Retailing is going through a huge transformation

Dr Richard Cuthbertson has been appointed Visiting Senior Fellow at the Department of Marketing of the School of Business. He will launch a new course, Retail Futures: New business models, service systems, and customer experiences, this spring. The course provides students with an understanding of strategic retail management and marketing in a rapidly changing environment.

But who is Dr Cuthbertson? After completing his first degree in Management Science, Dr Cuthbertson worked in the energy and car industry before moving into consultancy, where he worked with many retail companies. In all of these roles, he worked with data and information and was confronted by the sheer amount and variety of data becoming available.

‘Hence, I wanted to spend more time to think through the implications of these digital developments. So, I left industry to complete a doctorate considering the use of quantitative and qualitative data in management decision making. As an academic, I worked at Bournemouth University before being recruited to Oxford and spending some time at Aalto as a FiDiPro Fellow. I have been doing research all over the world: in the US and Asia, particularly, India, Singapore, and Japan, as well as in Europe, particularly in the UK and the Nordic markets,’ Richard Cuthbertson explains.

Dr Cuthbertson has taught and researched many different areas of retailing, always with a focus on data, information, and managerial decision making.

‘Much of my early work was focused around management activities driven by product data: supply chains, logistics, and store operations, before moving focus towards management activities driven by customer data: ranging, pricing, new product development, and is now more focused on future management activities: omnichannel, innovation, and strategy,’ he says.

Towards a combined physical and digital omnichannel world

Retailing is going through a huge transformation as we move from a physical store-based world to a combined physical and digital omnichannel world.

‘The current business models of most retailers do not reflect the customer experiences sought. This is not only a challenge for retailers but also their suppliers, and even customers who are still experimenting with new ways of shopping and have not settled on their preferred model yet,’ Dr Cuthbertson says.

‘I’m happy to explore with Aalto business students this evolving retail world. I will also be continuing to support relevant doctoral students and researchers at Aalto.’

According to Professor Arto Lindblom, Head of the Marketing Department, Richard brings along a lot of knowledge and new insights on contemporary retailing and will help the department to enhance its retail-related teaching and research, as well.

‘I am truly happy that Richard has joined our team. His expertise on customer data management, omnichannel strategies and retail innovations is very valuable for us,’ says Professor Lindblom.

‘Richard’s new course, Retail Futures, is super exciting, and I encourage all our students to take advantage of it. To study retailing under the guidance of one of the leading retail experts in the world is truly a unique opportunity,’ Professor Lindblom continues.