Blog for Masters & MBAs | EADA
  • The EADA Experience
  • Alumni Stories
  • Life in Barcelona
  • Admissions & Financing
No Result
View All Result
Blog for Masters & MBAs | EADA
  • The EADA Experience
  • Alumni Stories
  • Life in Barcelona
  • Admissions & Financing
No Result
View All Result
Masters & MBAs | EADA
No Result
View All Result

Alexis Mavrommatis, Director of the EADA Centre for Retail Leadership, explains EADA’s focus on retail

March 31, 2016
in Life in Barcelona
0 0
Home Life in Barcelona
34
SHARES
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on LinkedIn

Alexis MavrommatisFive years ago, EADA set up the Centre for Retail Leadership with the aim of generating and transmitting knowledge in this sector as well as promoting a range of activities including providing training to companies and professionals and research in retail.

How did you come up with the idea for this new project?

With our prior expertise in the retail sector, we detected a series of unmet training needs. We realised that there were many companies in this sector that were growing but that didn’t have professionals with the right training to take on positions of responsibility. So, we decided to set up this centre with a three-pronged objective: to generate knowledge in retail through academic and applied research, to share this information through training programmes, and to create a broader community to discuss retail related issues.

How have the first five years of the project gone?

The response has been good. Don’t forget that this is the first training centre focused exclusively on retail, which gives us a competitive advantage when it comes to speaking with companies. What’s more, we are supplementing this service by contributing new knowledge. In fact, we carry out a study every year. For example, last year’s study was on the environmental awareness of purchasers and this year’s is on consumer digitalisation. In addition to this, we want to organise workshops called Retail Leadership Workshops. These will be half-day workshops to share information with the sector’s main stakeholders.

What kinds of profiles do the professionals who come to the Centre have?

In the retail world, there are two types of profiles: students looking for a temporary job and who then leave the company; and people who stay on but do not have the appropriate training. Over time, the latter get promoted because of the practical know-how they have gained through years of experience. However, we have detected that they have a tremendous gap in certain areas such as decision-making, people management and financial expertise. Therefore, our Centre tries to address these needs by catering primarily to intermediate posts.

How do you train these people?

A year ago, we carried out a study on the essential competencies for working in retailing, which we grouped into three blocks: knowledge of the business (customer managements, finance, etc.); people management (motivation, team management, etc.); and knowledge of oneself (communication, flexibility, adaptability, frustration management, etc.). We then proceeded to develop each of these aspects, but always adapting them to the company culture.

What are the distinguishing characteristics of people management in this sector?

Nowadays this market is undergoing big changes — due to competition from e-commerce — to such an extent that the only way that stores can contribute added value is through the people who work in them. In other words, the human factor and dealing with customers make the big difference. In order to achieve this, however, these workers need to feel motivated to improve their customer service.

And how can you motivate these people when their working conditions are not the best?

It’s true that traditionally, the working hours, salary and geographical mobility of these types of positions didn’t make things easy, but I believe that this is changing. I am increasingly coming across retail firms for whom this has become something strategic. People are no longer regarded as a cost and are viewed more and more as a very important asset. And what they are doing is involving staff in the point of sale and making them feel identified with the brand and the company culture. Our role as a Centre is precisely that: to try to transmit excellence through transformation and to help companies to undertake this process properly.

What role does the store manager play in this transformation process?

It is absolutely essential that store managers identify with the culture and values of the brand. After that, the rest of the transformation can be accomplished through training. In this respect, retailers need to be clear about two things: coherence and consistency with their decisions. For example, one company that has accomplished this is Mercadona. Mercadona decided from the start to offer its workers full-time instead of part-time contracts. Just by doing this, it increased motivation in the store.

What does the sector have to offer that attracts people to work in it?

As a business school, we have many young students who love the sector for two main reasons: the internationalisation and the in-house promotion opportunities it offers. I would also like to point out that many of our students see their time spent in retail as another postgraduate course, because it involves such a variety of activities — logistics, operations, customer care, products and marketing — that help them to gain more experience for future career moves.

Article originally published 11/02/2016 in Equipos & Talento

Related

Tags: From our facultyMaster in Marketing
Share34TweetShare
Previous Post

EADA’s team takes 2nd place in CFA Research Challenge 2016

Next Post

Hype and Fundamentals. A Review of Day One at FOM15 (I)

Related Posts

Indian student Ruth Sunaina shares her EADA experience
Life in Barcelona

Indian student Ruth Sunaina shares her EADA experience

April 29, 2020

...

How long will the 2020 Economic Crisis last? Speed does not Mean Precipitation.
Life in Barcelona

How long will the 2020 Economic Crisis last? Speed does not Mean Precipitation.

April 3, 2020

...

Next Post
Hype and Fundamentals. A Review of Day One at FOM15 (I)

Hype and Fundamentals. A Review of Day One at FOM15 (I)

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Languages

  • enEnglish
  • esEspañol

Tags

CFA Institute EADA Careers Entrepreneurship & startups Events Exchange programme From our faculty Innovation International business trips International MBA Leadership Master in Accounting & Financial Management Master in Finance Master in Management Master in Marketing Master in Pharma & Biotech Management Master in Sustainable Business & Innovation Master in Tourism & Hospitality Management Negotiation Rankings

Instagram

  •     With my current experience in the field of business and technology solutions at Capgemini  I wish to expand my knowledge in the area of business consulting and turn my focus towards strategic business development and management  as my overall career goal is to pursue a profession as a consultant in an international environment    With EADA  I see the opportunity to stand out in today   s fiercely competitive marketplace through practical methodologies  applied case studies and the adhering leadership development programme  but certainly also through the name of the educational institution          Maximilian is a world citizen  from Germany  he had studied in the Netherlands and Hungary   and has spent a year living and working in South East Asia  Australia and New Zeland  With a strong focus in technology  innovation and consulting  he has experience in Capgemini as well as smaller companies   We can t wait to see him around campus this week
  •               A warm welcome to the International Master class of 2020-21 with participants from more than 50 nationalities  The 5 kick-off presentations -1 for each programme- took place yesterday in the Barcelona City Centre Campus        EADA Dean Jordi Diaz praised the students for challenging themselves to undertake their master s in today s uncertain times   Strategy is not what you say  but what you do         Jaume Bonet  Master in Finance Director  quoted Jamie Dimon  CEO of J  P  Morgan   There is a book being written on each of you   As Bonet told new participants   this year is not about education  it is about transformation  It is in your hands to write a successful chapter         Welcome to the EADA Community       EADAInternationalMasters  EADAImmersiveLearning  wherebusinesspeoplegrow   WeAreEADA  WeCareEADA  EADABarcelona  MuchBetterWithEADA  KickcoffMasters  EADACommunity
  •        I am excited for my master   s programme in the city centre of Barcelona and can   t wait to immerse myself not only in the Spanish culture  but in cultures from all around the world in class  I am looking forward to getting to know my fellow classmates and learning more about marketing          Vladislava is from Russia and holds a Bachelor   s in Finance  Her dream is to become an expert in Marketing able to complete complex  non-standard tasks in a creative way  Doing her master   s in Barcelona will be her second international academic experience  as she previously studied abroad in the U S    We can t wait to welcome her on campus next week     eadamasters  WhereBusinessPeopleGrow
  •               EADA s International MBA kicked off today in a hybrid format with participants both in class and connected online  Participants from 23 nationalities started this unique experience that will not only transform them in a professional way but also on a professional level        There were mixed emotions from participants on their first day feeling excited  happy and nervous at the same time  They had the opportunity to get to know each other on a Walking Tour around Barcelona a few days ago       Welcome to the EADA Community     EADAInternationalMBA  eadaimmersivelearning  wherebusinesspeoplegrow  EADABarcelona  WeAreEADA  EADAmasters  WeCareEADA
  •     I would like to make an impact in everything I do  Our world has seen inventions enough for three generations but not found a proper way to use them in day to day life  I would also like to make industries in my community green eco-friendly industries  The concept of recycling has been in my mind for a long time  We only focus on creating a product and sometimes on its impact on the environment but we do not consider the resources that are used to make them       Rokesh is an Aerospace Engineer from India  Keen Yoga enthusiast  he has won various prizes at state level for back bending and balancing  He is looking forward to meeting fellow EADA students who share his passion for sustainability    We can t wait to welcome him on campus in the fall      eadamasters  wherebusinesspeoplegrow
  • Some Masters and MBA students came on campus today for the last Welcome activity before the programmes kick off in a few days   Our relocation partner  studentfybcn came on campus to give plenty of useful tips to settle in Barcelona  housing  transportation  phone services  trips and networking activities  Everything to make the most of Barcelona experience  We then followed with a tour of the campus    We are happy to meet you guys in person and see how the campus is filled up with students from all around the world  Looking forward to meeting all the 2020 21 Masters and MBA students about to arrive   The countdown for the beginning of the year starts    Get ready for an exciting journey of personal and professional development    WeAreEada  WhereBusinessPeopleGrow
  • Our International Master in Management at EADA has moved up 9 places to  32 in the world by the Financial Times Ranking 2020     In addition  EADA has also achieved 98  in Employability  Career Service and Aims Achieved and  1 in  Marketing teaching   4 in  CorporateStrategy  10 in  GeneralManagement  We would like to congratulate the whole team and in particular James Haigh  Jordi Diaz and Nigel Hyges  who have been the directors of the Master in Management during different stages from the beginning of the programme   Many thanks to our great team of admissions  faculty  careers and alumni     weareeada  financialtimesranking
  •     Sustainability and social consciousness are two of the most relevant topics today  and I am more than excited to discuss the challenges and opportunities at hand with like-minded  innovative thinking classmates at EADA   Kristina is from Germany and will start the International Master in Sustainable Business   Innovation at EADA this fall  Complementing her studies at EADA  Kristina holds the position of Community Director at 180 Degrees Consulting Barcelona  the world   s largest consultancy for non-profits   social enterprises         See link in bio  We can t wait to welcome her on campus in the fall     weareeada  eadamasters
  •     Pursuing the International Master in Tourism   Hospitality Management at EADA relates to my goals in many ways - it will allow me to develop the skills I need to succeed and to meet inspiring people I can share my passions and my ideas with              Emma is from Canada and holds an undergraduate degree in Business Administration   with a specialisation in Management   International Affairs  As a teenager  she visited an ecolodge in the middle of the Costa Rican jungle and fell in love with this creative  resourceful and well-managed business  That day  it became clear to her that she  too  would one day have her own eco-responsible hotel somewhere in the world   We can t wait to welcome her on campus in the fall      eadamasters  weareeada
  • The EADA Experience
  • Alumni Stories
  • Life in Barcelona
  • Admissions & Financing

© 2019 EADA Business School.

No Result
View All Result
  • The EADA Experience
  • Alumni Stories
  • Life in Barcelona
  • Admissions & Financing

© 2019 EADA Business School.

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Fill the forms bellow to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In