Strategic Planning and Management in Retailing

Strategic Planning and Management in Retailing provides a strategic look at the best methods to win in retail. Topics include:

• developing a data-driven retail strategy 
• driving financial and productivity performance 
• strategic positioning and evolution 
• customer experience and social media strategy 
• applications of AI and big data in retail 
• best practice case studies, exercise and application

Sample program structure

In a highly collaborative and interactive setting, peers from across the retail industry and around the world share ideas, explore best practices and learn to:

• think more strategically about business
• become more data driven in building strategy, including financial modelling and productivity analysis
• interpret consumer, competitive and market research insights effectively
• develop and apply enhanced merchandising management and assortment strategies
• manage strategic resources efficiently

Designed specifically for leaders across the retail sector, this program will help you learn to adapt to the continued changes in the retail sector – especially those that dramatically affect efficiency and profitability, including the growing tide of online retail transactions.

A diverse participant mix collaborates in an interactive setting, looking at best practices, sharing ideas, and exploring nuanced and broad-based approaches to effective leadership, management and planning.

In collaboration with the Customer Experience and Insight (CXI) Research Group, Swinburne's School of Business, Law and Entrepreneurship (SoBLE) programs are led by highly-regarded researchers and educators who are both thought leaders and pragmatic practitioners.

With a focus on real-world business challenges, SoBLE's suite of executive education programs develop participants through instruction, collaboration and peer interaction.

Lawrence J. Ring

Lawrence is Chancellor Professor of Business and the Executive MBA Alumni professor of Executive Education at the Raymond A. Mason School of Business at the College of William & Mary. His teaching and research interests focus on marketing management, and marketing and retailing strategy. In 1983, he co-founded the successful long running executive education program Strategic Planning and Management in Retailing. He has served on the boards of directors of five publicly-held retail companies.

Ronald L. Hess

Ronald is an Associate Professor of Marketing at the Mason School of Business at the College of William & Mary. He currently teaches Customer Experience Management and the Business-to-Business Marketing Career Acceleration Module (CAM) in the William & Mary MBA Program. His expertise involves managing the in-store and digital retail experience, improving customer satisfaction and improving customer profitability and customer lifetime value. Hess has also taught the Strategic Planning and Management in Retailing program for about 10 years, and has worked with many retailers in Australia, U.S., South America, Europe and Asia.

John S. Strong

John is the CSX Professor of Finance and Economics at the Raymond A. Mason School of Business at the College of William & Mary (USA). He received his master degree and PhD from Harvard, where he also has taught. Strong, focuses on financial analysis of retailing, especially in the areas of productivity analysis, project evaluation, acquisition valuation, the retail credit industry, and merchandise performance. He has taught the Strategic Planning and Management in Retailing program for almost two decades, and has worked with numerous retailers across Australia, the Americas, Europe, Africa and Asia.