CAREER ARTICLES |
| CAREER PROSPECTS IN RETAIL MANAGEMENT |  CAREER PROSPECTS IN RETAIL MANAGEMENT
— Atul Bamrara
Retail involves the distribution process of the product from manufacturer to ultimate consumers via short and convenient channels, i.e., retailers. Pantaloon, Wallmart, Subhiksha, Shoppers Stop, Pyramids, Bharti, Reliance Fresh etc. are some top most retailers in India. Shopping complexes, Malls, Multiplexes are spreading not only in metropolitans but in newly developing cities aswell. To keep track of the marketing ethics involved in retail, it needs trained professionals to manage their outlets.
Employment Opportunities in Retail
India is one of the top ten emerging retail markets all over the globe. There are approximately 4.3 million retail outlets spread over the nation. According to Retail Association of India (RAI), there is a demand for 1.25 million retail personnel which will go up to 3.25 million by the year 2008-09. The retail trade industry is predicted to add 2.1 million new jobs between 2002 and 2012, an increase of 14% (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).
While the retail industry offers professional opportunities in functions common to all other management functions like finance, information technology and human resource management, it offers two major professional paths unique to the industry, i.e., inventory planning and buying. Retail Industry has huge demand for quality managers to implement their marketing and sales strategies. It demands good time management skills, leadership qualities, good communication skills, decision making abilities, better team effort and strong marketing awareness with their personnel. Employers look for people who enjoy working with others and who have the tact and patience to deal with typical customers. Among other desirable characteristics are an interest in sales work, a smart personality and the ability to communicate clearly and effectively. The multilingual characteristic may be helpful for employment in communities where people from various cultures visit to shop. Marketing and Sales are the building blocks of retail industry. It offers career in the position of Retail Manager, Purchasing Manager, Store Manager, Customer Service Representative, Data Processing Executive, Floor Supervisor, Retail Salespersons and so on. Majority of career opportunities are also emerging in Corporate Planning, Trend forecasting, Project Management-Store Construction and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) as well.
Institutes/ Universities Offering Courses in Retail Management
The emerging boom in retail industry has forced the academic institutions to offer programmes in Retail Management. The Retail Management is a professional programme which prepares a graduate to enter in the field of Retailing. Various Degree and Diploma Level programmes are running in India by academic institutions to cater the needs of the Retail Sector. MBA (Retail Management), Post Graduate Diploma Program in Retail Management (PGPRM), Post Graduate Program in Retail Communications Management (PGRCM), Post Graduate Diploma in Retail Management (PGDRM), Post Graduate Programme in Retail (PGPR) and Diploma in Retail Management (DRM) are some good options. It develops a broad and in-depth understanding of all aspects of retail management, not only retail outlets and the support activities, but also retailing sector in the broad context of the economy.
Course Contents
Indian Retailing Environment, Electronic Retailing, Marketing Research, Retail Selling, Mall Management, Merchandising Management, Retail Purchasing, Retail Pricing, Retail Organization, Retail Management, Consumer Behavior, Management Infor-mation System, Supply Chain Management (SCM) etc.
List of Universities/ Institutes
S. Name of University/ Course Contact Information
N. Institute Name
1. Andhra University MBA (RM) Andhra University, Vishakh-patnam–530003, Andhra Pradesh, India, http://www. andhrauniversity.info/arts/commerce/mba.html
2 Anna University MBA (RM) Anna University, Chennai – 600025, Tel. : 044-22203331 Fax : 044-22354450, http://www.annauniv.edu/cde/mba.html
3 Narsee Monjee MBA (RM) SVKM’s NMIMS University,
Institute of Manage- V. L. Mehta Road, Vile Parle (W),
ment and Higher Mumbai-400056. India. Tel. :
Studies (Deemed 022-26134577/26183688
University) http://www.nmims.edu/full-time.mba.retailmanagement
4. Birla Institute of PGDM Birla Institute of Management
Management and (RM) Technology, Plot No. 5, Know-
Technology, Greater ledge Park II, Greater Noida-
Noida 201306, UP Tel. : 0120-2323001/2/…/10, Fax : 0120- 232 3022/25, http://www. bimtech.ac.in/PGDRM.htm
5. Institute of Chartered PGDRM ICFAI, 104 Nirmal Towers
Financial Analysts of Dwarkapuri Colony, Punjagutta
India, Hyderabad Hyderabad-500082, Tel.: 040- 55105762, Fax: 040-55255761 http://www.icfai.org/Admissions_Flexible.asp
6. IMT Distance and PGDRM IMT Distance and Open
Open Learning Learning Institute, A 16, Site 3,
Institute, Ghaziabad UPSIDC Industrial Area, Meerut Road, Ghaziabad-201003 Tel. : 0120-2705621/22/23/24 http://www.imtcdl.ac.in/newprog/opgdrm_about.htm
7. Indian School of PGDRM Images Pearl Retail Solutions
Retail, Delhi Pvt. Ltd., Site 2, Pocket OCF, Sector C, Vasant Kunj, Nelson Mandela Road, Delhi-110070 Tel. : 011- 26125981/82/83 http://www.indianretailschool. com/aboutus.htm
8. Institute for PGPR IILM Institute for Higher
Integrated Learning Education Gurgaon, New Delhi
in Management, Mobile : 9350860132,
Delhi 9350821438 http://www.llim. edu/llam_courses.asp
9. K J Somaiya Institute PGDM K.J. Somaiya Institute of
of Management (Retail) Management Studies and
Studies and Research, Vidyanagar,
Research, Mumbai Vidyavihar (E). Mumbai-400077. Tel.: 022-66449300 Fax : 022-2515 7219, http://www.simsr.somaiya.edu/simsr/programs/pgdmrm.asp
10. Welingkar Institute of DRM/ Welingkar Institute of
Management, PGPRM Management Development and
Mumbai Research, L. Napoo Road, Near Matura (Central Rly.) Mumbai–400019, Tel. : 022- 24178300 Fax : 022-24097824 http://www.welingkar.org/Welingkar/v1/Programmes/InterPrg_ret.asp?section=P
11. Lala Lajpat Rai PGDRM Lala Lajpat Rai Institute of
Academy of Management, Lala Lajpat Rai
Management, Marg, Mahalaxmi, Mumbai -
Mumbai 400034, India. Tel. : 022- 24922898/24980874, Fax : 022-24980877, http://www. llim.edu/llam_courses.asp
12. Mudra Institute of PGRCM MICA, Shela, Ahmedabad -
Communications, 380058, Gujarat, India, Tel: +91
Ahmedabad 2717308250, Fax : +91 2717308349, http://www.mica-india.net/Academicpro-grammes/retailcommuni-cations. html
13. National Institute of PG Certi- National Institute of Business
Business Manage- ficate Pro- Management, AG, Anandraj
ment, Adyar gram in Villa, (AH), 7, Second Canal
(Chennai) Retail Cross Road, Gandhi Nagar,
Communi- Adyar, Chennai-600020
cations Fax : 044–24422438
14. National Institute of PGDPD National Institute of Design R&D
Design, Bangalore Campus, 12 Link Road, Off Tumkur Road, Bangalore -560022, Tel. : 080-23373006/ 23579054, Fax: 080-23373086 http://www.nid.edu/study_ pg_dre.htm
15. Symbiosis Centre PGDRM Symbiosis Bhavan, 1065 B
for Distance Gokhale Cross Road Model
Learning, Pune Colony, Pune-411016, Maharashtra, Tel.: 020-6621100, Fax : 020-66211040 http://www.scdl.net
The List is indicative
(The author is Lecturer Department of Business Management, Chauras Campus, HNB Garhwal University, Srinagar Garhwal, Uttarakhand)
Author:
Atul Bamrara |
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