IACD 2014 - International Academic Conference (IACD)

The dynamics of the retail sector are proving elemental to the development a number of economies internationally. Yet the protracted nature of the global recession coupled with a lack of stability in capital markets has caused considerable discomfort. Those operating in the retail sector face additional challenges from over-regulation, exchange rate volatility and the vagaries of macroeconomic imbalances. Yet for all these difficulties the retail sector remains remarkably robust and often at the forefront of innovation.
Well established investment and retail markets have already begun to adapt to cope with permanent shifts in consumer spending and behaviour. In emerging markets a wealth of opportunities has opened up for those endeavouring to meet a seemingly insatiable appetite for goods and services. Online retail has presented a whole new area that for many has democratised the market place and opened are markets that formally could never have been accessed. The emerging giants of Brazil, China and India are demanding greater attention and ensuring that practitioners and academics alike invest more time and resources in understanding where their economies are at and how they will shape future strategies.