Mark Birkin

The way in which products and services are delivered to consumers, through branches and retail outlets, or more generally through a network of distribution channels, remains fundamentally important for maintaining a competitive advantage for a very wide range of businesses. This is true within domestic markets, but especially so for increasingly global corporations, as shareholder pressure for continued growth drives businesses into ever more widespread geographical markets.Arguing that more complex markets demand more sophisticated spatial analysis, this book discusses the application of location planning techniques to generate competitive advantage in a variety of business sectors in a changing retail environment. The series of techniques are analysed, from relatively straightforward branch scorecards to sophisticated applications of geographical information systems (GIS), spatial modelling and mathematical optimisation. Also explored are the changing dynamics of the impact of more restrictive planning environments in many countries on how retailers find new locations for growth and respond to changing consumer needs and wants.The book is essential reading for students and scholars alike working in geography, economics, business management, planning, finance and industry studies.

The way in which products and services are delivered to consumers, through branches and retail outlets, or more generally through a network of distribution channels, remains fundamentally important for maintaining a competitive advantage for a very wide range of businesses. This is true within domestic markets, but especially so for increasingly global corporations, as shareholder pressure for continued growth drives businesses into ever more widespread geographical markets.Arguing that more complex markets demand more sophisticated spatial analysis, this book discusses the application of location planning techniques to generate competitive advantage in a variety of business sectors in a changing retail environment. The series of techniques are analysed, from relatively straightforward branch scorecards to sophisticated applications of geographical information systems (GIS), spatial modelling and mathematical optimisation. Also explored are the changing dynamics of the impact of more restrictive planning environments in many countries on how retailers find new locations for growth and respond to changing consumer needs and wants.The book is essential reading for students and scholars alike working in geography, economics, business management, planning, finance and industry studies.

This innovative book exemplifies the importance of sophisticated and intelligent spatial analysis techniques in dealing with the range of location, distribution and channel management issues which face today's retail and service businesses. Explores some of the trends taking place within the broad consumer-retailing sector, drawing on research undertaken in grocery, supermarket retailing, financial services, travel and leisure in Europe, North America and AustralasiaNumerous global case studies are used to show keys issuesDetails how retailers can begin to develop information and analytical frameworks to better understand what is happening in the retail environmentDescribes how retailers can plan their cross channel network strategy for the future

Retail Geography and Intelligent Network Planning demonstrates the importance of geographical thinking in a wide variety of situations. The book exemplifies the importance of sophisticated and intelligent spatial analysis techniques in dealing with the range of location, distribution and channel management issues which now face retail and service businesses. This technology is especially crucial in an age when traditional channels of physical distribution such as bank branches and shops are increasingly complemented by electronic and virtual channels. Building on the success of Intelligent GIS (1996), which set out the principles and applications of GIS and spatial modelling for strategic planning, this new title concentrates on the concept of retail intelligence applied to retail planning by presenting examples relating to a wide range of business problems. Retail Geography and Intelligent Network Planning is an innovative book in several ways: *Explores some of the key retail trends impacting on retail location and store location studies by drawing on research undertaken in grocery and supermarket retailing, financial services, travel and leisure in Europe, North America and Australasia *Examines the role of e-commerce and its growth, and argues that geography will still be crucial to its success in the retail sector *Presents readers with various spatial analysis methods and their usefulness for addressing retail growth strategies such as branch optimization. *Draws examples from the authors' own expertise over the past fifteen years in retail consultancy This book is invaluable reading for professionals working in retail location teams and consultancies, and for students studying retail geography, GIS , marketing and management.