Connon (2001)

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Connon (2001) - Retailers all over the Shop

Retailers are hard to turn around due to ingrained views, which need to be uprooted. This takes time. It takes more than a couple of years to change a failing company for the better. For example, in 1982 Mulcahy asked for seven years to bring Woolworths back to life.

Today, shareholders are far more impatient and would not give a new CEO of a firm that long to improve a company. However, it is up to the bosses on whether they give in to "short-termist" pressure. For example, Vandevelde of M&S sets deadlines which are too close and do more harm than good.

Setting a too short time table also means that people are not given a chance to prove themselves and many firms which have struggled to revitalise their images have gone through top managers like sweets.

Littlewoods went through 12 CEOs in as many months and struggles, while Next, the most consistent high street performer has been run by David Jones for 12 years. Too many new bosses try to undo what their predecessor did just for the sake of change, which can paralyse a firm, fragmenting its strategies and operations.

This is the issue with M&S. Vandevelde sets himself too little time for recovery, seems not to be changing the strategy and by the end of 2001, is not improving sales. Part of the reason he is not successful is that he comes from running a European clothing firm. Although within the same industry, he does not understand the nuances of British retailing and culture.

Wikipedia.org - M&S Rulers Timeline