The sudden squabble for courses in retail management is directly due to the boom in the growth and investment in this sector. Universities and colleges were the first to see the need for efficient retail managers and as such courses specializing in this were started by a number of institutions throughout the world. Nowadays, retail management is the most sought-after degree. With malls and stores mushrooming like weeds, the prospect of a retail manager falls on the brighter side. The job of a retail manager basically involves facilitating the efficient distribution of goods from the manufacturer to the distributer. He or she has the responsibility of not only ensuring that the goods are there for the consumers, but also gauging their taste and preference. In this way, he or she ensures that the manufacturers increase their profit and the customers feel satisfied. Read below to learn more on the courses in retail management.
Courses In Retail Management
Eligibility
Most of the universities offer retail management in the postgraduate level. The main eligibility criterion for this is a bachelor’s degree in any discipline from a recognized university. Students can also do a bachelor’s degree in retail management. For this, they have to complete their education up to the 10+2 level or any such equivalent. Students with a diploma in retail management, which is equivalent to the graduate degree, can also seek admission in the postgraduate courses. It should be mentioned that those with significant work experience are generally given more preference for this course. Students will also be given preference over their scores in the aptitude test conducted either by the concerned university or a national level board.
Details Of The Course Curriculum
The course is designed to impart the latest domain of knowledge in the field of management and communication. Depending upon the institute, the course also includes training, consultancy and joint research. This will help the students to prepare themselves with the rigor and conceptualization inherent in this field. The students will also acquire a feel of retail organizational culture and the nuances in the current retail scenario. This course also equips the student with research, consumer insights, brand and marketing strategies, evaluation of the media options, sales and distribution channels, advertising and also data and information analytics. The other topics that are an inherent component of this course is retail marketing skills, retail environment, retail operations, retail operations and functions, merchandising consumer behavior and customer service and concepts.
Specialization
The retail industry is diverse and dynamic. To excel in this field, students should have a business focused degree so that they can fill the professional, supervisory or managerial roles. As such, they can undertake separate specializations in various business disciplines like management, marketing, human resources, organizational communications and finance.
Skills Required
Though most of the skills required are taught by the course, the student also needs certain fundamental skills so that he or she can excel in this field. The first, of course, is that the student should have excellent communication skills, both verbal and written so that he or she can facilitate in the day to day running of the store. The student should also be a good listener and speaker so that he or she can effectively communicate with the customers. Organizational skills, multi-tasking and basic problem solving skills are an added bonus. This will also help the student to work under pressure and meet deadlines. It need not be said that retail managers should also have a good personality.
Career Prospects
The retail industry is witnessing an unprecedented boom and in coming years the need for qualified retail managers is only going to rise. A degree in retail management will prepare the student for a full fledged career in retail. The career options in retail are quite vast. The student can find employment in positions like retail store manager, retail merchandizing, mall management, corporate planning, customer relationship management, purchasing manager and others in a number of stores, malls and retail chains. Retail managers are also hired in health and education as these sectors are increasingly trying to pander their services to consumers.
Some Of The Best Institutes Offering This Course Globally
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Birla Institute of Management technology, India
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Indian Retail School, India
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Indian Institute of Retail, India
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The Retail Academy, India
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University of Arkansas, Walton Business School Center for Retailing Excellence, USA
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University of Santa Clara, Leavey School of Business Retail Management Institute, USA
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Aberdeen Business School, UK
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Oxford Institute of Retail management, UK
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Kingston University, UK
