Category management in Russian retail sphere (case of the Ural Federal District)

Abstract

The Ural Federal District is one of the leading Russian regions: it has a dynamically developing economy characterized by vigorous competition. One of the ways to enhance companies’ performance in these conditions is category management. This article seeks to evaluate the level of implementation of category management principles in the retail sphere of the Ural region and to identify the main regional features of retail management. The article provides a brief overview of the approaches to defining category management and outlines its key elements. The empirical part of the study concerns with the results of the survey conducted among category managers of nine Ural retailers. The head offices of these retailers are located in Ekaterinburg and the majority of their stores are situated in the Ural Federal District. It was found that although all the respondents are aware of the key principles of category management, not all of them are able to put these principles into practice systematically, mainly due to the policies of their companies, which are often orientated towards gaining quick, short-term profits rather than building balanced long-term strategies. Category managers also often face constraints in their decision-making and lack modern tools for data processing and analysis. The conclusion is made that category management offers Ural retailers a range of opportunities for further development if they choose to invest in modern equipment and personnel training and revise their supplier relationship policies.