Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Retail Austria'

This thesis examines the behaviour of retail petroleum markets, with a case study examining prices in Perth, Australia. The aim of the thesis is two-fold. Firstly, it aims to extend the Edgeworth Cycles literature by showing how a simple, distance-based model of duopolistic competition can give rise to Edgeworth Cycles. Secondly, it makes use of the results of this model to build a model of the structure of the Perth market and to explore competition in that network.In the empirical component of the thesis, I explore whether network structure influences both the prices charged by each retail petroleum outlet and the shape of price cycles exhibited by each retail petroleum outlet. In addition, having performed a spectral analysis on prices and finding that most retail petroleum outlets do not follow a single cycle, but in fact use cycles of differing lengths, mostly seven and ten-day cycles, I explore whether network structure influences these choices or not. In the empirical analysis, I find evidence that network structure does, in fact, influence both price and the nature of cycles.

This thesis investigates the history of labour management at David Jones, the major Australian retailer and manufacturer, between the years 1838 and 1958. This thesis examines the development of consent-based approach to labour management at David Jones, in particular the development of paternalism and welfarism. In doing so this thesis explores both general questions regarding the factors that influence why certain firms adopt a consent-based approach to labour management, as well as informing debates around the existence of nineteenth century paternalism and the origins of twentieth century welfarism. The historical material contained at the David Jones Archives and elsewhere reveals little evidence of paternalism as a deliberate management strategy. This brings into question the usefulness of paternalism as a concept in the historical study of Australian labour management. The inability to trace paternalism also undermines explanations of twentieth century welfarism premised on the pre-existence of nineteenth century paternalism. The historical materials, however, do note that twentieth century welfarism was a deliberate labour management strategy adopted by David Jones management. Welfarism, combined with systematic management and training, was initially adopted following the First World War to deal with the threat of industrial turmoil. However, in the 1930s, welfarism increasingly became a pro-active strategy designed to create skilled selling and raise the profile of the firm within the community. Further, welfarism at David Jones in the inter-war period was more than merely a new form of paternalism, somehow transformed by being in a larger, more bureaucratic setting or a result of employers confronted an increasingly feminised workforce. Welfarism at David Jones was a deliberate strategy, informed by overseas experiments, management consultants and the new science of psychology. Welfarism at David Jones continued into the post World War Two period. However, new forms of retailing, in particular self-service, undermined attempts to create skilled selling. Elements of welfarism remain at David Jones and continue to support the firm???s corporate image as a provider of high-quality customer service.

Franchising has grown in recent decades to become a ma3or sector m the leading econo1TI1es of the world. One particular type of franchising, namely business format franchising has been the subject of the majority of recent literature, largly because it has been the area of major growth in the number of outlets. Currently, a rising trend is in the area of conversion franchising, and this is particularly evident in the retail sector where many existing small independent businesses are experiencing increased competition from larger national chains. There has been a lack of research on the extent of franchising in Australia, in particular the effects of conversion franchising. A topic which has been almost untouched is in the area of conversion franchising and its effect on competitive advantage. That is the change to competitive advantage of a converted business as a result of the conversion process. Hence, the research problem is the following: RP: How is the conversion to a franchise system perceived as changing the competitive advantage of an existing small business? Extensive research of the literature detailed in chapter 2 made possible the development of two research questions:RQ 1: What are the competitive advantage factors which have influenced the use of conversion franchising? RQ2: How have the competitive advantage factors of an existing business been perceived as having changed as a result of the conversion process? Chapter 3 addresses the research paradigm and establishes that a case study methodology is the most appropriate approach for investigating the research problem. A multiple case approach was conducted with a sample of 5 cases. Chapter 4 presents the results of the case study research and applies the methods of data analysis as explained in chapter 3. Chapter 5 discusses the conclusions and implications of the entire research project. These conclusions have been incorporated within a theoretical model developed from the :findings and based on Porter's competitive advantage model. The :findings attempt to explore the many competitive advantage activities an existing business is likely to be seeking from a franchise arrangement. The study then examines how franchisors have perceived these competitive advantage factors to have changed as a result of the conversion process. This research has attempted to explore several issues which will require future research in the area of conversion franchising.

This thesis examines the nature of labour usage within a market-leading Australian food retail firm and the employment relations consequences of the labour usage strategies employed by the firm. Retail employment is well established as a research subject in the UK, but has received comparatively little research attention in Australia. Given that retail industry employment accounts for 15 per cent of the Australian workforce, this represents a significant oversight. Within the retail industry, the supermarket and grocery sector employs 6 per cent of the Australian workforce. The sector is dominated by two major chains and is highly competitive, with a reputation for low profit margins, mundane jobs and low pay. The sector is recognised for an employment structure that is segmented with one segment holding full-time jobs with core employment conditions and the other segment, part-time jobs with poor working conditions. The dominant theory used by scholars to explain this employment structure is the dual labour market model and later iterations such as Atkinson's flexible firm model. This research assesses the value of these models, in particular Atkinson's flexible firm model, as a representation of the labour usage strategies of a market-leading Australian food retail firm. This analysis demonstrates that, in a general sense, Atkinson's model has applicability to the labour usage strategies exhibited in food retailing. The research found that, contrary to the theories of dual labour markets, a strong internal labour market operated within the firm with short hours casual employment as the port of entry. The benefits of this practice for the organisation were flexibility in labour usage and substantial wage savings, while the negative consequences were recruitment difficulties, exacerbated by high levels of staff turnover. For the employees, the consequences depended on their position in the organisational hierarchy and their individual circumstances, but involved initially accepting limited working hours and low pay in order to gain entry into the organisation. The research undertaken for this thesis leads to the development of a revised model, the casual internal labour market model, which more accurately depicts the labour usage strategies within the case study organisation. Retail researchers argue that it is necessary to understand the dynamics of the industry in order to understand the structure of labour usage. Additionally, employment relations and retail researchers both stress the need to contextualise labour usage patterns within broader environmental constraints and supply side factors. In seeking to achieve this, this research examines business strategies, retail specific employment relations literature and the Australian employment relations context. Furthermore, this study addresses the issue of retail employment strategies at several levels within one of Australia's market-leading food retailers: corporate level, store level and at the level of individual departments within the store. In doing so, this thesis highlights the differences in labour usage between stores and between departments within the stores and thereby provides a more detailed picture of the labour use practices within food retailers.

This thesis examines the nature of labour usage within a market-leading Australian food retail firm and the employment relations consequences of the labour usage strategies employed by the firm. Retail employment is well established as a research subject in the UK, but has received comparatively little research attention in Australia. Given that retail industry employment accounts for 15 per cent of the Australian workforce, this represents a significant oversight. Within the retail industry, the supermarket and grocery sector employs 6 per cent of the Australian workforce. The sector is dominated by two major chains and is highly competitive, with a reputation for low profit margins, mundane jobs and low pay. The sector is recognised for an employment structure that is segmented with one segment holding full-time jobs with core employment conditions and the other segment, part-time jobs with poor working conditions. The dominant theory used by scholars to explain this employment structure is the dual labour market model and later iterations such as Atkinson's flexible firm model. This research assesses the value of these models, in particular Atkinson's flexible firm model, as a representation of the labour usage strategies of a market-leading Australian food retail firm. This analysis demonstrates that, in a general sense, Atkinson's model has applicability to the labour usage strategies exhibited in food retailing. The research found that, contrary to the theories of dual labour markets, a strong internal labour market operated within the firm with short hours casual employment as the port of entry. The benefits of this practice for the organisation were flexibility in labour usage and substantial wage savings, while the negative consequences were recruitment difficulties, exacerbated by high levels of staff turnover. For the employees, the consequences depended on their position in the organisational hierarchy and their individual circumstances, but involved initially accepting limited working hours and low pay in order to gain entry into the organisation. The research undertaken for this thesis leads to the development of a revised model, the casual internal labour market model, which more accurately depicts the labour usage strategies within the case study organisation. Retail researchers argue that it is necessary to understand the dynamics of the industry in order to understand the structure of labour usage. Additionally, employment relations and retail researchers both stress the need to contextualise labour usage patterns within broader environmental constraints and supply side factors. In seeking to achieve this, this research examines business strategies, retail specific employment relations literature and the Australian employment relations context. Furthermore, this study addresses the issue of retail employment strategies at several levels within one of Australia's market-leading food retailers: corporate level, store level and at the level of individual departments within the store. In doing so, this thesis highlights the differences in labour usage between stores and between departments within the stores and thereby provides a more detailed picture of the labour use practices within food retailers.<br>Thesis (PhD Doctorate)<br>Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)<br>Department of Industrial Relations<br>Griffith Business School<br>Full Text

The overall goal of this research was to advance the understanding of Salmonella and E. coli in the egg industry in WA. The first objective of this study is to assess the prevalence, serotype diversity, and genomic characterization of Salmonella in the egg industry (retail and farm environment) in WA. The second objective of this study is to improve the broader understanding of antimicrobial resistance and genomic characterization of E. coli in retail eggs. The results indicated Salmonella recovery of 11.5% (23/200) in collected retail eggs and 35% (93/265) of the environmental samples collected from layer farms. Salmonella Typhimurium and Salmonella Infantis were the most prevalent serovars in both farm and retail investigations. All Salmonella isolated from retail table eggs were susceptible to all antimicrobials tested and only two isolates were found to be resistant to ampicillin. The results of the questionnaire from egg businesses in WA highlighted the need for effective management practices and biosecurity measures cleaning and disinfection of sheds, regular Salmonella testing programs, rodent control, vaccination, and provision of uncontaminated feed. Whole genome comparative analysis of retail isolates indicated an association between Salmonella genomic variation and the management system used to raise poultry for egg production. Our analysis indicated that Salmonella isolated from free-range retail eggs were carrying fewer virulence factors compared to isolates sourced from retail eggs branded as barn and cage eggs. Moreover, a very low carriage of resistance genes was detected in the isolates recovered from free-range produced eggs. The highest frequencies of non-susceptibility among selected generic E. coli isolated from retail eggs were observed against tetracycline (49%) and ampicillin (36%). We also reported the first detection of non-wild-type E. coli isolates against fluoroquinolones (ciprofloxacin) in supermarket eggs in Australia. The outcomes of these studies indicate the importance of further investigations on Salmonella and generic E. coli at the human-food of animal origin interface in WA. Findings and recommendations outlined in this thesis could be used to develop future management strategies in public health to better control of foodborne zoonotic diseases in Australia.

This paper examines franchising regulation in Australia as a case study for the analysis of regulation based on established regulatory theory. A literature review is conducted to establish and critique the theory of regulation based on the four main areas of established theory; regulatory purpose, regulatory strategies, rulemaking and enforcement. Case study data is drawn from primary source material and academic commentary on franchising regulation and presented according to the eras of franchising regulation in Australia, moving from the first proposals for legislation in the 1970s to the prescribed mandatory Franchising Code of Conduct model adopted in 1998 and refinements made to that scheme up to 2006. An analysis is then conducted on each major aspect of Australian franchising regulation using the established theoretical principles and analytical constructs available in the literature. The study concludes that the Franchising Code of Conduct regime, as a culmination of the experience gained and study undertaken in the preceding eras, is characterised by the availability of a broad range of enforcement options from harsh deterrence-oriented measures to more gentle and cooperative compliance-oriented options constituting an effective regulatory pyramid. The effectiveness of the regime is further bolstered by the presence of a credible regulatory strategy pyramid which emphasises the real possibility of escalated intervention, coupled with skilful deployment by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission as enforcement agency. The principal weakness of the scheme is identified as unnecessarily ambiguous drafting in some areas, which compromises the quality of the otherwise highly transparent ruleset. It is suggested that the choice of regulatory strategy, often a focus of superficial examinations of regulation, is largely irrelevant to the nature of the regulation, with other features such as enforcement strategy, legitimacy, and availability of credible sanctions proving much more important. A proposal for an analytical framework based on the established theory is developed based on the experience of applying that theory to the case study. While this outlined framework assists in broadening focus across the entire regulatory regime to encourage assessment of the component parts, a lack of cohesion and linkage amongst the components highlights a shortcoming in the development of regulatory theory and an opportunity for further research.

This study examined consumers' perceptions post-adoption of technology and how these perceptions affect their levels of dis/satisfaction and their continued use of technology·assisted service encounters. To this end, this study investigated the criteria that consumers in Western Australia's retail banking industry are likely to use when evaluating banking transactions involving EFTPOS, ATM, telephone, and Online banking modes. II examined whether these criteria changed with the mode of electronic banking in use and whether the significance of the criteria changed with consumers' demographic characteristics. In addition, this study explored whether consumers who use these modes of electronic banking experience the paradoxes of technology adoption identified by Mick and Foumier (1998). Previous studies have shown that when evaluating the quality of services provided by organizations and their levels of dis/satisfaction with these services. Consumers are likely to base their judgements on their perceptions of the service delivery process (Lehtinen & Lehtinen, 1982; Brogowicz, Delene, & Lyth, 1990; Dllllllher & Mattsson, 1994; Danaher & Mattsson, 1998; Gronroos, 1998; Swam:, 1998). In particular, the studies have shown that the most significant element of the service delivery process is personal contact, that Is the interactions between organisations' personnel and their customers (Sclmeider & Bowen, 1985; LeBIIUic & Nguyen, 1988; Parasuraman, Zeithaml, & Beny, 198fl; Howcroft, 1993; Donner & Dudley, 1997; Nichols, Gilbert, & Roslow, 1998; Tan, Beaumont, & Freeman, 1999; Gabbott & Hogg, 2000). However, technological advancements have meant that some service organisations have changed their service delivery processes by substituting contact personnel with service delivery technologies. Consequently, consumers have been producing and delivering services for themselves by interacting with the service delivery technologies that are available (Bancel-charensol, 1999). Researchers assert that changing the characteristics of the service delivery process can result in changes in how consumers evaluate the quality of services provided by organisations and how they assess their resulting levels of dis/satisfaction (Chase, 1978; Lovelock & Young, 1979; Gronroos, 1984; Zeithaml, Parasuraman, & Beny, 1990). As such, this study examined the effects that retail banking technologies have on consumers' evaluations of the service encounter and how these evaluations translate into usage patterns. Data were collected using qualitative and quantitative research methodologies. The minimum of the qualitative phase of the study was to identify the criteria that consumers are likely to use when evaluating their technology-based banking transactions and the paradoxes of technology adoption that they are likely to experience. Twenty in-depth interviews were conducted with consumers who reported they use at least one of the four modes of electronic banking. The interviews were tape-recorded and analysed using N.U.D.I.S.T. software. The second phase of the study examined consumers' opinions towards relevant criteria identified in the qualitative phase and the effect these criteria have on consumers' use of the four modes of el«1ronic banking. Data for this stage were collected through a mail survey questionnaire that was mailed out to a sample of 1700 Western Australians. In total, 453 useable questionnaires were returned. The data were imported into SPSS v. 10 and analysed using non-parametric statistics. This study showed that consumers are likely to evaluate their electronic banking service encounters on the basis of perceived convenience, transaction aids available, and perceived risk. The findings also indicate that these criteria have sub dimensions. Perceived convenience relates to the perceived ease of transactions, perceived speed of transactions, and accessibility to consumers' transaction accounts from different locations and beyond the bank's traditional operating hours. The transaction aids include the voice prompts available with telephone banking and the visual cues available with Online banking. Perceived risk dimensions include psychological, performance, financial, and physical risks. The present study also showed that some criteria have a greater effect on consumers' use of some modes of electronic banking than others. For instance, in regards to voice prompts, psychological and performance risks appeared to have an effect on the number of tell-phone banking transactions consumers are likely to conduct. Consumers who use electronic banking can experience six of the eight paradoxes of technology adoption identified by Mick and Fournier (199g): freedom/enslavement, control/chaos, engaging/disengaging, efficiency/inefficiency, fulfils/create needs, and competence/incompetence. The findings showed that in most case one side of the paradox dominates. It appears that existing theories, instruments, and techniques of evaluating the service encounter need to be adapted to be applicable to technology-assisted service encounter;. Specifically, these theories, instruments, and techniques need to minimise or exclude elements that require consumers to evaluate their interactions with and perceptions of organisations' customer service personnel and replace them with dimensions relating to consumers’ interactions with the technologies that facilitate the service delivery process. However, an exception needs to be made for technology-assisted service encounters conducted using the telephone because in these service encounters consumers can access organisations' customer service representatives, The findings were used to propose the TASE (technology-assisted service encounters) model, which includes items relating to the three main dimensions of perceived convenience, transaction aids, and perceived risk. The TASE model can be adapted and used to measure consumers’ evaluation of the service delivery processes of organisations in various service industries. The findings of this study have significant managerial applications. Organisations can use these findings to assess the viability of commercial technologies that they intend to implement by examining consumers' perceptions of new technologies based on the relevant criteria and paradoxes identified in this study. In addition, organizations can use these findings to develop promotional strategies that address consumers' concerns about using technology-based service delivery options in order to encourage them to participate more in the service delivery process. In addition the proposed T ASE model can be used to develop an instrument for measuring consumers' levels of dis/satisfaction with technology-based service encounters in general.

Food safety is one of the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) top ten priorities (WHO 2008). The WHO (1999a) estimates that the incidence of diarrhoeal diseases alone is 4000 million cases per year worldwide indicating serious underlying food safety problems. WHO (1999a) also advises that contaminated food contributes to 1.5 billion cases of diarrhoea in children each year, resulting in more than three million premature deaths. These food-borne deaths and illnesses are shared by both developed and developing nations (Centre for Science in the Public Interest 2005). Food poisoning remains a significant public health issue for Australia (Australia New Zealand Food Authority (ANZFA) 1996), with an estimated 4.2 million individual cases of food-borne illness in Australia per year, resulting in a total annual cost to Australia of approximately $2.7 billion per year (Queensland Health 1999; ANZFA 1999b). Unofficial estimates of the number of food-borne illness cases in Queensland in 2002 are between 1.6 million and 1.9 million cases per year. Internationally the WHO has called for more systematic and aggressive steps to be taken to significantly reduce the risk of food-borne diseases (WHO 2008). Nationally the federal government states that the most important reason for introducing food safety reform in Australia is the need to reduce the national incidence of food-borne illness (Roche 2002). The Queensland government has adviseded that it is committed to food safety in the food supply chain from source to consumption (Queensland Health 2000). Australia’s food hygiene regulatory system costs government $18.6 million (net) to enforce and small business $337 million in compliance costs per year, and yet 11,500 consumers contract food-borne disease every day (ANZFA 1999b). Federal, state and territory governments throughout Australia have all acknowledged that this is unacceptable. A reduction in food-borne illness of just 20% would result in an annual saving to the Australian community of over $500 million (ANZFA 1999a), as well as reducing human mortality, morbidity and suffering. To improve the safety of our food, reduce food-borne illness and to assist Australia develop a thriving food industry, the federal, state and territory governments agreed on a series of national food safety reforms (Queensland Health 2000; ANZFA 1999a). But this is not an easy task. The food industry is one of Australia’s major employers with an estimated 131,500 food businesses throughout the country and an annual retail turnover in 1996-1997 of $41 billion (Queensland Health May 1999). In Queensland there are approximately 30,000 registered food businesses (Queensland Health 2004). The majority of these are small food businesses. Owners of small food businesses face considerable challenges to be successful. To improve food safety levels, a number of challenges must be faced and overcome by the both the food industry and government at all levels...<br>Thesis (Masters)<br>Master of Philosophy (MPhil)<br>Griffith School of Environment<br>Science, Environment, Engineering and Technology<br>Full Text

There is almost universal concern for the current state of the environment and how it will degrade further if there are not global changes to how people live day to day. Australia lags behind other developed countries in the realm of sustainable development. One of the most widely used frameworks in designing for sustainability is the triple bottom line (TBL) defined by economist John Elkington. This perspective affords equal importance to the environment, economics and society. However, very little design research has a TBL focus and even less has focused on the role of interior designers. In industry, the rating tools, and resources used to assist interior designers in making their practice more sustainable are complicated, require specialised training, and have an emphasis on environmental sustainability with little consideration of social or economic concerns. This study aims to close the above-mentioned research gap by concentrating on sustainability issues with a TBL focus for interior design. The focus is on small, local retail businesses where financial concerns and social implications are of the utmost importance to business owners, and environmental impacts are particularly negative because of the high frequency of renovations. Additionally, aesthetics plays an important role in the success of the shop interior which is explored in the context of sustainability. This project uses case studies, through creative practice, to explore the application and practicality of TBL in retail design. All three case studies were women’s clothes shops close to central Perth in Western Australia. The focus of the research is on small practitioners, without the resources to improve the sustainability of their businesses through the use of complex rating systems. The fitouts of each shop were updated from a TBL perspective. The design process of each case study was visually recorded, as well as observations, interviews and customer feedback, as a way of gauging the success of the TBL approach.

The broad objective of this study is to examine how assortment factors and category performance are related within the context of specialty retailing. This study formulates two clusters of research questions. The first cluster of research questions focuses on product assortment in general, for example assortment variety and composition. The second cluster of research questions concentrates on a specific area of product assortment, that is, private label products. An organic retailer in Australia collaborates by providing its assortment records and sales reports. The Australian organic retailing industry is an ideal candidate for this study for 1) it is specialty retailing, and 2) the supply situation allows organic retailers considerable flexibility to experiment with different assortment compositions. This study analyses store level cross sub category data and, to supplement this, it conducts a qualitative study and collects field data. Included in the cross sub category analyses are approximately 140 to 180 organic sub categories. The results show that assortment variety has a positive influence on sub category sales. The strength of this positive relationship varies across different sub category types, for example food or non-food. For the private label analyses, the results show that, within the focal store, private label SKUs are more likely to be present in sub categories with larger sales and with supermarket competition present. This study also finds that a deeper manufacturer brand assortment hurts private label performance. This study contributes to a body of cross category empirical generalisations about the complex decisions retailers face by examining the effects of assortment decisions within the context of specialty retailing. It provides some clear empirical evidence for how assortment factors and sub category performance are related through an empirical investigation in a bricks and mortar retail environment. In addition, it tests the generalisability of extant private label research beyond the much discussed conventional supermarket industry and convenience consumer goods contexts. Keywords: assortment, private label, store brand, specialty retailing, cross category, sub category, empirical investigation, organic retailing, Australia

La banquise antarctique a subi une réduction brutale en 2016, après plus de quatre décennies d'une lente augmentation. Une telle évolution pourrait avoir de larges conséquences, compte tenu de l'importance de la banquise antarctique pour le climat, l'océan et l'écosystème marin polaire local. Pourtant, les modèles climatiques ne parviennent pas à reproduire les changements observés, laissant planer une incertitude considérable quant à leur origine et à leurs conséquences. Cette déficience des modèles est en partie due à une mauvaise compréhension des processus fondamentaux liés à la banquise antarctique. Dans cette thèse, nous contribuons à faire progresser cette compréhension, en adoptant une perspective saisonnière. Les processus moteurs de l'avancée et du retrait saisonniers de la banquise sont explorés. En particulier, les rôles possibles d'un préconditionnement thermodynamique, des flux de chaleur air-glace-mer et de la dynamique de la banquise sont étudiés. Nous montrons, dans l'état moyen, que les dates d'avancée et de retrait de la banquise sont largement contrôlées par des processus thermodynamiques, à travers un préconditionnement respectif du contenu thermique de la couche de mélange et de l'épaisseur de la banquise. Les variations des flux de chaleur air-glace-mer et la dynamique de la banquise ont une importance significative mais secondaire. Ces conclusions sont étayées par un modèle thermodynamique simple, des analyses d'observations et un modèle glace-océan (NEMO). Nous montrons également que les changements récents dans la saisonnalité de la banquise sont principalement dus à des processus thermodynamiques, comme pour l'état moyen. La réduction de la banquise antarctique suivant l'année 2016 coïncide avec un recul plus précoce et une avancée plus tardive de la banquise, à l'échelle quasi-circompolaire. Notre analyse relie ces changements à une glace plus fine en hiver, une fonte plus rapide au printemps et un océan de surface plus chaud en été, en accord avec les processus de la rétroaction glace-albédo. L'empreinte circumpolaire de ces changements leur suggère une cause océanique<br>Antarctic sea ice has undergone an abrupt reduction in 2016, following more than four decades of a slow increase. This could have wide-ranging consequences given the importance of Antarctic sea ice for climate, ocean, and local ecosystem. Yet, climate models fail to capture this observed evolution, leaving considerable uncertainty regarding its origin, impacts and future evolution. Models failure relates, but not only, to a poor understanding of fundamental Antarctic sea ice processes. In this thesis, we contribute to progress understanding of Antarctic sea ice, adopting a seasonal perspective. We investigate the drivers of seasonal sea ice edge advance and retreat, analyzing the roles of thermodynamic preconditioning, air-ice-sea heat fluxes and sea ice dynamics. We show that, in the mean state, timings of ice edge advance and retreat are largely controlled by thermodynamics, via preconditioning from mixed layer heat content and sea ice thickness, respectively. Variations in air-ice-sea heat fluxes and sea ice dynamics have a significant but secondary importance. This conclusion is supported by a simple thermodynamic model, observational analyses and the NEMO ice-ocean model. We also show that recent changes in sea ice seasonality are mainly driven by thermodynamics, similar to the mean state. The reduction in Antarctic sea ice following 2016 coincides with nearly circumpolar earlier retreat and later advance of the ice edge. Our analysis links these changes to thinner ice in winter, faster melt in spring and warmer upper ocean in summer, in line with ice-albedo feedback processes. Based on the circumpolar footprint of these changes, we argue that they likely have an oceanic origin

Franchisor failure is one of the most problematic areas of the franchise relationship. It impacts negatively on landlords and other suppliers, but the contracting parties that are currently without legal rights to respond when a franchisor fails, and thus without consumer protection, are its franchisees. In this thesis I explore the current contractual, regulatory and commercial environment that franchisees inhabit, within the context of franchisor failure. I conclude that ex ante there are opportunities to level the playing field through consumer protection legislation. I also conclude that the task is not one solely for the consumer protection legislation; the problem should also be addressed ex post through the Corporations Act.

The purpose of this thesis is the academic study of customer perceptions of the avocado and buying behavior in the Austrian retail market. By using the framework of the Total Food Quality Model (Brunsø et al, 2002), perceptional aspects like search attributes, experience attributes, credence attributes, beliefs and familiarity, but also social and socio demographic aspects were analyzed. Results from collected quantitative and qualitative data show overlaps but also significant differences from conventional literature and market studies from similar markets. Furthermore, results show important aspects to consider for retail and connecting factors for future research.<br>A tese que se apresenta tem como objetivo o estudo das perceções do cliente sobre o abacate e qual o comportamento de compra no comércio de retalho Austríaco. Analisaram-se, com base no Modelo de Qualidade Alimentar Total (Total Food Quality Model), aspetos percetuais tais como, atributos de procura, de experiência, de credibilidade, de convicção, familiaridade, assim como aspetos sociodemográficos. Com recurso a técnicas de pesquisa quantitativa e qualitativa, obtiveram-se resultados que, apesar de indicarem existência de algumas sobreposições, mostram diferenças significativas relativamente à literatura e estudos de mercados existentes sobre mercados semelhantes. Conclui-se que os resultados obtidos expõem aspetos importantes a ter em conta no mercado de retalho, gerando ainda alguns fatores a considerar para investigações futuras.

All sociological traditions recognise the importance of the labour market in the shaping of advantage and disadvanatge in society. However, sociological research has often centred on describing how factors internal to the workplace, such as the labour process, contribute to patterns of disadvantage. One aspect of the labour market operations which has received scant attention in the sociological literature is the different types of tenure attached to different jobs. This thesis considers factors which affect job tenure. The broad context in which patterns of job tenure are created is discussed. The study then narrows its focus to discuss one industry in one place: the retail industry in Australia. Data collected by the Australian Bureau of Statistics are used to present a broad picture of trends in the labour market in the 1980s with respect to job tenure. Data from the Affirmative Action Agency are used to describe patterns of job tenure within the retail industry which are associated with particular firm characteristics. Interviews with retail managers and employees are used to identify some of the social and cultural factors which have affected patterns of job tenure in the retail industry. Finally, two government initiatives are discussed with respect to their likely impact on job tenure in the industry. Changes to the major retail awards are documented and their likely impact on job tenure in the industry are discussed. Government records and interviews with store level managers are used to build a picture of the likely affects of some government sponsored training programs on job tenure in the industry. It is concluded that a convergence to a single pattern of job tenure, as predicted by writers such as Atkinson (1986) and Michon (1987)jis unlikely. Social and cultural factors are found to affect patterns of job tenure in the retail industry to a greater extent than the labour market literature would suggest.

One of the defining features on 20th century American cityscapes is the rise and subsequent fall of auto-oriented suburban retail centers. The indoor mall and suburban strip center were once ubiquitous facets of suburban life, but in many places their lifespan and popularity have reached an end and are now referred to as “greyfields.” The purpose of this report will seek to document and explain the rise, fall and ultimate methods of regeneration of suburban, auto-oriented retail centers. This report will examine two case studies, Mizner Plaza (Boca Raton, FL) and Washingtonian Center (Gaithersburg, MD), to demonstrate the larger narrative of suburban shopping center redevelopment approaches. This report will need to articulate the birth, life cycle, and decline of the suburban, auto-oriented retail center using established shopping center and greyfield literature. The report will be comprised of three parts with the first outlining the characteristics, challenges and indicators of failing “greyfield” retail centers. The second part of this report will explore three types of greyfield redevelopment strategies (as anticipated through findings): a. New placemaking (the lifestyle, town center approach). b. New development improvements. c. An adaptive reuse of existing facilities. Thirdly, considering these three types of strategies, suggestions for redevelopment will be recommended for the Gateway shopping center, a declining “big box” power center in Austin, Texas.<br>text

Despite its close proximity to downtown, East Austin is one of the underprivileged and under-developed areas in the City of Austin. Ethnic minorities and low-income persons in inner-city areas often lack access to big box retail due to these stores being disproportionately located outside of their neighborhoods. The aim of this study is to identify the current accessibility of big box retail for East Austin’s residents in order to confirm the potential impacts of big box retail growth on minority and lowincome populations. Using GIS-based network analysis, it is possible to measure whether the residents in East Austin have equal access to big box retail stores, as compare to other Austin areas. Although residents in East Austin have greater accessibility to other neighborhood-type retail like drug stores, small-format value stores, and supermarkets, they must travel farther to access community-type retail like home improvement stores,department stores, large-format value stores. Moreover, these populations have access to fewer cars, and must rely on public transit. Socio-economic characteristics of East Austin include a high percentage of individuals living below the poverty line, high disability rates, low to no vehicle ownership, and high percentages of female headed households. Finally, the study proposes new mixed-use, mixed-income development models as a way to improve retail access to minority and low-income population.<br>text

Since the mid 1980s, the Australian VET system has experienced significant reforms in terms of policies and regulatory frameworks, resulting in a system characterised by demand-side requirements that seek to cater to the needs of industry and employers. These reforms were instigated by a perceived change in Australia’s international competitiveness and an overall lack of flexibility that hindered productivity and technological advancements. This thesis draws upon research into the changes in VET policy and the implications for management strategy within the retail industry. It discusses the key elements of the contemporary VET system and outlines the nature and introduction of the National Training Package in Retail. Evidence from case study research into three large Australian retail organisations is presented as a means of contrasting employer experiences in the implementation of retail traineeships. The case studies highlight the different ways the same structural system can be adapted and utilised across different organisations with various degrees of success. In analysing the changes in VET policy and the implications for management strategy in the retail industry it is evident that the outcomes of implementing traineeships will be reliant on the strategic choices made by the employers.<br>Master of Commerce (Hons)

Since the mid 1980s, the Australian VET system has experienced significant reforms in terms of policies and regulatory frameworks, resulting in a system characterised by demand-side requirements that seek to cater to the needs of industry and employers. These reforms were instigated by a perceived change in Australia’s international competitiveness and an overall lack of flexibility that hindered productivity and technological advancements. This thesis draws upon research into the changes in VET policy and the implications for management strategy within the retail industry. It discusses the key elements of the contemporary VET system and outlines the nature and introduction of the National Training Package in Retail. Evidence from case study research into three large Australian retail organisations is presented as a means of contrasting employer experiences in the implementation of retail traineeships. The case studies highlight the different ways the same structural system can be adapted and utilised across different organisations with various degrees of success. In analysing the changes in VET policy and the implications for management strategy in the retail industry it is evident that the outcomes of implementing traineeships will be reliant on the strategic choices made by the employers.

Anecdotal and other evidence indicates that public attitudes to retail banks have been affected by changes in banking practices. There is a perceived gap between the public statements by banks as to services offered and customers' expectations and experience. By being "authorised" under legislation to operate, banks are seen to occupy a special position within the business community in Australia. The banking industry has stated that any negative attitudes to retails banks will be corrected once customers understand the need for change. "From summary"<br>(Doctor of Business Administration)

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a next generation of Internet connected devices and sensors embedded within information and communication technology (ICT) systems in a digitally-enabled environment. It supports supply chain process integration by capturing and transferring key information in real-time. Integrating emerging IoT into the current legacy of ICT systems is unique because of its intelligent, autonomous and pervasive applications. While the impact of ICT-enabled supply chain integration (SCI) in improving firm performance is extensively researched, empirical studies on emerging IoT technologies in integrating supply chain processes is limited. It remains overly rhetoric in literature for its inherent benefits. Thus, it raises a question of whether IoT technologies have the capability to integrate supply chain processes and influence the supply chain performance through the power of data capture and exchange. Therefore, drawing on organisational capability theory, this empirical study develops a holistic model to investigate the effect of IoT capabilities on multiple dimensions of supply chain process integration (e.g. suppliers, customers and internal functions), and, its effect on supply chain performance and, ultimately, firm performance. A mixed methods approach was employed. Cross-sectional survey data from 227 Australian retail firms was analysed using structural equation modeling (SEM), and the results were validated with 13 in-depth interviews with managers from the retail industry. The SEM results reveal that IoT capability is perceived to have a positive influence on internal and external (e.g. customer and supplier) process integration that, in turn, positively affects supply chain and firm performance. Further, IoT-enabled external integration was perceived to influence supply chain performance significantly more than IoT-enabled internal integration. Qualitative analysis supports the quantitative findings above and reveals that IoT capability improves supply chain visibility, auto-capture, intelligence, and information sharing resulting in greater SCI, to influence supply chain performance dimensions of cost, quality, delivery and flexibility, to effect firm’s economic, environmental and social criteria. In terms of theory, this study contributes to SCI and IoT literature by providing an empirical support for IoT-enabled SCI and demonstrating how it helps to integrate the internal and external (supplier and customer) logistics functions that can enhance both supply chain performance and firm performance. The use of organisational capability theory offers a new perspective on the benefits of emerging IoT capability in achieving SCI in relation to data capture and communication in the supply chain for performance improvement. Practically, the study provides insight for managers to understand the potential of IoT technologies in the form of supplier and customer integration into a firm’s internal logistics functions. The study shows that managers developing IoT-enabled SCI capability can reap the benefits in the supply chain and in firm performance. Higher level of SCI needs the support of newly emerged IoT technologies such as RFID, sensors and smartphone and device applications to capture and transfer data for intelligent and timely decision making. To achieve greater benefits of IoT in an integration context, managers must stretch their focus from isolated organisational management to the entire supply chain perspective.