This material is an in-class or out-of-class assignment that asks students to consider two specific purchase scenarios. Students then apply two retail gravitation models (Huff's Gravity Mondel and Reilly's Law of Retail Gravitation) to determine where a consumer would choose to shop. A specific assignment handout is provided along with detailed teaching instructions.
Type of Material:
Assignment
Recommended Uses:
This is a stand alone in-class or out-of-class assignment appropriate for a variety of marketing courses including retailing, consumer behavior, and marketing strategy. It could also be utilized in real estate studies courses. It is recommended by the author that the assignment be introduced at the end of the lecture prior to when retail gravitation models and site selection will be discussed.
Technical Requirements:
Chrome, Word
Identify Major Learning Goals:
The author states the following learning goals:
1. Apply a formula to evaluate the potential for a retail center to draw customers.
2. Compare the draw of two different retail locations.
3. Analyze factors that influence the market potential of retail locations.
Target Student Population:
As stated by the author, this module is best targeted towards students of retailing, but could also be applied in consumer behavior, real estate, or marketing strategy classes when looking at where consumers choose to shop. This would be for upper level marketing classes.
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:
Students should have an easier time grasping this material if they have been exposed to some readings or lecture material about store location and how consumers make decisions.
Content Quality
Rating:
Strengths:
The author has done an excellent job of providing a teaching note which includes very specific learning goals and detailed directions for using in class. The actual assignment handout along with additional readings and resources to help the instructor obtain additional materials. From an instructional perspective, the module is self-contained and has a very clear focus.
Concerns:
The concerns are only minor. The PDF Service manual link is not functioning properly. Also, a bit more discussion of linking the scenarios to the formula could be useful.
Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool
Rating:
Strengths:
This is a very well-structured assignment that is designed to enhance understanding of two specific retail gravitation models. It is clear that the instructor has fine-tuned the assignment and shares his/her insights. It helps students understand how the retail offerings, product variances, and travel conditions might impact where consumers would decide to shop.
Concerns:
For someone not as well-versed as the author in retail gravitation models, making the appropriate connections and linkages could be challenging. However, by studying the suggested additional materials, this could be overcome. Also, students, especially undergraduates, could find the assignment daunting as a result of the mathematical formulas. The exercise seems to address students' personal choices. As a variant on this activity, students could be asked to think about how a different target market might go about making some of these decisions.
Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty
Rating:
Strengths:
The module is well-written, clear, and would be easy to execute. Detailed directions are provided.
Concerns:
- The only concerns with the assignment are minor and previously mentioned. These include not scaring the students with mathematical formulas and teasing out the connections between the scenario and the formulas.
- Students might ask "can we assume that purchases can be made online as well?" It would be nice if the author could address how online purchase situations should (or should not) be factored into this activity.
Creative Commons:
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