E-strategy in the UK retail grocery sector

After a decade of Internet trading, retailers in the UK have experienced mixed fortunes with their Internet-based ventures. Online shopping success stories include; Tesco’s, which has positioned itself as a world leader in online grocery retailing by providing an Internet-based home delivery of over 40,000 products and making the service available to almost 95 per cent of UK residents. Similarly, Sainsbury’s offers 71% per cent of UK residents the opportunity to shop online however the company does not have the same international recognition. Waitrose too has expanded its Internet-based shopping services, aided by its acquisitions in OCADO. By contrast, Somerfield, and more recently Iceland have stopped their Internet shopping operations due to poor trading results and economic difficulties, despite the fact that Iceland was the first grocery retailer to offer online shopping to the majority of the UK mainland. The key aims of this paper are to explore how major grocery retailers coming to the one line market; to consider why some are more successful than others and to develop an understanding of the role of strategic thinking in online retailing. More specifically, the paper will initially, investigate the strategic options open to retailers developing activities online and finally, discuss the extent to which e-strategies represent a long-term approach to planning. The paper presents a literature review, which provides the conceptual foundations for investigation of the significance of e-strategy development within retailing. This model is then compared with evidence from secondary data sources and business results from leading UK grocery retailers in order to debate and analyse the likely importance of e-strategies in the success of online grocery retailing in the UK

E-logistics of agribusiness organisations

Logistics is one of the most important agribusiness functions due to the idiosyncrasy of food products and the structure of food supply chain. Companies in the food sector typically operate with poor production forecasting, inefficient inventory management, lack of coordination with supply partners. Further, markets are characterised by stern competition, increasing consumer demands and stringent regulation for food quality and safety. Large agribusiness corporations have already turned to e-logistics solutions as a means to sustain competitive advantage and meet consumer demands. There are four types of e-logistics applications: (a) Vertical alliances where supply partners forge long-term strategic alliances based on electronic sharing of critical logistics information such as sales forecasts and inventory volume. Vertical alliances often apply supply chain management (SCM) which is concerned with the relationship between a company and its suppliers and customers. The prime characteristic of SCM is interorganizational coordination: agribusiness companies working jointly with their customers and suppliers to integrate activities along the supply chain to effectively supply food products to customers. E-logistics solutions engender the systematic integration among supply partners by allowing more efficient and automatic information flow. (b) e-tailing, in which retailers give consumers the ability to order food such as groceries from home electronically i.e. using the Internet and the subsequent delivery of those ordered goods at home. (c) Efficient Foodservice Response (EFR), which is a strategy designed to enable foodservice industry to achieve profitable growth by looking at ways to save money for each level of the supply chain by eliminating inefficient practices. EFR provides solutions to common logistics problems, such as transactional inefficiency, inefficient plant scheduling, out-of-stocks, and expedited transportation. (d) Contracting, a means of coordinating procurement of food, beverages and their associated supplies. Many markets and supply chains in agriculture are buyer-driven where the buyers in the market tend to set prices and terms of trade. Those terms can include the use of electronic means of communication to support automatic replenishment of goods, management of supply and inventory. The results of the current applications of e-logistics in food sector are encouraging for Greek agribusiness. Companies need to become aware of and evaluate the value-added by those applications which are a sustainable competitive advantage, optimisation of supply chain flows, and meeting consumer demands and food safety regulations. E-business diffusion has shown that typically first-movers gain a significant competitive advantage and the rest companies either eventually adopt the new systems or see a significant decline in their trading partners and perish. E-logistics solutions typically require huge investments in hardware and software and skilled personnel, which is an overt barrier for most Greek companies. Large companies typically are first-movers but small and medium enterprises (SMEs) need institutional support in order to become aware that e-logistics systems can be fruitful for them as well

Electronic inventory control systems as a competitive tool for e-retailers

Despite technological advances, some e-retail organisations are still struggling to improve their inventory control performance due to a limited application of such technology, a lack of relevant skills and inadequate supply chain management policies. This article explored how EICS can enhance the competitiveness of an online retailer. Adopting the qualitative paradigm, data was collected through semi-structured interviews. Consequently, data analysis entailed identifying common patterns within the responses and critically analysing them to achieve the research objectives. The findings revealed that with the implementation of EICS, the organisation could oversee inventory stock cycle transactions, perform a transparent inter-branch transfer and security control. Also, the vital competitive advantages, achieved through EICS implementation, include high customer satisfaction due to faster system services rendered than previously. Likewise, a rise in customer service efficiency and higher customer loyalty rates. In sum, this research supports the idea that EICS technology is an essential ingredient for e-retailers to thrive and compete. A major recommendation is for e-retailers to clearly define the attributes and metrics of their inventory control performance in line with inventory control objectives as the EICS competitiveness framework

Sri Lanka Social Enterprise Needs Assessment and Advisory

Authored in collaboration with Oxfam, this research maps social enterprises within the agriculture sector, identifies the key challenges they face, and makes recommendations for donors and development agencies looking to support the space in Sri Lanka. Findings and recommendations developed based on secondary research and field survey of social enterprises in Sri Lanka

Opportunities, Challenges and Countermeasures proposed for the new retail industry in The COVID-19

It has been four years since the concept of “new retail” was proposed, and the layout of “new retail” of several major domestic enterprises has been intensified, which has a “unique landscape” compared to the foreign retail landscape. The trend, however, the sudden outbreak and continued spread of the COVID-19 has dealt a serious blow to the global economic development, from the domestic point of view, the epidemic caused by the decline in GDP, leading to a negative year-on-year growth in the total retail sales of consumer goods, the new retail industry is still in the development stage suffered a blow. On the other hand, however, the sinking of the new retail market driven by the consumer economy, the surge of private domain traffic on platforms and the rise of the “house economy” prompted the new retail industry to create new development opportunities during the epidemic, clarifying the development of the new retail industry in the post-epidemic era and pointing out the direction

COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE BY INTEGRATED E-BUSINESS IN SUPPLY CHAINS: A STRATEGIC APPROACH

This paper reports findings of the competitive advantage of supply chain integration and the crucial role of integrated e-business to deliver those benefits. However, adoption of e-business in supply chains has been slower than expected, particularly in small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs). Differences between firms in supply chains and between supply chains are examined. Across industries, firms have adopted e-business initiatives to better manage their internal business processes as well as their interfaces with the environment. The authors’ findings provide the foundation for a more rigorous study of e-business.e-business, IT business value, supply chain management, value chain, competitive advantage

Non-Prescription Drug Distribution in Italy: The Role of Large-Scale Retailers

In recent years, a series of regulatory actions have reformed the Italian pharmaceutical supply chain, particularly that of non-prescription drugs. The present study analyzes the distribution phase of non-prescription drugs. Specifically, it focuses on the retail market of pharmaceuticals in Italy, highlighting the different sales formats and the role played by those large-scale retailers that have been able to develop new pharmaceutical offerings in their point of sales through dynamic management of retailing mix levers in a competitive perspective

Retail Distribution Within the New York City Organic Cacao Market

The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies small physical commodities firm owners need to establish a distribution channel within the commodities market to enhance profits. The general business problem was that importing physical commodities from emerging markets was not profitable. The specific business problem was some small physical wholesale commodities firm managers lacked strategies to establish distribution channels for imported commodities. The information presented in this study is important to suppliers, manufacturers, distributors, and retailers of organic cacao products to identify strategies to enhance their distribution channels. Disruptive innovation and the theory of constraints grounded the conceptual framework to relate ideas presented in this study. The central research question guiding the study concerned strategies small physical wholesale commodities firm owners used to establish distribution channels within the commodities market. Participants included 6 small business owners who gave recorded responses during in-depth, face-to-face interviews. The 6 interview recordings were transcribed, then coded and interpreted. Data analysis revealed 6 themes, which included price point strategy, B2B relationships, differentiation, strategic locations, sufficient operating capital, and customer relationships. Enhancing profits in the distribution channels of small organic cacao companies requires a holistic approach in the New York City area. The social implications of this study may draw attention to organic cacao, which is a healthy alternative to confectionery chocolate. Strategies introduced to enhance profits may increase economic growth in the local communities in the New York Tri-State area

Food security, risk management and climate change

This report identifies major constraints to the adaptive capacity of food organisations operating in Australia. This report is about food security, climate change and risk management. Australia has enjoyed an unprecedented level of food security for more than half a century, but there are new uncertainties emerging and it would be unrealistic – if not complacent – to assume the same level of food security will persist simply because of recent history. The project collected data from more than 36 case study organisations (both foreign and local) operating in the Australian food-supply chain, and found that for many businesses,  risk management practices require substantial improvement to cope with and exploit the uncertainties that lie ahead. Three risks were identified as major constraints to adaptive capacity of food organisations operating in Australia:  risk management practices; an uncertain regulatory environment – itself a result of gaps in risk management; climate change uncertainty and projections about climate change impacts, also related to risk management