Course Catalogue

Module Code and Title:                MKT306 Retail and Distribution Management

Programme:                                      Bachelor of Business Administration

Credit:                                                12

Module Tutors:                                 Shreejana Pradhan,Enchu Lhamo,Dip Raj Pradhan,Kezang Wangchuk,Carl Wonder,Priyanka Sharma,Tshering Yangchen

Module Coordinator:                        Kezang Wangchuk

 

General Objective: The module aims to provide students with general understanding of the important concepts in retail and distribution management. Students will get insights into different methods to increase sales of a business and enhance customer satisfaction. Furthermore, the module will help students to manage resources and processes when delivering a product from a product location to the point of sale.

 

Learning Outcomes - On completion of the module, students should be able to:

  1. Explain the role and the key drivers of retail and distribution management, their interrelationship with strategy and other functions of the company such as marketing, operations and accounting
  2. Use merchandising concepts/tools to increase the sales of certain goods or services
  3. Critically analyse the key contemporary issues and problems in retailing
  4. Evaluate the store layout of a business and give recommendations for improvement
  5. Design an appropriate retail pricing strategy for an organization
  6. Assess the importance of relationship marketing in retailing
  7. Analyse the significance of supply chain management in retailing
  8. Design a suitable retail communication mix in order to expand the customer base as well as to increase the sales volume
  9. Assess different marketing channels in a given business scenario

 

Teaching and Learning Approach:

Approach

Hours per week

Total credit hours

Lectures and a variety of in-class interaction

3

45

Group work with feedback in-class

1

15

Independent study

4

60

Total

120

 

Assessment Approach:

  1. Written Assignment: Portion of Final Marks-10%

Individual written assignment of 1000 words (=5 A4) related to retail location and layout plan.

4%       content relevancy and appropriateness.

4%       reaching reasonable conclusions using appropriate business analysis and technique.

2%       overall effectiveness of the writing style - use of proper academic style

  1. Case Study: Portion of Final Marks-20%
    Two case studies of each 10% will be given, based on which the students in groups need to make a written analysis, draw conclusions and give recommendations. The written report on each case study has to contain 800 words (=4 A4). Each group will be given a different case study.

The distribution of weight per case study is as follows:

4%       quality of the background analysis

4%       quality of the conclusions, recommendations, or implementation plans

2%       quality of the writing (language, organization, referencing)

  1. Quizzes: Portion of Final Marks-15%

Each student will complete two written individual quizzes of 60-minute duration each. Each quiz worth 7.5% will be fact-based in-class quizzes to evaluate their knowledge of Retail Management (Quiz 1) and Distribution Management (Quiz 2). 

  1. Class Participation: Portion of Final Marks-10%

Each student will be assessed based on their participation and preparedness in the class by contributing to the class discussions by answering questions, stating their opinions, listening to others and solving in class exercises during the sessions.

  1. Midterm Examination: Portion of Final Marks-15%

Students will take a written exam of 2-hour duration covering topics up to the mid-point of the semester.

  1. Semester-end Examination: Portion of Final Marks-30%

The module will have a semester-end exam for 2 hours covering the entire syllabus. The question will be divided into two parts – Part A (carrying 40% of the exam weightage) will be mostly of short answer including objective questions. Part-B (carrying almost 60% of the exam weightage) will be mostly of essay type or an extended response to the given question. This part of the question requires students to apply, analyse, and evaluate or construct knowledge and skills. Cases will also be used to test the levels of knowledge.

 

Areas of assignments

Quantity

Weighting

A.    Written Assignment

1

10%

B.    Case Study

2

20%

C.   Quizzes

2

15%

D.   Class Participation

 

10%

E.    Midterm Examination

 

15%

Total Continuous Assessment (CA)

 

70%

F.    Semester-end Examination (SE)

 

30%

TOTAL

 

100%

 

Pre-requisites:MKT201 Principles of Marketing

Subject Matter:

  1. Retail Management
    • Introduction
    • Meaning
    • Characteristics
    • Careers
    • Role
    • Trends
    • Emergence of retail organizations

 

  1. Retailing
    • Concept
    • Importance
    • Functions
    • Bhutanese vs. global scenario
    • Retail formats
      • Store and non-store
      • Franchising
      • Unconventional channels

 

  1. Retail Location and Layout Plan
    • Retail location
      • Actors influencing location decision
      • Site selection
      • Location based retail strategies
    • Store layout and look-and-feel
      • Types of layouts
      • Factors affecting store layout
      • Store image mix
      • Store façade
      • Managing store inventories and display
      • Floor space management
    • The internet store

 

  1. Retail Pricing
    • Pricing
    • Factors involved in pricing
    • Retail pricing strategies
    • Retail promotion strategies
    • Retail sales promotion
    • Publicity

 

  1. Merchandising
    • Concept
    • Importance
    • Functions
    • Steps in merchandising planning
    • Category management
    • Introduction to private label brands

 

  1. Retail Communication Mix
    • Planning retail communication
    • Managing in-store promotions and events

 

  1. Retail Market Segmentation
    • Introduction
    • Criteria for effective segmentation
    • Dimensions of segmentation
    • Customer profiles

 

  1. Relationship Marketing in Retailing
    • Management of relationship
    • Evaluation of relationship marketing
    • Relationship
    • Marketing strategies
    • Retail research
    • Retail audits

 

  1. Marketing Channels
    • Definition
    • Importance
    • Functions of marketing channels
    • Channel selection
    • Channel conflicts and their resolutions
    • Channel performance evaluation
    • Decisions in channel management

 

  1. Integrated Marketing Channels
    • Channels for consumer goods
    • Channels for industrial goods and services
    • Horizontal channels
    • Vertical channels
    • Multichannel marketing systems
    • Supply chain management
    • Barcoding
    • RFID
    • Electronic payment systems

Reading Lists:

  1. Essential Readings
    • Levy, M., Weitz, B., & Pandit, A. (2013). Retail management (9th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.
    • Berman, B., & Evans, J.R. (2006). Retail management: A strategic approach (10th ed.). Prentice Hall.
    • Ogden, J.R., & Ogden, D.T. (2005). Integrated retail management. Houghton Mifflin.
  2. Additional Readings
    • Bajaj, C., Arya, R., & Srivastava, N.V. (2012). Retail management (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press.
    • Azad, P. (2012). Retail management. Aph Publishing Corporation.
    • Pradhan, S. (2012). Retailing management (4th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.
    • Dhotre, M. (2012). Channel management & retail marketing. Himalaya Publishing.
    • Sinha, P.K., & Uniyal, D.P. (2012). Managing retailing. Oxford University Press.
    • Varley, R., & Rafiq, M. (2014). Principles of retailing. Palgrave Macmillan.

 

Date: July, 2017
Royal Thimphu College