Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Customer Loyalty in the Indian Retail Industry

Artificial intelligence has led to the automation of traditional manufacturing and industrial processes and practices. The use of artificial intelligence improves customer experience and it's a proven fact that consumers who enjoy their shopping experience end up making more purchases. Retailing is one of the sectors that has seen drastic changes after the inception of artificial intelligence. This transformation can be seen in the supermarkets like Amazon Go store, Alibaba Hema store, IKEA, and many others. The objective of this chapter is to study the impact of artificial intelligence on Indian retail customers. Primary survey was conducted for the study and it was found that retail organizations emphasizing store design/layout and adoption of technological innovation to ease the consumer buying process were more successful in creating loyal customers for their stores. It can be concluded that India is still lacking in the adoption of IT systems in the retail sector and serious efforts are required in this direction.

Logistics as a competitive advantage in retail organizations

Retail plays an important role in the trade sector of the Brazilian economy, with net operating revenues of nearly BRL 1.7 trillion and more than 7 million workers in 2018, according to the latest Annual Trade Survey from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics. The entry of large multinational companies into the Brazilian retail market, where it is worth highlighting Amazon, has negatively impacted the market of Brazilian retail companies, which still use archaic methods and disqualified labor in their operations and processes. Amazon provides better logistics services that directly add value to the quality of products offered through a leaner and more profitable supply chain. Additionally, the behavioral changes brought about by Covid-19 have made consumers more satisfied with online shopping experiences than with visits to physical stores. The increase in internet shopping and the reduction of visits to sales outlets has caused a migration of consumption to digital media, which may generate long-term transformations in the strategies of companies. Thus, the objective of this research is to provide a conceptual proposal of the use of logistics as a competitive advantage in retail organizations, considering the best management practices for the logistics sector. As a research methodology, a systematic literature review was adopted, based on the PRISMA protocol, allowing the identification of 94 records, 12 of which were included in the literature review, due to their adherence to the researched theme. The main contribution of this paper is the development of a conceptual proposal for the use of logistics as a competitive advantage in retail organizations, comprising five aspects: Information Systems, Application of KPIs aligned with the Strategic Objectives of the Organization, Creating Value for Products, Modern Management Concept and, Need for Organizations to recognize the Benefits and Advantages of Logistics.

Use of Multivariable Decision Methods in Decision of Retail Organizations

The contribution is orientated to the extended well-known methods of multivariable decisions with a closer specification of Saaty and TOPSIS method. The goal of the contribution is to evaluate the performance of individual operations in the chosen company from eastern Slovakia. According to the results there is obvious several operations in smaller towns, and better results are achieved in comparing with bigger towns, since the bigger towns have higher density of population. Obtained facts can be useful during managerial decisions at the increasing of demands on several bigger operations, with a goal to intensify the performance of the operations in bigger towns.

Developing Mechanisms of Reducing Risks in Managing Innovation Projects and Programs in Russian On-Line Retail Organizations

Currently, the market is crowded with commercial enterprises, which makes it necessary to maintain the competitiveness of modern companies. One of the effective ways to support its functioning in the market and successful further development is the development and implementation of innovative projects. At the same time, when managing innovative projects, developers face various risks that should be minimized in a timely manner. Risk reduction is a rather complex process, as there is a high level of uncertainty inherent in innovative projects. Therefore, in order to minimize the risks of innovative projects, it is important to choose the best quality methods and tools that will form an effective risk reduction mechanism as a result. This article presents the concepts of innovation project, risk management and risk reduction mechanism. Methods and tools for reducing the risks of innovative projects are considered, the main types of risk minimization mechanisms are identified. In addition, the author conducted an analysis of innovative projects of the Russian retail chains "Magnit" and "X5 Retail Group", identified the main mechanisms for reducing the risks of innovative projects and programs used in these retail chains.

Sustainability challenges for global retail organizations

Purpose This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies. Design/methodology/approach This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context. Findings Perceptions of sustainability typically vary across different contexts and cultures. Global retailers must therefore incorporate these different views within proactive and/or reactive approaches to corporate sustainability responsibilities to help align initiatives with business goals and broader sustainability concerns. Originality/value The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.

Examination of deep acting in retail disability service training

The quality of retail service delivered to disabled customers is affected by employees’ behaviour and attitudes. These behaviours are related to employees’ ability to manage their emotional reactions (referred to as emotional labour) to disabled customers’ varied and personalized needs. Although retailers provide disability training, employees utilize varied levels of emotional labour skills (referred to as deep acting) in interactions with disabled customers. Studies call on employers to improve disability training for employees, so that they can manage their emotional labour and disabled customers can receive higher quality service. This study addresses the question of whether training activities influence retail employees’ deep acting skills at various levels when providing services to disabled customers. By adapting Brotheridge & Lee's (2003) Emotional Labor Scale and Saks and Belcourt's (2006) Training Activities Scale, 150 participants filled a questionnaire and were grouped into three categorical levels based on their deep acting skills prior to training. The results show a positive influence exists between activities during and after training and deep acting skill levels. This study calls on retail organizations to identify employees with positive refocus and basic levels of deep acting and invest more in during and after training stages to facilitate the transfer of deep acting skills.

Examination of deep acting in retail disability service training

The quality of retail service delivered to disabled customers is affected by employees’ behaviour and attitudes. These behaviours are related to employees’ ability to manage their emotional reactions (referred to as emotional labour) to disabled customers’ varied and personalized needs. Although retailers provide disability training, employees utilize varied levels of emotional labour skills (referred to as deep acting) in interactions with disabled customers. Studies call on employers to improve disability training for employees, so that they can manage their emotional labour and disabled customers can receive higher quality service. This study addresses the question of whether training activities influence retail employees’ deep acting skills at various levels when providing services to disabled customers. By adapting Brotheridge & Lee's (2003) Emotional Labor Scale and Saks and Belcourt's (2006) Training Activities Scale, 150 participants filled a questionnaire and were grouped into three categorical levels based on their deep acting skills prior to training. The results show a positive influence exists between activities during and after training and deep acting skill levels. This study calls on retail organizations to identify employees with positive refocus and basic levels of deep acting and invest more in during and after training stages to facilitate the transfer of deep acting skills.

Design Principles For Retail Return Policies

Based on an analysis of prior literature on consumer behaviour and reverse logistics, this study proposes a model for the design of returns policies that includes considerations for costs, logistics requirements, and consumer behaviour. The case study investigations yielded several important findings. Product characteristic concerns seem to have a low level of importance in the decision-making process of return policy establishment. Practitioners that are responsible for creating effective return policies seem to not place great importance on either product characteristics or supply chain optimization. Using case analysis, this study explored the decision-making process of return policy creation and found that customer satisfaction and organization-specific concerns have a high level of importance in the returns creation process. The results indicate that the current models and frameworks for return policies need to be re-examined, in order to reflect the practical realities of the environment and constraints in which organizations operate. A review of the literature suggests that retailers consider a product's return policy a source of competitive advantage that can increase customer satisfaction and overall profitability. However, the existing research into returns policies focuses mainly on optimizing product flows and minimizing the financial cost of returns, rather than examining the inter-relationships between multiple constructs such as customer satisfaction, product characteristics, logistic constraints and consumer behaviour. This is problematic because it creates a disconnect between the considerations that the practitioners take into account and the considerations that are included in the current models for returns policy establishment. For retail organizations, the returns process can have a significant impact on costs and customer satisfaction due to the unique logistics costs and customer interactions in the returns process. Based on an analysis of prior literature on consumer behaviour and reverse logistics, this study proposes a research framework for the design of returns policies for retailers that considers the impacts of a specific return policy on costs, logistics requirements, and consumer behaviour. The study uses the proposed framework to identify, highlight, and catalog the different influences and considerations that retail and manufacturing organizations face during the creation of a return policy in the retail environment. The case study investigations yielded several important findings. First, product characteristic concerns seem to have a low level of importance in the decision-making process of return policy establishment. The study finds that practitioners that are responsible for creating effective return policies do not place great importance on either product characteristics or supply chain optimization. Second, this study found that most of the current models on return policy creation do not include customer satisfaction and organizational concerns. Using case analysis, this study explored the decision-making process of return policy creation in three retail organizations and found that customer satisfaction and organization-specific concerns actually have a high level of importance in the returns creation process. By using current models on return policy establishment and using empirical results, this study proposes a tentative theory by outlining the propositions for the design of a returns policy in retail organizations. The results of this study are based on organizational data as well as interviews conducted with persons who are directly involved in the returns process for their organization. The results indicate that the current models and frameworks for return policies need to be re-examined, in order to reflect the practical realities of the environment and constraints in which organizations operate.

Design Principles For Retail Return Policies

Based on an analysis of prior literature on consumer behaviour and reverse logistics, this study proposes a model for the design of returns policies that includes considerations for costs, logistics requirements, and consumer behaviour. The case study investigations yielded several important findings. Product characteristic concerns seem to have a low level of importance in the decision-making process of return policy establishment. Practitioners that are responsible for creating effective return policies seem to not place great importance on either product characteristics or supply chain optimization. Using case analysis, this study explored the decision-making process of return policy creation and found that customer satisfaction and organization-specific concerns have a high level of importance in the returns creation process. The results indicate that the current models and frameworks for return policies need to be re-examined, in order to reflect the practical realities of the environment and constraints in which organizations operate. A review of the literature suggests that retailers consider a product's return policy a source of competitive advantage that can increase customer satisfaction and overall profitability. However, the existing research into returns policies focuses mainly on optimizing product flows and minimizing the financial cost of returns, rather than examining the inter-relationships between multiple constructs such as customer satisfaction, product characteristics, logistic constraints and consumer behaviour. This is problematic because it creates a disconnect between the considerations that the practitioners take into account and the considerations that are included in the current models for returns policy establishment. For retail organizations, the returns process can have a significant impact on costs and customer satisfaction due to the unique logistics costs and customer interactions in the returns process. Based on an analysis of prior literature on consumer behaviour and reverse logistics, this study proposes a research framework for the design of returns policies for retailers that considers the impacts of a specific return policy on costs, logistics requirements, and consumer behaviour. The study uses the proposed framework to identify, highlight, and catalog the different influences and considerations that retail and manufacturing organizations face during the creation of a return policy in the retail environment. The case study investigations yielded several important findings. First, product characteristic concerns seem to have a low level of importance in the decision-making process of return policy establishment. The study finds that practitioners that are responsible for creating effective return policies do not place great importance on either product characteristics or supply chain optimization. Second, this study found that most of the current models on return policy creation do not include customer satisfaction and organizational concerns. Using case analysis, this study explored the decision-making process of return policy creation in three retail organizations and found that customer satisfaction and organization-specific concerns actually have a high level of importance in the returns creation process. By using current models on return policy establishment and using empirical results, this study proposes a tentative theory by outlining the propositions for the design of a returns policy in retail organizations. The results of this study are based on organizational data as well as interviews conducted with persons who are directly involved in the returns process for their organization. The results indicate that the current models and frameworks for return policies need to be re-examined, in order to reflect the practical realities of the environment and constraints in which organizations operate.

Pay Volatility and Employee Turnover in the Trucking Industry

Many organizations have turned to “just-in-time” pay systems to manage fluctuations in demand for products and services. For example, the trucking industry commonly pays truck drivers by the mile, and retail organizations fluctuate hours available to work to align with holiday demand. Based on the Unfolding Model of Turnover, we propose that the pay volatility, that is, fluctuations in individual pay over time, created by such systems create shocks that initiate thoughts of leaving the organization. We propose that these thoughts increase turnover likelihood. We also propose that pay level and pay trajectory moderate the pay volatility and turnover relationship. Based on a large dataset containing information on objective pay and turnover for truck drivers over a period of 34 weeks, the results of this study support the role of pay volatility, pay level, and pay trajectory in affecting voluntary turnover. Specifically, the results show that all three factors predict turnover likelihood and that pay volatility and pay level interact to predict turnover likelihood. The findings indicate that pay volatility has organizational downsides due to its effects on employee turnover in addition to its known upsides (i.e., flexibility).