Opinions of managers from Brasov regarding the necessity of inovations in the retail industry

• Author: Balasescu, S.
• Position: Dept. of Economic Sciences and Business Administration, Transilvania University of Brasov
• Pages: 81-86

Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşov • Vol. 5 (54) •No. 2 - 2012

Series V: Economic Sciences

OPINIONS OF MANAGERS FROM BRASOV

REGARDING THE NECESSITY OF

INOVATIONS IN THE RETAIL INDUSTRY

Simona BLŞESCU1

Abstract: Modern economy has led to new demands from the retail

commerce, determining it to develop and provide services that improve the

process of satisfying consumers’ needs. To achieve this objective, trade

appeals to innovation. More and more managers of retail companies realize

the need of assimilating these innovations which can be news, changes,

improvements, or rationalization of applied solutions.

Key words: innovation, retail, qualitative research.

1 Dept. of Economic Sciences and Business Administration, Transilvania University of Braşov.

1. Introduction

Worldwide, the retail commerce has an

important role because together with the

wholesale commerce, it represents an

intermediate link in the producer-consumer

relations flow. [3] But retailers today can

no longer be accurately characterized as

“merchant intermediaries” that buy from

suppliers and sell to customers. Rather,

they are best described as orchestrators or

conductors of two-sided platforms that

serve as ecosystems in which value is

created and delivered to customers and,

subsequently, appropriated by the retailer

and its business partners. [7]

In this context, traders must be able to

cope with high and complex customer

demands, in order to maintain a high level

in this market. Retailers must know that

they can gain customers by selling not just

products, but an entire experience that –

while centered on the products – adds an

entirely new exciting layer to the retail

setting.

A sustained focus on improving the

customer experience may prompt retailers

to identify innovative ways to best align

their “backstage” (back-office),

“frontstage” (physical environment,

service employees, service delivery

process), and “auditorium” (fellow

customers) design areas. [8]

The only way for any company (no

matter the size or nature of its business) to

successfully face the market challenges

and defeat the competition is innovation.

In the commerce area, companies must

constantly understand customer needs and

anticipate behaviour changes. Therefore,

they need to conduct market research, but

besides that, they need innovation for

creating products, processes and services

around customers. [6]

This paper presents the results of

qualitative marketing research conducted

among retail managers from Brasov. The

main objective of the research is obtaining

information on the importance given by