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Unit 14: Contemporary Issues in Store Management

environment of the retailer, there are many more aspects that come under the purview of Notes
ethics. These aspects concern the merchandise buying and selling practices in the firm.
Retailers also need to be socially responsible and environmentally concerned. They often
undertake activities that are beneficial to the society. Retailers are also taking measures
for waste reduction, trying to recycle the materials used and are switching over to
environment friendly packaging materials.

Legislation governs the retail firm’s operations and relations with its channel partners.
There are certain laws which govern the retailer’s relations with suppliers, competitors,
consumers and employees. Legal restrictions are imposed on practices concerning pricing,
product, promotion, distribution, trademarks and HR policies.

Source: http://www.icmrindia.org/courseware/Retail%20Management/Ethical-Legal%20Issues-
Retailing.htm

14.2 Careers in Retailing

The retailing industry is becoming a major driver of world economies. Its rapid growth in India
has opened up many career opportunities for people with all types of experience and
qualifications.

The rapid growth of the retail sector and its deep penetration in various parts of the country
within a very short span of time has now been termed as the retail revolution. In order to cater
to the manpower needs of the retail industry, various retail management courses are being
launched by several business schools in India. As the sector is booming in India, a career in
retail sector promises good salaries and growth potential for the ambitious youngsters. Retail
management is associated with retailing business of departmental stores and shopping malls.
There is a big demand for the retail management professionals to process all merchandise
shipments, to achieve store sales and profitability, administration of stores as well as
communication with the clients to satisfy them. Development of world class retail shops is
likely to give direct employment to many professionals like real estate dealers, builders,
architects, display designers, retail shop managers and workers like salespersons, security,
etc.
With increasing number of Organized Retail stores in India, demand for well qualified as well
as non-skilled and semi skilled labour force has increased. Supermarket industry hires youth,
pays entry-level workers around minimum wage, and does not require much in the way of
skills. Many supermarket companies are interested in retaining these young people and providing
them with further training so that they become knowledgeable, long-term employees (Katherine
L. Hughes 1999). There are some problems also associated with retail jobs. According to Annette
Bernhordt (1999), beyond the poor quality of most retail jobs, there is also the deeper question
of opportunities for upward mobility. Retailing as a career, has been considered to be at the
bottom end of the social strata. (Shishir Kumar, 2006)

Retail Firms are also increasingly hiring young college graduates for managerial slots and
bypassing workers with years of tenure.
Workers who hold retail and other low-wage service jobs tend to be the least educated in the
labour force and depend on training for career mobility. Moreover, the industry has one of the
flattest job hierarchies in the economy – sales and service occupations make up more than two-
thirds of the jobs. Another reality is that graduates from reputed universities do not want to
work in retailing because of given wage levels and social status associated with a front line
retail position.

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