Sustainable urban freight transport in megacities in emerging markets

Demand estimation under multi-store multi-product substitution in high density traditional retail

In many megacities in emerging markets, customers typically buy products for their daily needs from small retailers (nanostores). Distributing these products, such as water, soap, and cooking oil, to the nanostores is a challenging task, mainly because the nanostores have limited cash availability and they make decisions randomly. In this paper, we compare the performance of two commonly used distribution strategies: the presales strategy and the van sales strategy. Our analysis is based on a study we conducted in Casablanca in collaboration with Valencia, a fruit juice manufacturer. The study reveals several insights that are useful to manufacturers who face challenges in distributing goods in large cities in emerging markets.

Distribution Strategies Toward Nanostores in Emerging Markets: The Valencia Case

We consider a small traditional retailer that is managing its inventory under strict cash constraints, mainly because typically informal loans are offered to customers. These stores are widely pres...

A cash-constrained stochastic inventory model with consumer loans and supplier credits: the case of nanostores in emerging markets

Purpose




Work that is considered appropriate for only one gender by the indigenous culture is explored. The focus is on the operational issues that accrue due to the combination of what is deemed appropriate treatment to, and activities of, women. Global differences in the operational sub-categories of business location, layout, the implementation of process improvement programs, shift scheduling, operational compliance, the strategic capability of volume flexibility, and other issues are explored. The paper aims to discuss these issues.




Design/methodology/approach




The literature from the disparate fields of women’s studies, anthropology, law, developmental economics, and management are synthesized.




Findings




There are extreme differences internationally in the viability of operational practices involving shift work, facility location, and other production issues. Particularly, research involving the implementation of quality management programs may be compromised due to gender effects.




Practical implications




A large number of practical issues are discussed. The viability and wisdom of many operational practices being copied from different cultures is addressed.




Originality/value




This work is a synthesis of the same subjects from widely disparate intellectual domains. The author informs management scholars and managers from unusual sources in medicine, women’s studies, anthropology, developmental economics, and law.

Gender and operations management

In this paper, we study the small traditional retailers that are located in the neighborhoods of big cities in emerging markets. Although modern retailing has grown in the last two decades in these markets, the number of small retailers is still increasing and serving a substantial part of the daily demand for many basic products, such as bread, milk, and cooking oil. We conduct an empirical study to understand the business environment of these small traditional retailers in emerging markets by collecting data from 333 small retailers, spread over 8 large cities in Morocco. We analyze the data and describe their business environment with a focus on the informal credits they offer to their customers. We find that smaller small retailers that are funded from personal savings and managed by the owner himself offer relatively the most credits. Our study also provides interesting insights about these small retailers that will help FMCG manufacturers that are (planning to be) active in Morocco and other emerging markets. We also discuss a number opportunities to improve the efficiency of the supply chains that serve them.

/pdf/small-traditional-retailers-in-emerging-markets-56b0hkpf1l.pdf

Ee Edgar Blanco

Papers

Small traditional retailers in emerging markets