managers in the two countries. In France, however, significantly lower levels of part‐time work appear to be employed in this sector. This article investigates how different approaches to manpower utilisation in the two countries may relate to the way in which part‐time work has developed nationally. Specifically, it presents background data relating to the growth and utilisation of part‐time work both nationally and within food retailing. It then outlines some of the main results emerging from the author's PhD research into working patterns in this sphere. The article is edited from a paper recently presented to NEDO's Part‐time Employment Group.
MARKET RESEARCH
Authors: Lewis Montague
Published: February 2008

A great deal has been written and talked about lately on the application of market research techniques to the retail format. In its most obvious manifestations it has formed the basis for such successful operations as Next and the Burton Group and the recent diversifications in WH Smith. But the potential applications of market research are not confined to niche or multi‐strategy marketing. Intelligent advertising research can be a useful tool, as is customer analysis. What makes customers choose a particular store — or a particular brand? Is there a relationship between the two? And how do you build up appeal and customer loyalty through advertising and sales promotion? These were the main points covered at a recent seminar organised by Wallace International to mark the occasion of the opening of their new headquarters in London. Three speakers discussed aspects of innovation relating to the current scene in retailing — Montague Lewis, of the College for the Distributive Trades (who also wrote this feature); Dr Mark Uncles, from the London Business School, and Mike Elms, of Ogilvie Mather.
EPoS and branch stock management
Authors: Hill Roger M
Published: February 2008

EPoS has been around for some years. However, it is only within the last year or two that the major retail chains have committed themselves to the widespread introduction of full data capture systems in conjunction with scanning. Based on the author's experience of inventory systems in the builders' merchanting sector, gained primarily while working with CCB (Cheltenham Computer Bureau) on such systems, this article considers the extent to which control policies need to be re‐thought in the light of this new technology.
The fading of the American dream
Authors: Farmer Carol
Published: February 2008

Americans are still chasing the heritage of the American Dream passed on to them by their parents. But there are differences between the expectations of the dream and the reality of Americans' perceptions of their lives today. This makes marketing to this generation a highly complex operation. Carol Farmer looks at the American social pattern and the radical changes in retailing which it has sparked off. This is a summarised version of a paper delivered to the International Retail Conference of the Gottlieb Duttweiler Institute, recently held in Zurich.
Downtown in Canada
Authors: Hallsworth Alan
Published: February 2008

The downtown areas of many Canadian cities are very different from those in the United States — or if comes to that, from many in this country. They are, for the most part, pleasant to shop in; they have retained their employment base and are usually well integrated with public transport. Some cities have linking bridges between buildings which create a shopping system immune from the weather (highly desirable in Canada's frequent sub‐zero temperatures). Others have downtown shopping areas with underground links. Alan Hallsworth recently spent some time in Canada; these are some of his impressions.
Hornes: reaping the rewards of takeover
Authors: Ody Penelope
Published: February 2008

From being a rather outdated and loss making men's wear chain, Hornes has emerged from the recent (mid‐1987) Sears takeover with a new high profile image, expansion plans and a strong fashion story to tell. RDM spoke to the firm's new managing director, Stuart Rowland, about its growth and prospects.
The Internal Market of 1992
Authors: Alexander Nicholas
Published: February 2008

Retailing in the UK has experienced, and continues to experience, a period of rapid development. The changes brought about have radically altered the way retailers operate. Their increasing share of markets has made the UK's largest retailers formidable operations at home. In 1992, the European Community (EC), plans to establish an internal market, through the removal of physical, technical and fiscal barriers. This survey, carried out in the spring of 1988, asked the UK's leading retailers what their attitudes were to 1992 and how they intended to meet the challenge of the internal market.
What's wrong with our furniture stores?
Authors: Alexander Jessica
Published: February 2008

The retail furniture business, which should be an exciting fashion industry, is stuck in a rut, according to our contributor. It badly needs a new approach to design and merchandising; the opportunities are there, but retailers seem nervous of grasping them. The second part of this feature describes how Coles of Bilston turned their discount warehouse into a shopping pleasure.
Retailing in AUSTRALIA
Authors: Worthington Steve
Published: February 2008

Despite some outward signs of strength, all may not be as well with Australian retailing as appears on the surface. Our contributor, Steve Worthington, has just returned from a six month stay in Australia. He suggests that the dominance of the sector by Coles Myer, an over reliance on price as a competitive weapon, and the lack of segmentation of the Australian consumer all mean that Australian retailing has somewhat atrophied.
Third Party Food Distribution
Authors: Carter David
Published: February 2008

Driven along by the rapid pace of change which has taken place in grocery retailing over recent years, there has been a considerable degree of development in the services offered by third party distributors to leading food retailers. Far greater demands are now being placed upon the distribution function to provide better quality service, and the challenge is being met by a number of experienced distribution contractors. This article provides a summary of some of the key distribution developments and reviews the activities of some of the leading operators in the sector.
Storehouse:
Authors: Cox Roger
Published: February 2008

Will Storehouse see the light of day? Group Chief Executive Michael Julien has made a number of cost‐cutting moves, including the rationalisation of distribution and the development of compatible IT systems which includes reducing the number of databases. Will these moves work? Our contributor also discusses the changed fortunes of Boots, now “something of a stunner”; and the problems of Woolworth.
The Metro Centre experience
Authors: Davies Ross , Howard Elizabeth
Published: February 2008

In 1984 the building of Metro Centre in Gateshead got underway, and since it opened it has attracted a great deal of comment. Meadowhall in Sheffield is due to open in 1990; it will be the centre of attention for retailers, developers, local authority planners, and most of all, shoppers in the region around. This paper looks at how successful Metro has been, and the prospects for Meadowhall.
RETAIL BUYING
Authors: Evans Eric
Published: February 2008

Retail buyers are typically more entrepreneurial than their industrial counterparts, tending to have better negotiating skills, and perhaps greater creativity and vision. But in recent years there have been a few innovations in industrial buying which, the author suggests, would benefit the retailer. These relate to the areas of price, delivery, and quality.
Strategies for a major shopping centre
Authors: Whysall Paul
Published: February 2008

This article focuses on recent proposals for a major revision of planning policies for Nottingham's City Centre. It has however wider significance in that it indicates a marked shift in the relationship between the local planning authority for one of Britain's leading centres and the retail community.
Lifestyle changes and value offerings
Authors: Clipsham David
Published: February 2008

What has happened to consumer needs, from the point of view of the buyer of books, stationery, and recorded music? David Clipsham is divisional director of specialist chains at W H Smith, and in this paper he looks at the company's three businesses — Our Price records, Paperchase, and the book business. He sets out to identify how each has managed to create a position for itself, and more importantly, to look at the issues they will have to resolve if they are to stay market leaders in the years ahead. This paper, and that which follows by Derek Hunt, are summarised from presentations at the Digital Finance and Retail Conference, held recently in London.
EPoS 90 — Innovations Steal the Show
Authors: McFadyen Ted
Published: February 2008

INTRODUCTION EPoS 90 took place in September in the Victorian splendour of Alexandra Palace against a background which, it might be argued, was hardly propitious. Quite apart from the Gulf crisis, the economic situation was uncertain to say the least. The past year had seen some of the major high street names of the 1980s running into difficulties — Lowndes Queensway, Sock Shop, Next, Laura Ashley — and the final figures for retail sales in August showed a 2 per cent fall in the volume of business during the month, and a 1 per cent fall over the quarter.
AN ASSESSMENT OF ETHICAL ATTITUDES TOWARDS WEALTH ACCUMULATION
Authors: Yousefi Mahmood , McCormick Ken
Published: February 2008

The news is full of stories about business impropriety, employee theft and drug use, government scandals, teenage pregnancies, welfare scams, and a host of other problems associated with a lack of morals and ethics. The cumulative effect of this barrage of bad news has led some to raise the question, “Is America experiencing a moral decline?”
HUMAN FULFILLMENT IN THE MODERN PUBLICLY OWNED CORPORATION
Authors: Solomon Lewis D.
Published: February 2008

Critics maintain that for profit, business corporations should be more “responsible,” that they should take account of all constituencies affected by their operations and should even assume responsibility for broader societal problems which they may only impact tangentially. Defenders of a narrower set corporate goals and constituent interests argue that corporations should be concerned exclusively with maximizing the profits they can earn for shareholders within the law. This controversy regarding corporate goals and stakeholder interests has spanned most of the twentieth century.
ECONOMIES, ETHICS, AND THE STRUCTURE OF SOCIAL LIVING
Authors: Melchin Kenneth R.
Published: February 2008

This paper explores the links between economic and social structures and ethical norms for economic life. As such, the essay is a contribution to the more general philosophical discussions on the relation between fact and value in the social sciences. I begin with a brief discussion of ethics which highlights the social character of ethical “value” and draws upon the work of the Canadian philosopher, Bernard Lonergan, to introduce a novel way of understanding social structures. The analyses show how economic structures can be understood as cooperative meaning schemes, how such schemes are embedded within a wider ecology of social meaning schemes, and how the dynimic relations among such schemes reveal ethical goals and make ethical demands upon participants who depend upon them for their living. I illustrate these linkages in a discussion of three examples drawn from economic life: a consumer purchase transaction, an ancient trade scheme drawn from the work of Karl Polanyi, and a rather novel approach to economic development proposed by Jane Jacobs.
HOW MORALITY STRUCTURES THE HUMAN RIGHT TO PROPERTY
Authors: Tomsons Sandra
Published: February 2008

To one aware of the persistence and severity of ancient and modern attacks on private property, the allegiance to private property characteristic of contemporary proponents of human rights may appear remarkable, indeed, mind‐boggling. However, I believe that philosophers committed to human rights identify private property with the human right to property because of their unwarranted confidence in the moral justifiability, and hence the moral acceptability, of private property. In company with John Locke, today's supporters of the view that persons have the human right to property believe that moral reasoning based upon the foundational beliefs of a doctrine of human rights ultimately establishes property to be a human right. Subsequently, they diligently seek morality's sanction for the appropriation, accumulation, and the use and disposal of things in the manner associated with private property. Private property is, therefore, virtually unopposed in its bid for the property chair in the exclusive human rights club. Though decried by opponents as robbery and massively unjust, in theory this form of ownership is remarkably unscathed behind a fortress of arguments. In practice, many societies currently purporting to have instantiated private property in their institutional arrangements have so mitigated property rights that the concept of private property is inapplicable. However, in combination with widespread and strong commitment to private property, the fortress of moral justification for a human right to private property is a serious obstacle to changing a society's property arrangements.
The Is‐Ought Problem and the Ground of Economic Ethics
Authors: Cassidy Joseph
Published: February 2008

The problem this essay addresses is the IS‐OUGHT problem as it is related to science, economics and ethics. The problem is especially provocative in ethics, for though ethics would seem to concern the OUGHT most directly, not a few thinkers have despaired of ever finding a way to ground ethics in an IS of some sort. Parallel to this is the dual challenge confronting economics: to ground economics is the IS, in reality, and at the same time warrant and ground economically prescriptive statements, that is, to justify OUGHT statements in economics.
Values and Decision Making: A Muslim Perspective
Authors: Mohd Khalijah
Published: February 2008

This paper is based on the belief that the decisions we make ultimately rest on judgements, which can never be entirely objective. There will always be elements of subjectivity, preference and commitment on the part of the decision maker. Ultimately it is what we value within our own sociocultural framework that influences our preferences and commitments and hence directs the type of decisions and actions that we make (Gjertson, 1989). This paper looks at the rationale of Islamic teaching when determining values for decision making on scientific, technological and social issues.
GRASSROOTS APPROACH TO SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Authors: Syukri Salleh Muhammad , Choudhury Masudul A.
Published: February 2008

The concept of sustainable development used in this paper is one of generating and maintaining development as a process through the interactions between social and economic forces. On the side of the social factors influencing development, the focus here is on the human element, which is variously displayed in the process concept. Sometimes, this factor is simply the human resources treated as technologically induced capital, and in which case, the generation of growth is seen as attainment of efficiency derived from the use of human capital. But the more important human factor in sustainable development is the establishment of social justice, moral entitlement and endogeneity of ethics as cause and effect in the process itself. These factors emanate from the premise of human self‐actualization in various ways, and they augment the development process by increasing returns to knowledge as an indigenous experience. Thus, ethics and morality in development constitute the sustaining factors of a development paradigm that becomes truly authentic, not imposed. Among the scenarios of such ethical and moral elements of development is the endogenous role of Islamic values towards describing its socio‐scientific world view.
COMING TO GRIPS WITH SUBSIDIARITY: STAGES OF GROWTH IN ROMAN CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHINGS
Authors: Myers Barry
Published: February 2008

It says something of the current state of public discourse that the inclusion of a paper on the social teachings of an organized religion as part of a Conference on Ethico‐Economics must be explained. Theology and Religion, once at the center of any discourse on public policy, has become marginalized in such discussions. There are those who associate the decline of theology with the era of the Cold War. That conclusion is at least debatable. “Economic Man”, in the context of the post‐war period, was very much a social being for whom government and public institutions, a pro‐Keynesian economics, were essential allies. Adam Smith, accepted as the founder of classical Economics, wrote his seminal work, The Wealth of Nations, when he was Professor of Moral Philosophy. Smith's concept of markets was framed as a social and ethical instrument. The Reagan and Thatcher regimes did succeed in undermining economic policy as a social instrument to the extent that most industrial nations and the important international organizations now give pre‐eminence to the balanced budget as the vehicle for corporate interests. The elimination of deficits and the efficacy of financial markets are seen in some quarters not only as ends in themselves but also as means to facilitate each other. The critics of these policies are presently weak and unpopular but they are not silent. This disparate group between them embrace a range of social, cultural, and ethical values. They seek to establish that some ends and some means must be rejected as being ethically unacceptable. It is this context that this paper seeks to position the social teachings of the Roman Catholic Church.