CDRC Director, Professor Mark Birkin, welcomed 50 new students to the Consumer Data Research Centre today. The students, who visited the Centre for the first time, are studying on our new MSc Consumer Analytics and Marketing Strategy course.
Taught by leading academics from the University of Leeds, the course explores a range of analytical techniques including applied Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and retail modelling, consumer and predictive analytics and data visualisation.
Throughout the course the students will also focus on developing the softer skills to use the results of these analyses to inform decisions about marketing strategy.
The academic team leading the course – Prof Matthew Robson, Dr Andy Newing & Dr Yeyi Liu – highlighted some of the key opportunities for students in the coming year:
Delivering a fresh and exciting MSc
Prof Matthew Robson: “There are no other postgraduate programmes currently combining consumer science with marketing strategy. Our new MSc is fresh and exciting in its combination of consumer analytics content (largely provided by the School of Geography), with marketing strategy knowledge (provided by the Marketing Division of the Business School).”
Developing relevant skills and knowledge
Dr Yeyi Liu: “Students can expect to gain relevant marketing knowledge including understanding consumer behaviour, developing marketing strategy and designing integrated marketing communications. They will gain important analytical skills, including customer data analysis, predictive analysis and effective decision making.”
Gaining ‘hands on’ experience
Dr Andy Newing: “We firmly believe that it is important for our students to gain ‘hands on’ experience. They will work with examples of real consumer data and realistic business scenarios throughout the course. In Semester 2 we offer a taught module, Marketing Research Consultancy Project, which gives students the opportunity to work in small groups on a live project or problem set by our partner firms. Students can also opt to complete their summer research project (dissertation) as a consultancy project working with an external company, using skills from the course to address a practical problem for that organisation. This could include developing a marketing strategy, identifying opportunities for a company to expand its store network, or evaluating potential new markets in which to launch a new product or store.”
The full interview with the academic team and further information on the 2017 course can be found here.
Alan Treadgold is an independent consultant to retail and consumer products companies globally. He has a long background in advertising and management consulting.
Alan recently provided this guest blog.
I was in a taxi in Hong Kong several years ago, stuck in traffic in the pouring rain. I said to my Hong Kong-based colleague how notable it seemed that all the apartment buildings looked exactly the same. “Cheaper that way isn’t it?” was his response, “Just design one then put up 50. Obvious really.”
Retailing used to feel much the same as designing apartment blocks in Hong Kong. Just design one store then roll out 20, 50, 100, 1000 of them. “Conforming stores” were very much the order of the day, especially if you were in the business of ‘big box’ retailing.
But today the world of retailing looks completely different…
No-one talks about conforming stores anymore. In fact, there’s plenty of people (although I’m not one of them) who would say that the future of retailing isn’t a physical store-based activity at all. Digital natives have never lived in a world without mobiles and high speed internet access so the world they have grown up in is ‘digital first, physical stores maybe’.
Whatever the end game looks like, it’s very clear that the challenges for retail enterprises and for the people tasked with leading them look very, very different today. As recently as a generation of leaders ago, coming up through the stores and having an instinctive feel for merchandise was seen as much the most important – perhaps even the only – pre-requisite to achieving success.
Today, when leaders of most retail businesses are asked what their main pre-occupations are – over and above the previous hour’s sales, obviously – you tend to hear a lot about needing to be much more competent in engaging difficult to engage digitally literate shoppers.
Here’s just a few of their concerns:
Having far more visibility on their shoppers and on where product is in much more complicated supply chains.
How to keep stores relevant and appealing to shoppers.
How to rebuild distribution networks so that they can cost effectively deliver huge numbers of small baskets of products to shoppers’ homes, workplaces and so on.
You’ll also tend to see a great deal of hand wringing about how so much more cost and complexity is being added into their business while, at the same time, shoppers simply won’t pay more because they know the price of everything and have almost infinite choice of where to get it anyway.
There’s a common thread to all of these very real and very widely held concerns…
The skills of individuals, the capabilities of the enterprise, and the organisation of the business all need to be very different today from what has been ‘fit for purpose’ and worked well in the past. Art Peck, CEO of Gap said it well when he said that: “We’ve been doing business the same way for 40 years, and there are very few 40-year-old business models that are successful forever.”
For many retail enterprises, this will almost certainly mean that skillsets need to become that much deeper and, well, that much more skilled.
Consider the marketing function as an example. Deep skills around digital campaign design and engagement through social media were simply not part of the marketing department skillset even a few years ago. Today they are mandatory.
In some areas – notably the logistics function for many – investment and focus needs to be very substantially ramped up. Other areas such as store development – traditionally regarded as being at the heart of a retail business – are being de-emphasised, if not absolutely then certainly relatively.
And this changes organisational structures.
It’s very easy now to imagine retail businesses with far flatter structures than they have had in the past, with the objective of making decision making faster and more joined up across an ever-proliferating set of touchpoints to the shopper. It’s also very possible to see a wide range of functions such as stores and marketing reporting into a Director of Shopper Engagement or some similar role.
As their shoppers and their businesses change, so too do the requirements of those tasked with leading retail businesses.
The days of the merchant prince are almost certainly over for many. So too are the days when CEOs had to have spent 20 years or more coming up through the stores before they were considered ready to lead the business. Too store-centric and too limited a world view will be how many now view such a progression. This means that it’s logical and helpful for many retailers to want to look outside the sector for their leaders.
The personal leadership attributes that look likely to define success today are very much around an ability to recruit and retain the best talent; to define and navigate paths of change that may leave the business looking very different to that which went before, and to create a culture that embraces risk, encourages innovation, and is tolerant of failure as the necessary price of change. Important also is the personal ability to lead effectively in environments that are necessarily defined above all else by uncertainty.
Sounds challenging? Well, yes it is. But the rewards are great and, even more to the point, the risks of thinking that this is an era of “business as usual” in retail-land are gone forever.
CDRC Director Paul Longley delivered a variety of keynotes in Seoul, South Korea, from 31 August – 2 September 2016.
The opening keynote took place at the Smart Geospatial Expo on 31 August 2016. This three day exhibition attracted some 10,000 visitors, including government ministers from several countries.
While in South Korea, Paul also gave the opening keynote at the International Conference on Geospatial Information Science on 2nd September, and gave guest lectures in Seoul National University and Konkuk University.
For all keynotes Paul discussed in detail the work of the CDRC, including discussions on the geospatial analysis of consumer data.
All events were well received, including across social media channels.
The Consumer Data Research Centre (CDRC), along with the Economic and Social Research Council’s (ESRC) Big Data Network partners hosted an exhibition about big data at this year’s Royal Geographical Society Annual Conference.
The joint exhibition on Thursday 1 September asked the question ‘What can big data tell us?’, with the CDRC, Business & Local Government Data Research Centre (BLG), Urban Big Data Centre (UBDC), UK Data Service (UKDS), Administrative Data Research Centre-England (ADRC-E) hosting interactive stands to discuss the theme and to showcase services available within each centre which can prove useful for attendees in their own area of work.
Taking place throughout the day and attended by a rep from each Centre, the event had an excellent turnout. With the CDRC, attendees were particularly interested in our interactive mapping portal and information about accessing our safeguarded and secure data.
Attendees also engaged in a discussion about the types of datasets they would like to see the network host and why. Feedback ranged from time series to food consumption datasets.
Data analytics – exploring consumer and market data in the retail and supply chain environment
Background
Retailing is one of the first sectors to have employed large datasets at both strategic and operational levels for a variety of purposes, ranging from frequency marketing, store location, product selection and supply chain management.
The amount of data generated by internet users, mobile devices, sensors (Internet of Things), organisational and integrative IT systems is at a level that is unsurpassed in history. A high volume of data, in a variety of formats, can be relatively easily captured and stored.
However, the challenge lies in how the real business value of such data can be realised, by whom and how the results of the analyses will be used and how data-related tools can improve business performance and competitiveness.
Topic Selection In this call for papers or extended abstracts (minimum 1 page of A4), we would like to capture the current state of the art in areas related to Big Data, Business Intelligence and real-time analytics in the retail sector and supply chains. These may include theoretical and conceptual work, as well as examples from practice. Results of analysis of large data sets such as those of the ESRC Data Initiative’s Consumer Data Research Centre (https://data.cdrc.ac.uk/) 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):
Big and Open Data
Business Intelligence (BI) and Analytics
Customer data
Loyalty cards data analysis
Data driven innovation
Customer-related analytics and segmentation
Demand forecasting and production planning
Data for Customer Relationships Management
Security and privacy
Data visualisation and communication
Decision support
Data capture, storage and analysis
Cloud based analytics
Business value of data
Data for supply chain management and integration
Big Data and strategic decision making
Data integration
Social Media Analysis
Mobile devices and analytics
Data driven marketing and advertising
Regional and state-of-the-art studies
Papers submitted will be reviewed by the academic board. Extended abstracts and work in progress are welcome.
Deadlines
31st October 2016 – paper/extended abstract submission
11th November 2016 – notification of paper acceptance
1st December 2016 – submission of final papers/extended abstracts
Members of the Conference Academic Board
Dr Richard Cuthbertson, OXIRM, Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, UK
Dr Wojciech Piotrowicz, OXIRM, Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, UK
Dr Jonathan Reynolds, OXIRM, Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, UK
Marketing and data science specialist, Jaywing, recently announced a new partnership to support the delivery of the new MSc course in Consumer Analytics and Marketing Strategy. The course, which launches in September 2016, will develop students’ practical application of data analysis in a commercial environment.
Bringing together world-class researchers, the course, developed and delivered jointly by the University of Leeds Business School, School of Geography and the ESRC Consumer Data Research Centre is a first for the UK. Through advanced training using emerging data analytics techniques, including Big Data Analytics, Machine Learning and Text Analytics, the collaboration aims to unlock the potential value of consumer-related data to benefit researchers in business, government and society.
As part of the agreement, Jaywing, which has around half of its 600 employees based in its Leeds office and Sheffield headquarters and specialises in marketing and heavyweight data analytics, will be providing a number of guest lectures covering the use of analytics within a commercial environment. These lectures will give the students insight into the practical application of analysis, and an introduction to the skills and technologies that are needed to engage today’s customer most effectively – increasing their prospects to help fulfil the economic demand for Big Data analysts.
Jaywing’s MD of its Data Science arm, Ben O’Brien said, “This partnership is a great fit for Jaywing. The MSc course gives students strong insight into the way that data analysis can transform brands’ understanding of the customers they deal with, and the use of the latest analytical techniques. At the same time, we can give students practical knowledge of the way analytics is used in a commercial context, and show them how what they’ve learned on the course can act as a springboard into a career in data analytics. Our hope is that by working with one of the UK’s leading Universities, we can further enhance the relevance of the course, as well as potentially extending some employment opportunities, particularly with the recent launch of our analytics hub, which will be in our new Sheffield HQ.”
Professor Matthew Robson of University of Leeds, Programme Director for the new MSc course, said, “Jaywing is an extremely impressive, forward thinking business with obvious ambition for the specialist fields it works in. The course we’ve designed combines academic rigour with real world thinking, much as Jaywing does itself, and provides a clear path to employment for its students.”
Asda is the first UK supermarket to prove savings for customers, as two million reduce food waste at home following a campaign with the University of Leeds
Asda has become the first UK supermarket chain to confirm how much customers have saved after launching a campaign to tackle food waste.
Working in partnership with the University of Leeds and researchers within the School of Earth and Environment, the business has revealed that customer bank balances were, on average, £57 better off a year as they committed to cutting food waste in their own homes.
Announced at a parliamentary reception, hosted by MP Hilary Benn, Asda explained that the positive customer behaviour change was driven by a series of actions developed in-line with its customer insight, combined with research conducted by the University of Leeds.
The multi-channel campaign focused on providing customers with advice on everything from food storage and labelling, to creative recipe inspiration for leftovers. Meanwhile, in-store events encouraged customers to pledge to make changes in their own homes.
Since the launch:
· 81% of customers said they planned to follow the advice provided
· Two million customers are making changes in their homes as a result of the campaign
· Customers have saved £57 by keeping these changes in their home
Asda’s Chief Customer Officer, Andy Murray, said:“As a major food retailer, we have a responsibility and the ability to bring about large scale change when it comes to tackling food waste. By partnering with the University of Leeds, the team has been able to take our insight and really explore this area, meaning that we now have a greater understanding of customer attitude and behaviour, helping shape the way we communicate with our customers and ultimately the way we do business.
“However, our commitment to food waste doesn’t end here. While helping our customers live more sustainably is a step in the right direction, we understand the importance of addressing this issue throughout our entire supply chain. This is just one of many initiatives we are undertaking as we aim to tackle the issue in collaboration with everyone from our customers and suppliers, to our colleagues’ in-store.”
The findings were revealed in front of an audience of suppliers, food waste experts, and stakeholders, and featured guest speakers including Director of WRAP, Richard Swannell and University of Leeds Professor, William Young.
Dr Richard Swannell, Director, WRAP, said: “Food waste is one of the biggest challenges of our time, it’s bad for the environment, economy and to society as a whole. WRAP has a track record of reducing waste and at the heart of this work is collective action, which is pivotal to this success.
“We therefore welcome Asda’s work with the University of Leeds to help customers waste less and save money, and encourage more of this type of work to ensure food waste reduction continues.”
University of Leeds Professor and Consumer Data Research Centre Co-I, William Young, said: “Working with a large scale retailer like Asda, and its millions of customers, has been an invaluable experience. Not only have we come away with real, measurable insight from shoppers but we’ve also seen the direct correlation between our recommended actions and tangible behavioural change. While our formal partnership is coming to a close, the legacy of this project will certainly live on in the benefits passed to customers and of course the environment.”
The results of the partnership between Asda and the University of Leeds coincides with the publication of Asda’s 2016 Green Britain Index – a study conducted by the supermarket to understand the views of 20,000 customers from its ‘Everyday Experts’ panel.
The research, which focused on the importance of matters surrounding food waste and sustainability, found that 93% of Asda customers care about ‘being green’. Furthermore, 85% said they looked to retailers to help them reduce food waste at home, while 72% admitted they had stopped buying a product altogether because they found it would often go to waste.
A copy of the 2016 Green Britain Index can be found here: sustainability.asda.com
We welcomed the first cohort of CDRC Interns earlier this month, we met with them on their first day to find out all about them and will be providing regular updates on each of their internships as they progress.
Dr Ilan Fridman Rojas
Education: University of Manchester (MPhys Physics), Durham University (PhD Theoretical Particle Physics)
How I became interested in data: Towards the end of my PhD I attended the Science 2 Data Science (S2DS) workshop and this piqued my interest in data analysis and machine learning algorithms.
What I hope to get out of the internship: More experience and expertise, and interesting new data sets to work with.
Where I hope to be in 3 years: Continuing to do research at increasingly higher levels into applying established data analysis methods to new data sets, or new methods to both old and new data sets, with an outcome which either improves the method or provides new insights from the data.
Rebecca Atkinson
Education: I have just finished my 3rd year of a 4 year integrated masters studying maths and physics at Durham University.
How I became interested in data: Last year I did an internship in industry at a company that provides personal credit to the non-standard market. I became aware there that there is a growing interest within businesses in the masses of data that is produced about everyone and its power to help make business decisions and inform businesses of customer trends. I found this very interesting and did some reading about machine learning and its potential use in attempting to analyse the huge volumes of data produced in our information age.
What I hope to get of the internship: I hope to gain some experience and understanding of some machine learning techniques and their advantages and disadvantages when compared to more traditional methods of data analysis. I hope to gain experience working in an academic team and contributing to a research paper and I hope to discover whether this is the area I would like to do a PhD in.
Where I hope to be in three years: In three years’ time I hope to be doing a PhD potentially on a data related project.
Samuel Sheen
Education: I’ve just completed an Integrated Masters in Maths at the University of Leeds.
How I became interested in data: I became interested in data through studying for my integrated masters degree in mathematics at the University of Leeds. I specialized in statistics modules and particularly enjoyed studying linear regression, generalized linear models, Time Series etc. I found the practical components to these modules really interesting and was able to apply the techniques studied in these modules to real data sets.
What I hope to get out of this Internship: I hope to gain experience in working with Big Data, which is something I have been interested in for a while. I also hope to gain skills in machine learning and further develop my knowledge and understanding of statistics. These are all relevant skills which will help me with my PhD starting later this year.
Where I hope to be in three years time: In three years time I hope to be coming towards the end of my PhD project (titled Extracting knowledge from Longitudinal Data.) Following the PhD, I have not yet decided whether I would like to pursue a career in academia or in industry (e.g as a data scientist).
Dr Jen-Hsien (Lucas)
Education: I have just completed a PhD in Marketing at Leeds University Business School
How I became interested in data: As a consumer behaviour researcher, I am highly interested in the behavioural data and am eager to learn the analytic skills to get consumer insights.
What I hope to get out of the internship: I am aiming to learn the basic analytic skills for Big Data during the internship as well as advanced data mining and screening skills for big data sets.
Where I hope to be in three years: I aim to be an experienced consumer behaviour researcher either in the academia or in the industry.
We currently have a number of internship opportunities available, find out more.
We are seeking to appoint a talented and highly motivated Business Development Manager to join the Consumer Data Research Centre, to be based at the Leeds Institute for Data Analytics.
You will provide a vital bridge between the Centre and the business sector, maintaining relationships with data providers and encouraging new data partners to work with the Centre. In this capacity, you will carry significant responsibility for building the Centre’s business and data portfolio upon which the Centre’s core services depend. You will also be responsible for working alongside professional service teams at the University of Leeds to articulate and execute the legal agreements and data sharing agreements which underpin consumer data operations.
You will work directly with the Centre’s Director and Deputy Director on implementing the Centre’s data acquisition strategy and work closely with the Centre’s Public Engagement and Communications Officer to ensure that the Centre achieves impact.
You will be educated to degree level and have experience in business engagement, preferably working with commercial organisations. You will have excellent communication and negotiation skills and be comfortable working with minimal supervision and as a part of a team. A knowledge of the Big Data agenda and its impact on organisations in commerce and the public sector, as well as academia, would be considered desirable.
For further information please visit the vacancy page.
