RETAIL Sector Skills Alliance

Future Retail managers for efcient and exicure SMEs

Newsletter 2

Dear READER,

We are pleased to share with you the second issue of RETAIL Newsletter. You will nd
information about New Skills for RETAIL Managers, Strategy for Competitive RETAIL SMEs, 10
Competitive Advantages and RETAIL Quality Label.

NEW SKILLS FOR RETAIL MANAGERS (Desk Research Report)

The distributive trade sector, consisting of retail and wholesale services represents
one of the largest trade areas of the European Union with 11% of its total GDP.
Furthermore this sector corresponds to 29 % of all European companies as well as 15
1
% of the total European employment . While being one of the most important trade
areas in Europe the retail sector is challenged by numerous problems and
developments e.g. debt crises, high unemployment rates, low wage growth,
restructuring processes, globalization, internationalization and many more. This
results in a lower condence for both, consumers and retailers.
Within the initial phase of RETAIL project development a desk research - an in depths
look into many aspects of the retail sector on a regional, national and European level
has been carried out. From the collected data conclusions were drawn on the skills
and competences necessary for the Future Retail Manager. The research was
focused on: the actual state as well as the development of the last ten years, such as:
economic situation, employment situation, purchasing power, demography, education
and further education, good practice examples.
New Skills needed by the Future RETAIL Manager and main advantages of exicurity
and knowledge based management of SMEs has been outlined.
You will nd the full RETAIL Desk Research Report in English and the abstract in
Bulgarian, German, Spanish, French, Italian and Norwegian here:
http://retail-alliance.eu/products/new-skills-for-retail-managers

1
Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social
Committee and the Committee of the Regions Setting up a European Retail Action Plan

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission under Lifelong Learning Programme, Leonardo
Da Vinci - Multilateral projects for Development of innovation. The content of this document reects the views only of the
authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained
therein.

RETAIL Sector Skills Alliance

Future Retail managers for efcient and exicure SMEs

Newsletter 2

STRATEGY FOR COMPETITIVE RETAIL SMEs (Field Research Report)

The Strategy for Competitive RETAIL companies is a report implicating the outcomes of the initial
research phase of the Retail Sector Skills Alliance. It gives an in-depth look on the outcomes of
the eld survey and represents the prole of the Future Retail Manager (FURM) dened after the
summarized results of both: the ndings of the desk research carried out compared to the results
of the eld research.
The report describes the basic competencies needed by Retail Managers in order to:
Quickly pick up new trends;
Explore new markets, channels, invest in costumer relations;
Provide attractive working conditions and learn conductive and exicure environments;
Organize the retail process to better manage mass customization and lifestyle changes.
The Strategy furthermore shows the main barriers/ incentives met by companies in introducing
innovative learning methods within the retail sector, describes the main evidence based
advantages of managing SMEs in a knowledge intensive and exicure way and identies possible
incentives that could motivate companies to invest in training.
You will nd the full RETAIL Field Research Report in English and the abstract in Bulgarian,
German, Spanish, French, Italian and Norwegian here:

http://retail-alliance.eu/products/strategy-for-competitive-retail-smes

10 COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES

10 Competitive advantages of managing projects in a learnconducive, exicure, efcient and

customer oriented way are addressed to retail managers aiming at improving their performances
by adjusting the focus on a work environment mainly based on life-long learning perspective,
consumer orientation, exicurity and sustainable innovation.
More information:

http://retail-alliance.eu/products/10-competitive-advantages-2

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission under Lifelong Learning Programme, Leonardo
Da Vinci - Multilateral projects for Development of innovation. The content of this document reects the views only of the
authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained
therein.

RETAIL Sector Skills Alliance

Future Retail managers for efcient and exicure SMEs

Newsletter 2

KNOWLEDGE INTENSIVE RETAIL SMEs

Knowledge Intensive RETAIL SMEs is a Decalogue for Future RETAIL SMEs and consists of
motivational guidelines for companies, such as consumer-oriented approach for business
efciency, more competitive retail services through sustainability, the challenges of Digital
Economy, the exicurity as a win-win for all, sustainable innovation, etc.
You can nd more information here:

http://retail-alliance.eu/products/10-competitive-advantages

RETAIL Quality Label

Participating in the Retail Sector Skills Alliance training programme will:

Help the survival of your business;
Help to Improve the costumer relation management and efcient strategies to face
crisis;
Develop needed vocational skills;
Improve the image of the sector;
Promote the integration of learning with working and exicurity in retail trade;
Boost innovation;
Support knowledge transfer;
Increase reputation of your company.

If you would like to be part of the Retail Sector Skills Alliance please, download the RETAIL
Quality Label here: http://retail-alliance.eu/products/retail-quality-label/.

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission under Lifelong Learning Programme, Leonardo
Da Vinci - Multilateral projects for Development of innovation. The content of this document reects the views only of the
authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained
therein.

RETAIL Sector Skills Alliance

Future Retail managers for efcient and exicure SMEs

Newsletter 2

Second Partners' meeting in Leipzig

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission under Lifelong Learning Programme, Leonardo
Da Vinci - Multilateral projects for Development of innovation. The content of this document reects the views only of the
authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained
therein.