Retail Supply Chain Management [electronic resource] : Quantitative Models and Empirical Studies / edited by Narendra Agrawal, Stephen A. Smith.

Overview of Chapters -- Supply Chain Planning Processes for Two Major Retailers -- The effects of firm size and sales growth rate on inventory turnover performance in the U.Sretail sector -- The Role of Execution in Managing Product Availability -- Category Captainship Practices in the Retail Industry -- Assortment Planning: Review of Literature and Industry Practice -- Managing Variety on the Retail Shelf: Using Household Scanner Panel Data to Rationalize Assortments -- Optimizing Retail Assortments for Diverse Customer Preferences -- Multi-Location Inventory Models for Retail Supply Chain Management -- Manufacturer-To-Retailer versus Manufacturer-To-Consumer Rebates in a Supply Chain -- Clearance pricing in retail chains -- Markdown Competition.

Retailing comprises about 40% of the U.S. economy, and is a major economic engine of the world economy. While the retail sector has always been very competitive, in recent years, the competitive nature of the field has increased dramatically. Customers too have become more exacting, demanding ever-increasing levels of service. Retailers have responded by increasing the variety of their products, becoming more price competitive, striving towards higher service levels, and utilizing advances in computing capabilities and information technologies to improve their supply chain efficiency. However, these developments have also greatly increased the complexity of managing the retail business environment. Consequently, most retailers have struggled to maintain profitability. Rigorous analytical methods have emerged as the most promising solution to many of these complex problems. Indeed, the retail industry has emerged as a fascinating choice for researchers in the field of supply chain management. In Retail Supply Chain Management, leading researchers provide a detailed review of cutting-edge methodologies that address the complex array of these problems. A critical resource for researchers and practitioners in the field of retailing, chapters in this book focus on three key areas: (1) empirical studies of retail supply chain practices, (2) assortment and inventory planning, and (3) integrating price optimization into retail supply chain decisions.