Comparing student employment in French and Irish retailing

McGauran, Anne-Marie

doi:10.1108/09590550410534604

Cited by 4 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…Students still in tertiary education seem particularly suited to part‐time employment in low wage, low skill level retail employment (McGauran, 2004; Hofman and Steijn, 2003); for retail employers they represent a good source of cheap and suitably skilled labour. Whilst employers welcome students, as they require little or no training, they only work limited hours and many are unlikely to want to pursue a career in retail (Broadbridge, 2003).…”

Section: Discussion and Implications For Retailmentioning

confidence: 99%

Employer perceptions of skills gaps in retail: issues and implications for UK retailers

Hart

Stachow

Farrell

et al. 2007

International Journal of Retail &Amp; Distribution Management

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Purpose: This article sought to identify the skills gaps associated with retail employees in SME and multiple retail companies, and to investigate the potential training and business implications that arise from these skills gaps. Methodology:Research was conducted within one geographical region and across five counties within the United Kingdom. Telephone and face-to-face interviews, focus group workshops and retail forums were conducted, resulting in responses from 121 retailers. Findings:The key issues and areas of concern to emerge were: the industry image and impact on recruitment and retention; employee and management skills gaps; perception of retail qualifications and barriers to training. Implications:The findings highlight the need for UK retail industry to raise the image of the sector, to promote the variety of career options; to clarify the retail qualifications and training available, and to work towards retail's earlier inclusion in school curriculum.

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Section: Discussion and Implications For Retailmentioning

confidence: 99%

Employer perceptions of skills gaps in retail: issues and implications for UK retailers

Hart

Stachow

Farrell

et al. 2007

International Journal of Retail &Amp; Distribution Management

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“…Retailers are also keen on recruiting students, who are reputed to learn quickly and work hard with little protest. Their expectations to hold a job without commitment to a career accord with the need employers have to increase part-time and unsocial working hours (Benquet, 2013;Canny, 2002;Hart et al, 2007;McGauran, 2004;Nickson et al, 2004).…”

Section: Literature Background Institutional Factors To Explain Differences In Employment Patternsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Expectations regarding product knowledgewhich is also technical skillvary in accordance to the nature of the product being sold and the intensity of self-service. Product knowledge is expected to sell books (Chabault, 2010), electrical and electronic goods (Carré et al, 2010) and, to a lesser extent, clothing and shoes (Leslie, 2002;McGauran, 2004;Nickson et al, 2012). Such a demand for specialist knowledge has no parallel in the supermarkets, except for craft positions (e.g.…”

Section: Low-paid Job In French and Uk Supermarketsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Getting a low-paid job in French and UK supermarkets: from walk-in to online application?

Rieucau

2015

Employee Relations

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Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to compare the recruitment practices of the French and UK retail industry. It analyses the influence of specific business constraints, labour market institutions and employment patterns on recruitment practices. It devotes attention to incidences of the shift from classic to web-based hiring methods. Design/methodology/approach – The cases of two leading food retail chains are explored. This research draws on a mixed approach using semi-structured interviews, the analysis of online job-advertisement content and web sites. Findings – According to the literature, local and informal hiring channels (walk-in application, word-of-mouth, in-store adverts) are mainly used to fill low-paid vacancies in food retail chains. They are congruent with the key screening criteria as they allow face-to-face selection and provide candidates from the surrounding area. However, the food retail chains in this research have implemented a centralised and at-a-distance process which contrasts with the classic methods. Based on an “Internet-only scheme” and online testing, it is especially selective in the UK. Research limitations/implications – The number of semi-structured interviews is limited. Additional investigations are needed to evaluate whether the at-a-distance processes are isolated or whether they reflect growing practices. Practical implications – Retail food employers have to maintain a diversity of local hiring channels and not to indiscriminately embrace the at-a-distance scheme, which is not adapted to evaluate the key requirements. Social implications – A centralised and at-a-distance recruitment process decreases unfair face-to-face discrimination in selection but at the same time introduces indirect discrimination. This process may be interpreted as a way to target students; there is a risk that it exacerbates inequalities in low-wage labour markets. Originality/value – The topic is poorly explored. There is a need to understand web-based recruitment.

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“…The retail environment has changed significantly over the years. The primary drivers of change have been: increased competition, retail expansion, decentralisation and the greater diversity and complexity of consumers’ behaviour (Commins and Preston, 1997; Hart et al, 2007; Hendrie, 2004; McGauran, 2004; Newman et al, 2018; Nickson et al, 2017; Samil and Ongan, 1996; Weber and Schütte, 2019). The retail sector is experiencing significant changes as a result of rapid advances in technology and the emergence of new technologies.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Technology driven change in the retail sector: Implications for higher education

Woods¹,

Doherty²,

Stephens

2021

Industry and Higher Education

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In this paper the authors explore the implications for higher education of the disruptions caused by changes in the retail sector resulting from rapid developments in technology. Industry 4.0 technologies such as big data, the Internet of Things, blockchain, automation, robotics, artificial intelligence and virtual reality are increasingly evident in the retail sector. While predictions vary as to the extent of the disruption, retailers agree that embracing technology is now a necessity. The evidence in the paper is taken from a diverse sample of 60 senior managers across 24 retail companies in Ireland. The authors adopt a mixed-methods approach to data collection. They report that the skills required to perform in retail now and in the future will be a combination of human, digital and traditional skills. What emerges from the study is that advances in technology necessitate the provision of new hard skills, but importantly reinforce the necessity for soft skills so that the potential of the new technology can be fully understood and utilised. Helping retail employees upskill and future proof is a major challenge for higher education. Retailers need to proactively develop their employees by identifying clear progression pathways and promoting careers in retail.

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Comparing student employment in French and Irish retailing

Cited by 4 publications

References 12 publications

Employer perceptions of skills gaps in retail: issues and implications for UK retailers

Employer perceptions of skills gaps in retail: issues and implications for UK retailers

Getting a low-paid job in French and UK supermarkets: from walk-in to online application?

Technology driven change in the retail sector: Implications for higher education

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