Business Case Studies by Industry - Retail

The Times 100 retail case studies

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    Aldi

    • — Competitive advantage through efficiency

      This case study will demonstrate how Aldi uses a lean approach to its business operations to offer its customers quality products at competitive prices. — Edition 16

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    Amway

    • [+] The role of stakeholders

      This case study explores the relationship between Amway and its stakeholders. — Edition 13

    • [+] Corporate Social Responsibility

      This case study describes how the work Amway does with UNICEF supports its Corporate Social Responsibility strategy. — Edition 12

    • [+] Creating a corporate social responsibility strategy

      This case study helps students understand strategies for meeting stakeholders' needs. — Edition 11

    • [+] Meeting global responsibilities by caring for communities

      As a result of carefully reading the Case Study, Students should be able to: know the meaning of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), give examples of CSR activities, understand the importance to business of being involved with communities on a local and global scale. — Edition 10

    • [+] Meeting customers' needs through the Internet

      As a result of carefully reading the Case Study, students should be able toidentify key elements involved in setting up a commercial website, explain how using electronic media helps organisations to meet customer needs, understand how the Internet can be used to support customers. — Edition 9

    • [+] Combining an offline and online business

      This case study looks at how Amway has developed a strategy for taking full advantage of the opportunities that the Internet offers for e-commerce within the UK and the rest of Europe. It also explains the relationship between Amway and Independent Business Owners and the benefits of direct selling. — Edition 8

    • — Developing competitive marketing strategies
    • — Focusing a brand product range
    • — Maintaining The Competitiveness Of A Global Brand
    • — Successful products - successful solutions
    • — Using communications to develop business opportunities
    • — Reaching customers through direct selling
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    Arcadia

    • [+] The recruitment, selection and training of people at Arcadia

      This case study helps students understand recruitment, selection, training and development. — Edition 11

    • [+] Recruiting, selecting and training entrepreneurial managers

      As a result of carefully reading the Case Study, Students should be able to: identify Arcadia’s main brands, explain the meaning of management, explain different styles of management. — Edition 10

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    Argos

    • [+] Identifying customers and meeting their needs

      As a result of carefully reading the Case Study, students should be able to: understand the importance of a mission statement, and know that Argos’ mission statement focuses on giving customers value for money by providing them with a convenient shopping experience, explain why segmentation helps an organisation to identify and meet the needs of customers and understand how frequency of visitors to an Argos store or site is a good way of segmenting customers, know what is meant by a growth strategy and give a brief explanation of how Argos is seeking to grow. — Edition 10

    • [+] Re-focussing a company's culture and marketing mix

      As a result of carefully reading the Case Study, students should be able to: understand the cultural change brought about at Argos to boost sales, be able to identify the 7 Ps of the extended marketing mix, understand the changes made to the marketing mix at Argos, — Edition 9

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    ASDA

    • [+] Meeting business needs through training and development

      This case study focuses on how ASDA's training and development programmes enable its General Store Managers (GSMs) to develop the skills and experience they need to become the Regional Operations Managers (ROMs) and senior leaders of the future. — Edition 16

    • [+] Meeting stakeholder needs through community involvement

      This case study helps students understand how companies meet their stakeholders needs through community involvement. — Edition 11

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    Bibby Line Group

    • — Growth through investment

      This case study looks at the strategies used by Bibby Line Group to grow the business, whilst retaining a strong family ethos. — Edition 17

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    Co-operative Food Group

    • — Ethically serving stakeholders

      This case study shows how The Co-operative Group's values contribute to improving the diet and health of the UK. — Edition 14

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    Harrods

    • — Developing a career path in retail

      This case study show how Harrods develops its employees so they can achieve a rewarding career in retail. — Edition 17

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    HMV UK

    • — Building on a brand

      This case study considers the importance of branding and the value of an established brand name when a company such as HMV is looking to expand and to adapt its business in response to changing market conditions. — Edition 8

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    Homebase

    • — The importance of customer service

      As a result of carefully reading the Case Study, students should be able to: explain what is meant by organisational ‘culture’ and illustrate what is meant by a customer focused culture through using examples of how Homebase employees operate, understand and explain the term ‘strategy’ and show how the review cycle of ‘review’, ‘plan’ and ‘do’ enables Homebase to put its strategic plan into practice, know why customer research is important in helping an organisation to understand the wants and needs of its customers. — Edition 10

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    IKEA

    • [+] SWOT analysis and sustainable business planning

      This case study will show why IKEA believes a strong environmental stance is good business practice. — Edition 14

    • [+] Building a sustainable supply chain

      This case study looks in detail how IKEA has achieved its aim to be a responsible business in each of the three sectors of the supply chain. — Edition 13

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    JD Sports

    • — Creating a winning marketing mix

      This case study describes how JD (part of the JD Sports Fashion PLC Group of companies), a large and well-known retailer, manages the balance of its marketing mix around its consumers' needs in order to achieve business growth. — Edition 16

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    Jessops

    • — Responding to changes in the market environment

      This case study reviews the external factors that have had an impact on Jessops' operations and strategy. — Edition 16

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    Marks and Spencer

    • — The role of training and development in career progression

      This case study shows how training and development support new business strategies and company values and help a company to cope with change. — Edition 12

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    MFI Furniture Group

    • [+] Growth through well-planned investment

      As a result of carefully reading the Case Study, students should be able to: distinguish between short term and long term assets, understand the need for a strategy for growth, identify some indicators of financial success. — Edition 9

    • [+] Generating cash for growth

      This case study examines how in 1999 MFI recognised the need to make key changes in order to develop a successful competitive strategy. In particular it focuses on how the organisation has managed its finances more effectively. — Edition 8

    • — Health & Safety in the modern workplace
    • — Developing a customer focused sales strategy
    • — "If it doesn't benefit the customer - We don't do it"
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    Morrisons

    • — Developing competitive advantage through customer service

      This case study shows how Morrisons uses customer service to differentiate itself from its competitors, motivate its colleagues and help the business to grow. — Edition 16

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    Pittards

    • — Supporting superbrands: the role of high-tech suppliers

      This case study looks at the work of Pittards, a British company that uses skilled buying and high-tech production methods to produce world class leathers for superbrands. It also focuses on the Japanese quality system - 20 Keys. — Edition 8

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    Specsavers

    • — Job roles at Specsavers

      The case study shows how different job roles are structured within the organisation and how they support Specsavers' business. — Edition 15

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    Tesco

    • [+] Developing appropriate leadership styles

      This case study will show how Tesco's leadership framework is fundamental to developing the qualities of leadership needed at every level in the business. — Edition 16

    • [+] Motivational theory in practice at Tesco

      This case study looks at how Tesco motivates its employees by increasing their knowledge, skills and job satisfaction through training and development and providing relevant and timely reward and recognition. — Edition 15

    • [+] How training and development supports business growth

      This case study looks at how Tesco provides training and development opportunities for its employees. — Edition 14

    • [+] Recruitment and selection

      This case study looks at how Tesco ensures it has the right number of people in the right jobs and at its structured process for recruitment and selection. — Edition 13

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    Wilkinson

    • — Marketing strategy for growth

      This case study focuses on how Wilkinson created and implemented a marketing strategy to grow the business, using the findings of its market research. — Edition 13