Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference:	GR/R32161/01
Title:	Integrated Systems For Retail Company Management Strategy: a Feasibility Study of Supply-Led Aspects
Principal Investigator:	Allen, Professor PM
Other Investigators:
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Department:	Sch of Management
Organisation:	Cranfield University
Scheme:	Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts:	01 June 2001	Ends:	30 June 2002	Value (£):	55,293
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:	Information & Knowledge Mgmt
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
Related Grants:
Panel History:
Summary on Grant Application Form
After expert consultation we shall contact a series of retailing companies and obtain information from them concerning the factors that affect their sales, and the manner in which they anticipate and respond to changes in the patterns of demand. We shall discuss the internal mechanisms by which they co-ordinate the different systems within their organisation, how they generate an adaptive response to changing customer requirements and how these matters could be best investigated in a full-scale project. We would identify broadly the strategic options available including: locations, hierarchy and size of stores, quality of goods, style of goods, customers targeted, etc. and would try to identify other important elements of strategy. We would also examine the time scales of change in the particular sub-sector, and the importance of fashion, of specific demographic cohorts, socio-economic groups etc. The next step would be to clarify how the different systems in interaction within the retail company could be represented and modelled, and how a strategic response to the changing environment (involving the supply chain, product designs, quality, style, store locations and hierarchy, and advertising) could be successfully co-ordinated. Next, we would consider how to link a complex systems retail company model to the external spatial patterns of demand. Finally, we would consider how the integrated system could be developed so as to be able to explore the outcome of realistic retailing strategies, providing output in terms that permit useful evaluation. The completion of these steps would allow us to develop a full-scale project.
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Organisation Website:	http://www.cranfield.ac.uk