Lean Retail and Wholesale: Use Lean to Survive (and Thrive!) in the New Global Economy with Its Higher Operating Expenses, Increase Competition, and Diminished Consumer Loyalty

Lean Retail and Wholesale: Use Lean to Survive (and Thrive!) in the New Global Economy with Its Higher Operating Expenses, Increase Competition, and Diminished Consumer Loyalty

<h4>Best practices for implementing Lean techniques in retail and wholesale</h4> <p>“Essential reading for those who want to learn how Lean provides a competitive edge in today’s fast-paced, multi-channel, and cost-conscious environment.” --Mark Temkin, Director, Demand Planning, Barnes & Noble, Inc.</p> <p> “Provides an enlightening perspective on the applications of Lean principles to the increasingly challenging worlds of the retail and wholesale sectors.” --Professor C. John Langley, Jr., Penn State University</p> <p>Featuring real-world case studies, this practical, streamlined guide reveals how utilize a comprehensive Lean methodology throughout retail and wholesale businesses to reduce costs and improve productivity, quality, customer service, and profitability. <i>Lean Retail and Wholesale</i> examines Lean opportunities from the viewpoint of retail strategy, merchandise management, and store and distribution operations and provides a holistic, systematic approach for identifying and eliminating non-value-added activities. The Lean techniques presented can be applied to traditional brick-and-mortar wholesalers and retailers as well as e-businesses.</p> <p>Coverage includes:</p> <ul> <li>Using Lean as a tool to survive and thrive in retail and wholesale</li> <li>(R)evolution of retail--from the general store to e-commerce</li> <li>The Lean journey from goods to services</li> <li>Lean retail and wholesale: early signs of promise</li> <li>Basic Lean concepts and tools: building a solid foundation</li> <li>Advanced Lean concepts and tools: K.I.S.S. (keep it simple and straightforward)</li> <li>Retail strategy: sales and marketing, location, human resources management, IT, supply chain management, and customer relationship management</li> <li>Merchandise management: planning, buying, pricing, and communications</li> <li>Store operations management</li> <li>Lean retail and wholesale distribution</li> <li>Lean assessments and value stream mapping</li> <li>Leadership, culture, teams, and training</li> <li>Partnering, outsourcing, import, technology, and Six Sigma</li> <li>Critical thinking and continuous improvement: methodology, education, training, and analytics</li> <li>Defining and measuring success—measurements and current statistics</li> <li>The road ahead: thoughts and suggestions on the future of Lean in retail and wholesale</li> </ul>