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Thirteen years ago James Jefferys and his colleague Derek Knee published their book Retailing in Europe, which forecast trends between 1955 and 1970 in retail employment, the number of establishments and retail sales in absolute terms and per person. The estimates, most of which were completed in 1960, related to eighteen European countries as well as Western Europe as an entity. Now, fifteen years later, James Jefferys compares their forecasts (some of them made with the help of the back of an old envelope) with the reality of the current situation.

In many ways the British retail sector is currently going through a more colourful and dynamic phase than we have seen for some time. Innovators abound, especially in areas such as leisure, sports goods, toys; fashion innovation is a whole story in itself. Diversification continues apace: supermarkets move into pharmacy and practically everybody moves into DIY. In food, the convenience store proliferates. Even in the department store sector, not known for its speed of response to changing conditions, some groups are searching around for ways of fighting back. The authors of this feature suggest that, in this time of rapid change, retailers must be flexible as well as observant. Consumers increasingly demand choice and specialisation where once a mass merchandising strategy was adequate; consumers want self‐expression and self‐fulfilment. How to reconcile these factors with the retailer's need to control margins and build buying volumes?

It is an arduous process for corporations to determine if social action advertising is a complementary fit with their respective brands. This study aims to explore opportunities and disadvantages when brands consider cause-related partnerships as part of their overall marketing strategy. There are motivators and detractors related to social actions promoted by brands. It is essential for organizations, institutions and corporations to better understand if, or when, to use advertising that contributes to the social good.

Phase one of the study was a qualitative analysis conducted through personal interviews. Coded passages from interviews were aggregated into themes, which later defined ten social action advertising measures. The second phase in the study was a quantitative analysis (N = 506) that tested consumer involvement with the social action advertisement “You Love Me.” The spot was designed for the Dr. Dre Beats brand, in response to the George Floyd murder in 2020.

Brands need to carefully examine their own histories, political associations and concern for all consumer segments, prior to evoking social change. Differentiations arising from political views and gender identity are discussed. Regressions indicate “social ads that use stereotypes” was the key significant predictor of emotional involvement. Consumers feeling “respected and represented in social action ads” was the key significant predictor of fact-based cognitive involvement. “Social action ads distorted through virtue signaling” were 38% more likely to effect brand purchase when consumers viewed the social action ad.

This is a nonfunded research study. Respondents who participated in interviews, and those selected for data collection, were solicited through convenience and judgmental nonprobability sampling. These data are racially and financially biased. Seventy-six percent of respondents in the racial variable were white; 51% stated they were “wealthy and have a lot of assets.” Neither variable is representative of the general population. In the future, researchers should collect a nonbiased stratified probability sample that would more closely reflect the general population and consumer audience.

This paper builds on the recommendations of Farrukh et al. (2021) who call for more published research in the areas of human rights violations and social change. The results of this study represent a cautionary tale. Political dogma within a polarized society has created pressure for chief marketing officers to integrate political values into brand values. The risk of creating adversarial factions has created a risky environment for brand developers and strategists (Mahoney, 2022).

In 1967, Louis P. Bucklin proposed the principle of postponement‐speculation as a basis for predicting and explaining the existence of speculative inventories in the marketing channel: “The combined principle of postponement‐speculation may be stated as follows: A speculative inventory will appear at each point in the distribution channel whenever its costs are less than the net savings to both buyers and sellers from postponement.” In other words, for a middleman to intervene between a seller and a buyer, he must demonstrate his ability and willingness to perform certain marketing functions in such a way that savings result, or satisfactions are greater, for both of the original trading partners. Therefore, the economic justification for a middleman's existence is his superior efficiency in performing basic marketing tasks and functions.

Considers various approaches to the study of comparative marketing, suggesting methodology that provides an adequate framework on which to base comparative domestic marketing studies. States the first objective here is to explore various definitions of the term ‘comparative marketing’ to place the area of study in its rightful place; second, is to suggest a methodology provide an adequate framework on which to base domestic comparative marketing studies. Proposes that if improvement in the state of knowledge is to take place, commonality of terminology and methodology must first be established. Concludes that information provided gives the background necessary to achieve desirable objectives.

Retail planning is more complex than some retailers imagine; its success depends upon policies about goods, prices and peole. Strategies such as store location, market segmentation, shop design or format innovation are only the means to the end. And how does UK retailing compare with its counterpart on the continent? The last few years on the continent have seen the rapid growth of hypermarkets, novel formats, multi‐national networks, and town centre redevelopment. Yet UK retailers are still, broadly speaking, much more profitable. Jan de Somogyi presented this paper to the Chief Executive Meeting of the International Association of Department Stores in Rapallo earlier this year.

More than twenty British retailers are now proudly displaying their fascias on the other side of the Channel. Other companies certainly have the same idea in mind. What decisions have to be made before this adventurous step is taken? Which is the best country to break into, how should negotiations be conducted? Graham Jackson has undertaken some research and suggests certain guidelines for the European minded British retailer.

The current piece summarizes five critical points about racism from the point of view of Black scholars and allies: (1) Black people are experiencing exhaustion from and physiological effects of racism, (2) racism extends far beyond police brutality and into most societal structures, (3) despite being the targets of racism, Black people are often blamed for their oppression and retaliated against for their response to it, (4) everyone must improve their awareness and knowledge (through both formal education and individual motivation) to fight racism and (5) anti-racist policies and accountability are key to enact structural reformation.

The first three of these points detail the depths of the problem from the perspectives of the authors and the final two lay out a call to action.

This viewpoint is the joint effort of 14 authors who provided a unified perspective.

This was one of the most original experiences the authors have had – working with 13 former/current students on joint perspectives about police brutality and racism more generally. The authors thank for the opportunity.