Retailing is an important and vibrant sector of the Scottish economy and yet despite its contribution to everyday life, sparse and incomplete data collection and a lack of national focus inhibit the understanding of the sector in Scotland. There are features of the Sector which are different from elsewhere and which reflect Scottish life and culture.

The CSRS seeks to address this shortfall by developing new database and research facilities to allow long-term and in-depth study of retailing in Scotland.

In addition to specific research projects, the Centre is amenable to the undertaking of other areas of retail research and invites parties interested in commissioning the services of the Centre to contact us.

The Centre has three primary objectives:

1. Creation and Maintenance of a Retail Database for Scotland

The data facility will collate existing sources of information and generate a comprehensive Scottish database. In addition to the reconfiguration and co-ordination of existing data, the feasibility of a new data provision is being investigated in three main project areas. Further details of these main projects can be found in the CSRS Research area of this site.

 

2. Creating a Community of Researchers in Scotland

Direct and remote access to the proposed new datasets and facilities will provide a basis for a community of researchers to undertake new research on retailing in Scotland.

 

3. Training of Future Researchers in Retailing

The Centre will create a core doctoral programme for PhD students interested in the study of retailing in Scotland. Specialist courses will be developed and students will have access to CSRS datasets, archive material and research facilities.

 

The University of Stirling, founded in the late 1960s, accommodates the Institute for Retail Studies. Based in the Department of Marketing in the Faculty of Management, the IRS was established in 1983 to act as a focus for the study of the retail industry.Research at the IRS includes retail strategy; retail marketing; international retailing; logistics management; retail location; comparative retailing and; retail employment and training.

 

Link to Institute for Retail Studies