William R. Davidson, PhD: the right man for the times in retailing

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to review the historical development of William Davidson's Retailing Management book that spanned six editions and 35 years and to evaluate its impact on retailing practice and education during that time period.

Design/methodology/approach

A participation-observation approach is used by the author whose personal involvement as a co-author of Davidson's book and as a professional colleague of Davidson provided him with unique insights into the development of retailing management and its impact on the profession of retailing. A critical review of Davidson's book is informed by personal reflections of the author.

Findings

The 50 years during which Davidson was an active scholar, consultant and businessman were very dynamic in terms of the changes that took place in the environment of retailing, the practice of retailing and the study of retailing. Throughout this period, the academic discipline of retailing changed a great deal, moving through eight very significant intellectual transitions. Davidson was an important participant and contributor to the advancement of the study of retailing throughout this half-century and led the move through most of these great transitions. This contribution is evident in the evolution of retailing management over its 35-year history.

Originality/value

No such prior review and critical evaluation has been published.

Citation

J. Sweeney, D. (2013), "William R. Davidson, PhD: the right man for the times in retailing", Journal of Historical Research in Marketing, Vol. 5 No. 4, pp. 548-558. https://doi.org/10.1108/JHRM-06-2013-0030