02.02.10: Inspiration and Motivation

At the CZ Retail Summit 2010 Prof. Goetz W. Werner, founder of the health and beauty chain “dm” explained as a key note speaker his philosophy about leadership: “leadership comes from the individual store where the personnel meets daily with 1.8 million contacts to satisfy customers - the central headquarter has to give the frame and freedom to take the right decisions at the store-level”. Starting with the first store in 1973 in Karlsruhe/Germany the dm-group today has 2,221 dm stores in 11 European countries with a total turnover of 5.21 billion Euro in 2009.

At the photo from left to right Prof. G.Werner, Prof. Dr. Hindls/rector VSE Prague, B.Krasna/blueevents and Prof. Dr. B.Hallier. “Retail and People” was also the topic of a special slot with P.Adam/Ahold, A.Borej/Makro, Prof. B.Hallier, J. Nussbauer/dm, P.Mare /KCH International and M.Vasjskebr/Spengler Fox.
 

28.01.10: Benchmarking Junior Scientists

Initiated by Leed Metropolitan University together with 5 partner universities a Center for International Research in Consumers Location and their Environment (CIRCLE) had been founded. Its annual conference had taken place in 2004 in the UK, 2005 in Liechtenstein, 2006 in Croatia, 2007 in Italy, 2008 in Cyprus , 2009 in Austria – in 2010 it will be in Portugal.

The CIRCLE conferences have two major goals:

• to check recent development in consumer behaviour and retailing
• to provide the opportunity for young scholars, practitioners and PhD students to have their work validated and benchmarked within the benevolent academic and professional community of colleagues from different international contexts.

18.01.2010: From Info to Research

Founded in February 2005 by 10 institutions from 6 countries under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Bernd Hallier the European Retail Academy in January 2010 is an international worldwide academic network of 151 institutions from 49 territories.

While in this first phase ERA was mainly a B2B-platform in the internet to promote the Bologna Process, now in phase 2 several multinational Leonardo-research-projects are on the way! Strategically important is also the establishment of an European Center for Vocational Training (Retail/Wholesale) in 2009 by ERA and partners. Now ERA/EuCVoT can offer a combined platform for life-long-learning.

Last but not least ERA with the AgribusinessForum, Forum Art Business, Urban Revitalization established sector-platforms and as special theme the Environmental Retail Management.
 

04.01.2010: EuroCIS: confirming success

Founded in 1997 together by the Duesseldorf Fair and the EHI Retail Institute the leading exhibition in Europe for IT and security technology EuroCIS also in 2010 continues its success story. In December 2009 already 148 exhibitors from 17 countries signed more than 5.000 square meters exhibition space.

Beside the exhibition EuroCIS offers again conferences and award-ceremonies: among them are the EHI-Science-Award for PhD, MA and BA theses (see picture: EHI-Award Committee meeting in the Essl-Art Museum in Vienna/Austria) and the retail technology awards Europe.

24.12.2009: Sectoral Social Dialogue

As European Social Partners for Commerce, UNI-Europa and EuroCommerce have conducted a structured social dialogue since the 1980’s. This dialogue has developed into being one of the most active in any sectors or industries. During these years, the social partners for commerce have adopted joint positions on a large number of issues that are important both for the commerce and distribution industry itself and for the people working in it. The dialogue itself has contributed to creating an environment in European commerce where fundamental rights and principles at work are generally respected and where social dialogue is increasing as a means of setting a balance between economic and social interests.

In a meeting in Brussels under the leadership of Heinrich Wollny/EU Commission supported by Stelios Stavridis/EuroCommerce and Fabrice Warneck/Uni-Europa Commerce Jean–Francois Lebrun/GD EMPL reported about the anticipation of skills in retail/wholesale – while Prof. Dr. B.Hallier introduced as a solution the European Competence Center for Vocational Training as an European catalyst for national competence centers. O.Stieper/Metro and P.Zeller/bkal informed about the road show in Poland.