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The main purposes of this paper are to perform a micro‐ and macro‐dimensional analysis, and to apply the theory of eclectic firm to understand the investment dimension in the apparel retail environment in India.

A micro and micro analysis of the retail industry in India was conducted. Eclectic firm theory was then applied to the analysis to understand the apparel retail environment in India.

The key findings of the study are that foreign retailers looking to successfully capitalize on India's impressive growth need to understand several driving attributes such as strong and distinct culture, population distribution, and local conditions, and risks that are indeed unique to India.

This report makes a contribution towards a comprehensive understanding of the Indian apparel retail market. It is desirable for foreign retailers to acquire such knowledge in order to devise suitable strategies to enter and compete in the Indian marketplace. In addition, this study provides researchers to undertake more in‐depth analysis of the market to explore the different facets of the attractive yet complex Indian environment.

This study aims to provide competitive e‐tailing strategies for fair trade organizations using a benchmarking approach.

A coding guide was developed to obtain information available on 28 fair trade web sites and 28 commercial web sites focusing on company information, product information, distribution channels, customer service, and web site structure/media service.

Results revealed several evidences that fair trade organizations presented limited information online, compared with commercial organizations.

Fewer commercial retailers benchmarked in the study sold handicrafts, compared with fair trade organizations. Discrepancies in the proportion of products carried by each organization may result in limited generalization of the findings across product categories.

Through benchmarking against profit‐making business leaders, fair trade organizations would be able to evaluate strengths and weaknesses for their current online business operations and explore opportunities and improvement in web site management.

This paper provides valuable managerial implications for fair trade organizations focusing on web site operations. Information availability and strategic web site management can attract customers to make purchases on fair trade web sites and, in turn, enable organizations to sustain and grow in the competitive marketplace.

The main purpose of this paper is to explore the challenges that Wal‐Mart may face as it expands into the Indian retail market. Wal‐Mart's failures in Germany and South Korea are analyzed to identify learnings that could be utilized in the Indian expansion.

Dunning's eclectic theory as applied to international expansion is used to analyze Wal‐Mart's advantages and disadvantages in Germany and South Korea. The theory is then applied to India to understand the possible advantages and disadvantages for Wal‐Mart in entering the Indian retail market.

The key findings of the study are that Wal‐Mart faces many ownership as well as locational disadvantages while expanding in India. These significant challenges need to be well‐understood and suitably addressed for success in the Indian market.

This report makes a contribution towards understanding the challenges in entering an international market using a case study. The study helps analyze international experiences can be leveraged in future plans of international expansion.

To examine the variables that influence micromarketing merchandising in the apparel industry in order to help new retailer understand the importance of micromarketing merchandising.

A model was developed showing the different variables that influenced micromarketing merchandising. General merchandising managers of 20 US‐based apparel retail chains were interviewed using a questionnaire developed after analyzing the available literature. A qualitative method of data analysis was conducted and the model was revised based on the findings of the research.

A qualitative analysis of the transcribed interviews indicated that assortment, demographics, pricing and customer loyalty were the primary variables that effected micromarketing merchandising in the apparel retail industry. The sub‐variables in the study included lifestyle, ethnicity, store size and location, and customer service.

The research was limited to US‐based apparel retailers. Future research could be directed towards in‐depth quantitative analysis of each variable influencing micromarketing merchandising.

The results of this study could be used by managers of retail chains to understand the various variables that need to be considered while micromarketing merchandising for their store. Based on the area the store is located in, the importance of each variable can be adjusted to best suit specific stores.

Understanding the importance of micromarketing merchandising can help new retailers study their consumers based on the important dimensions reported in this research and buy the right product for their target consumers.

This study focused on two research questions: How do generational cohorts of fair trade consumers differ in their product attitudes and behaviors, retail preferences, shopping orientations, and socio‐political attitudes? How do factors influencing purchase intentions for fair trade apparel differ among generational cohorts?

Data from 1,055 current customers of four North American fair trade businesses were collected via mail survey and store‐intercept. Respondents included generation X (ages 29‐40, n=200), baby boomer (ages 41‐59, n=589), and swing (ages 60‐75, n=266) generations.

Results revealed that baby boomers and swing respondents differed from Generation X participants in their greater focus on qualities of apparel comfort, value, and quality; preference for authentic products and ethnic attire; and local activism behavior. In contrast, they exhibited more limited interest in wearing fashionable attire. All respondents placed high importance on fair trade philosophy centered on wages, workplace, and the environment. For all generational cohorts, their propensity toward wearing ethnic attire was the strongest influence on future intentions to purchase fair trade clothing.

For fair trade researchers, taking generational cohorts into consideration is recommended for assisting fair trade business persons in reaching their goal of market expansion to younger consumers.

Coupling significantly expanded information on ethnicity of designs, colors, production methods, or garments styles, along with current promotion of fair trade practices, was suggested for expanding purchases among consumers in both the generation X and swing cohorts. Baby boomer participants also valued pragmatic clothing details related to comfort, value, and quality.

This research provided support for use of generational cohorts in understanding consumer behavior. Regression analysis across the total sample led to different results as compared to when each generational cohort was examined individually.