Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

The objectives of this exploratory study included identifying functional relationships between the nature of assortments and potential financial performance and proposing financially relevant definitions and related language for assortment planning. The research method was computer simulation of the merchandising process. Results indicated that more diverse assortments are less financially productive than focused assortments. A definition of assortment diversity was developed and an Assortment Diversity Index (ADI) was proposed. Understanding the diversity of assortments in relation to financial productivity may allow merchandisers to be more certain of outcomes when planning assortments. Additional research may further quantify assortment diversity and contribute to a research-based foundation of merchandising principles.

Keywords

merchandising assortments gross margin apparel.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

The American heritage dictionary. (1994). Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Co.

Anderson, P. (1982). Marketing, strategic planning and the theory of a firm. Journal of Marketing, 46, 15-26.

Berman, B. , & Evans, J.R. (1995). Retail management: A strategic approach. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc.

Blackburn, J.D. (1991). The Quick-Response movement in the apparel industry: A case study in time-compressing supply chains. In J. D. Blackburn (Ed.), Time-based competition: The next battleground in American manufacturing. Homewood, IL: Irwin.

Brown, P. , & Davidson, W. (1953). Retailing principles and practices. New York: The Ronald Press Co.

Bohlinger, M. (1977). Merchandise buying: Principles and applications . Dubuque, IA: Wm. C. Brown Company Publishers.

Cyert, R. (1988). The economic theory of organization and the firm . New York: Harvester-Wheatsheaf .

Cyert, R. , & March, J. (1963). A behavioral theory of the firm. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc.

Davidson, W. , & Doody, A. (1966). Retailing management. New York : The Ronald Press Co.

10.

Dunne, P. , Lusch, R. , & Gable, M. (1995). Retailing. Cincinnati, OH: South-Western Publishing Co.

11.

Fisher, M.L. , Hammond, J.H. , Obermeyer, W.R. , & Raman, A. (1994, May-June). Making supply meet demand in an uncertain world. Harvard Business Review, 83-93.

12.

Foxall, J. (1981). Strategic marketing management. New York: Halsted Press.

13.

Gillespie, K. , & Hecht, J. (1970). Retail business management. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Co.

14.

Glock, R.E. , & Kunz, G.I. (1995). Apparel manufacturing: Sewn product analysis. 2nd ed. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc.

15.

Hunter, N. , King, R. , & Nuttle, H. (1991). Comparison of quick response and traditional retailing performance through stochastic simulation modeling (NCSIU-IE Technical Report #91-6). Raleigh, NC: North Carolina State University, Department of Industrial Engineering.

16.

Kahn, B. , & Lehman, D. ( 1991 ). Modeling choice among assortments. Journal of Retailing, 67(3), 274-299.

17.

King, R. (February 2, 1994). Personal telephone interview with co-developer of ARM program.

18.

King, R. , & Poindexter, M.L. (1991, September). A simulation model for retail apparel buying. North Carolina State University-Industrial Engineering Technical Report #90-9.

19.

Kunz, G.I. (1995). Behavioral theory of the apparel firm: A beginning . Clothing and Textiles Research Journal, 13(4), 252-261.

20.

Lewison, D.M. (1994). Retailing (5th ed.). New York: Macmillan.

21.

Mason, J.B. , Mayer, M.L. , & Ezell, H.F. (1994). Retailing, 5th ed. Burr Ridge, IL: Irwin.

22.

McClave, J.T. , & Benson, J.T. (1988). Statistics for business and economics. San Francisco: Dellen Publishing Co.

23.

Nuttle, H. , King, R. , & Hunter, N. (1991). A stochastic model of the apparel-retailing process for seasonal apparel. Journal of the Textile Institute, 82(2), 247-259.

24.

Poindexter, M. (1991, January). Apparel retail model version 2.0 operating manual (Prepared for CRAFTM) . Raleigh, NC: North Carolina State University.

25.

Risch, E. (1991). Retail merchandising. New York : Macmillan Publishing Company.

26.

Risch, E. (1987). Retail merchandising. Columbus, OH: Merrill Publishing Co.

27.

Shopping the big centers. (1990). Monitor, 20(5), 13-22.

28.

Song, J. (1996). In-store shopping behavior in relation to stockouts . Unpublished master's thesis, Iowa State University, Ames, IA.

29.

The true look. (1993). Discount Merchandiser, 33(6), 35-74.

30.

Wagner, J. (1975). Principles of operations research. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc.

Building a Financially Meaningful Language of Merchandise Assortments

Abstract

Keywords

Get full access to this article

References