Retail management
Content and Requirements
2023 winter semester
Teaching team
•Lectures: doc. Ing. Martin Klepek, Ph.D.
•Seminars: Ing. Sarath Thulaseedharan Mallika, MBA
Course objectives
The aim of the course is to familiarize students with the specifics of
companies with an emphasis on retailing, which has in developed
countries received considerable attention for its importance not only in
terms of job creation, contribution to GDP, but also in meeting the
needs of customers - consumers as the main criteria for success of a
trading company. The course focuses on major development
component, which are large and medium-sized companies, but may also
serve small businesses who want to succeed in the market alongside
large companies and various trade associations.
Course literature
• Presentations will be in the IS SU.
• Books are in the library:
• ZENTES, J., MORSCHETT, D. and H. SCHRAMM-KLEIN, 2011.
Strategic Retail Management.
• COX, E., 2012. Retail Analytics: The Secret Weapon.
• KOTLER, P. and K. L. LANE, 2012. Marketing Management.
• SHARP, B., 2013. Marketing: theory, evidence, practice.
Course content
Lectures Date
Introduction to retail management 26.9.2023
Types of retail organisations 3.10.2023
Retail formats and players in retailing 10.10.2023
Marketing research in retail 17.10.2023
Retail empirical laws 24.10.2023
Store location – trading area analysis 31.10.2023
Ongoing test 7.11.2023
Pricing strategies in retailing 14.11.2023
Merchandising and category management 21.11.2023
Marketing communication and advertising 28.11.2023
Strategic marketing in retailing 5.12.2023
Retail branding and positioning 12.12.2023
Course requirements
• Active participation on case studies during seminars 60%
• Experiential Exercise during semester
• Ongoing test (7.11.2023)
• Essay in a form of one pager on possible future of retailing
• Final exam January and February 2024
Course requirements evaluation
• Students have to pass all the activities:
Activity Points
Experiential Exercise 25
Essay 25
Ongoing test 20
Exam 40
Active participation
• Active participation on case studies during seminars 60% means being
present not just physically but also mentally.
• Handing in the results of individual or teamwork is a sign of active
participation.
Experiential Exercise
• The students in each class will be organized into teams. Each team of
students will visit a chosen retail shop in Karviná or in their place (Tesco,
Lidl, Kaufland, Hruška, Billa) and observe the retail mix adopted by the store
(i.e. merchandise, location, customer service, store design, pricing and
promotion). The team should further examine the competitive advantages
compared to other stores that sell similar merchandise. You may purchase
some products by yourself and analyze the purchase experiences to assist
your evaluation of the retail mix.
• Each team will present the findings in the seminar (about 20 minutes for
each team) and make recommendations on how the chosen retailer might
improve the retail mix in order to achieve growth in sales or profit.
• Details will further be explained in the class.
Ongoing test
• Written form, test + open ended questions
• 7.11.2023 (if there is no activity for international students)
Essay
• Written essay on one page with your own thoughts and predictions.
• Topic is „Future of retailing“
• Deadline 5.12.2023
• At least 2500 characters
• Structure: introduction, main idea, conclusions
• 3 students failed by using AI last year
• Use AI to help you not to do the job instead of you
Final exam
• Discussion about essay (10p)
• One selected topic for examination (30p)
• The topics will be the same as lecture topics
Course grading
Grade Points
A 100 - 110
B 90 - 99
C 80 - 89
D 70 - 79
E 60 - 69