The changing role of place in a digital world
Background
The continued importance of physical locations for retailing has come into question, as the ways in which shoppers choose to shop are changing in fundamental ways. Three important drivers of this change are urbanization and the attendant growth of an increasingly demanding and affluent middle class (especially in emerging markets), the impact of technology, and the effects of regulation. As a consequence, pressures are beginning to affect the traditional roles of stores and the requirements for particular formats of stores are being revisited.
This year’s conference considers the implications of these changes for the physical landscape of retailing. We will address in particular how retailers’ space requirements are likely to change; to what extent the role of physical stores needs to be reimagined by retailers; how this will affect business models, local economies and communities; and how these changing roles will vary by sector as well as by geography; and what is at risk for stakeholders in retail property markets as well as for policymakers at national and local level.
Topic Selection
In this call for papers or extended abstracts (minimum 1 page of A4), we would like to invite contributions in areas related to the changing physical attributes of the retail sector. These may include theoretical and conceptual work, as well as examples from practice. Empirical results of analysis of large data sets are also welcome.
The call is focused, non-exclusively, on the following topics (applied in the retail context, both at the store-end and in the extended retail value/supply chain).
• Advances in the sourcing and analysis of spatial data
• Analysis of the impact of retail distribution activity
• Case studies of the evolution of retail places
• Geographical aspects of customer shopping behaviour
• Innovation in retail business models
• Local and regional economic studies and impact analysis
• New methods and tools for spatial analysis
• Policy implications of the spatial evolution of retailing
• Retail planning and development strategies
• Strategies and policies of retail real estate investors and developers
• Supply chain consequences of emerging retail distribution networks
• The evolution of the planned shopping centre
• The geographical consequences of omnichannel retailing
• The measurement of local economic activity
• Town centre development
Papers submitted will be reviewed by the academic board. Extended abstracts and work in progress are welcome.
Deadlines
• submission of extended abstracts – 31st July 2017
• notification of paper acceptance – 31st August 2017
• submission of final papers/extended abstracts – 1st December 2017
Members of the Conference Academic Board
• Dr Richard Cuthbertson, OXIRM, Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, UK
• Dr Jonathan Reynolds, OXIRM, Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, UK
Contact Details
The conference is being organised jointly by the Oxford Institute of Retail Management, Saïd Business School, University of Oxford and the Consumer Data Research Centre (CDRC).
Further details can be found here.
For academic-related enquiries, please contact Dr Richard Cuthbertson at richard.cuthbertson@sbs.ox.ac.uk or Dr Jonathan Reynolds at jonathan.reynolds@sbs.ox.ac.uk
For conference logistics, please contact Claudia Seiler at claudia.seiler@sbs.ox.ac.uk, OXIRMEnquiries@sbs.ox.ac.uk
Please send papers / abstracts to OXIRMEnquiries@sbs.ox.ac.uk
Registration fee
£195
The fee can be waived for students and presenters. Therefore, please use the dedicated students or presenters registration link.
All other delegates please use this registration link.