Brand management within the retailing industry incorporates retailer brand management, owned and private label brands, vertically-integrated brands, and marketing of branded merchandise and services. Explore brand positioning, brand identity, the planning and implementing of brand marketing programs, growing and sustaining brand equity, and the brand issues and challenges commonly faced by retail brand managers and merchants.
Intermediate retail business analysis using Microsoft Excel and other computer applications. Identify, define, assess, and apply business analysis techniques and practice competencies important to retail business analysis, including forecasting, sensitivity analysis, data management, and data visualization. This lab is designed to support the learning objectives and related activities in RCSC 316 Retail Business Analysis.
Develop competencies essential in retail business analysis. Explore the fundamentals of business analysis and apply analysis techniques in retail situations, including basic financial performance analysis, pro-forma financial projections, business model simulation, sensitivity analysis, and return on investment (ROI) analysis. Particular attention will be given to practical techniques used by business analysts in the retailing industry.
Apply integrated marketing communications (IMC) in the retail environment. Explore the IMC planning process to effectively use advertising, public relations, direct marketing, sales promotion, personal selling, visual merchandising, and digital/social media. Research, create, organize, and present marketing communication campaigns.
Contemporary concepts, principles, and practices of retail operations management. Real-world cases and perspectives for store, digital, and omnichannel retailing. Topics include operations strategy, process design, capacity planning, inventory control, loss prevention, and project management. The topics are integrated using the retail profit model and a systems model of the operations of a retail organization.
Real-world industry practices in retail buying, planning, allocation, and control. Forecast customer needs and determine how to maximize profit by utilizing the industry data, analytics, and intuition. This course also covers pricing, inventory planning, negotiation, merchandise promotions, and vendor management.
Personal and professional development for RCSC students. This course prepares students to apply for internships and to enter the workforce by providing tools and resources for internship and career success. Topics include personal branding, professional dress, resumes, cover letters, and success factors in interviews and internships.
Explore consumer behavior and the decision-making processes involved when individuals or groups, select, purchase, use or dispose of products and services to satisfy needs and desires. Discuss consumer behavior theories and practical applications of the concepts to real-world consumption activities.
Survey of financial concepts and principles in the context of the consumer marketplace and retailing business. Students will use economic theory and financial analysis to relate consumer actions, business decisions, and financial performance. Topics include demand and supply, price elasticity, consumer choice, and profit maximization, along with accounting principles, financial statement analysis, and business opportunity evaluation.
This introduction to Microsoft Excel for merchandising and retail buying decision making includes the use of basic mathematical operations, formulas and functions, formatting, and creating charts and graphs. This lab is designed to support the learning objectives and related activities in RCSC 205: Merchandise Planning and Control.