Title: Perceptions of the Andalusian independent retail sector

Authors: Cathy Parker, Ruben Yuste Gimenez, J. Andres Coca-Stefaniak, John Byrom

Addresses: Institute of Place Management, 1 Queen Anne's Gate, London, SW1H 9BT, UK. ' D'Aleph, Comte d'Urgell 143, 08036, Barcelona, Spain. ' Retail Enterprise Network, Manchester Metropolitan University Business School, Aytoun Street, Manchester, M1 3GH, UK. ' School of Management, University of Tasmania, Locked Bag 1316, Launceston, Tasmania 7250, Australia

Abstract: This paper focuses on the perceptions of Andalusian retailers towards the current state of small independent retailing in their city/town and their feelings about the future. The paper reports on the findings of 70 structured interviews with small urban independent retailers covering retail districts in the town/city centres of Almeria, Ubrique and El Puerto de Santa Maria in Andalusia, Spain. Whilst some sub-sectors showed optimism and signs associated with business success (such as fashion outlets), others, especially traditional food retailers, saw the small retail sector as a sector en crisis. Within the methodology adopted, the interviewees become not only the suppliers of data about changes in the sector, but also the suppliers of meaning in terms of their perceptions as to why these changes are taking place.

Keywords: independent retailing; small and medium-sized enterprises; SMEs; Spain; Andalusia; competition; globalisation; small retail sector; small business.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBG.2007.013723

International Journal of Business and Globalisation, 2007 Vol.1 No.1, pp.125 - 142

Published online: 22 May 2007 *

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