The McKinsey Quarterly

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OCTOBER 2009

China’s retail revolution: An interview with Wal-Mart’s Ed Chan

Wal-Mart China’s CEO outlines the strategy of the world’s largest retailer in the world’s most populous nation.

Includes:
SEPTEMBER 2009

Think regionally, act locally: Four steps to reaching the Asian consumer

The most successful global consumer enterprises are radically reshaping their organizations and business models to suit the region’s rapidly evolving high-growth markets.
AUGUST 2009

Japan’s luxury shoppers move on

The Japanese consumer’s seemingly insatiable appetite for luxury goods has declined, so companies in this sector must rethink the way they compete.
JULY 2009

Understanding China’s wealthy

China will soon be home to the world’s fourth-largest population of wealthy households. Companies that hope to reach them must understand how they differ from their counterparts elsewhere, from other Chinese consumers, and from one another.

DECEMBER 2008

Industry trends in the downturn: A snapshot

In times of great uncertainty, an understanding of long-term industry trends can help executives plot robust strategies. This roundup highlights structural issues likely to influence the future performance of four industries: steel, technology, chemicals, and consumer goods.
SEPTEMBER 2008

What’s new with the Chinese consumer

It’s hard for brand managers to keep pace with the shifting attitudes of Chinese consumers. But some trends can be discerned amid the noise.
AUGUST 2007

Tracking the growth of India’s middle class

Over the next two decades, the country’s middle class will grow from about 5 percent of the population to more than 40 percent and create the world’s fifth-largest consumer market.

Includes:
MARCH 2007

Selling to 'mom-and-pop' stores in emerging markets

Traditional shops and the companies that serve them are finding life harder and harder. For the suppliers, segmented execution is the answer.
MARCH 2007

How big retailers can serve Brazil’s mass-market shoppers

Large food retailers in Brazil can grow only by reaching out to its 130 million mass-market consumers.
JUNE 2006

Building brands in China

Chinese shoppers love brands but don't purchase them consistently. Market research shows the way forward.
MARCH 2007

Financing Latin America's low-income consumers

Lower-income groups in Latin America represent a huge opportunity, but banks must change dramatically to serve them.
NOVEMBER 2006

Reinventing innovation at consumer goods companies

A range of orthodoxies is making it harder to develop breakthrough products in the consumer goods industry. It urgently needs a reformation.

OCTOBER 2009

McKinsey conversations with global leaders: Paul Polman of Unilever

Unilever’s chief executive reflects on lessons learned at three major consumer goods companies, including how to manage people in a global context, the obligations corporations have to society, and why you should never waste a good crisis.

Includes:
OCTOBER 2009

Consumer electronics gets back to basics

Most people don’t use advanced—and expensive—new features. There may be a better way for companies and consumers alike.
AUGUST 2009

Unlocking the potential of frontline managers

Instead of administrative work and meetings, they should focus on coaching their employees and on constantly improving quality.
MAY 2009

Understanding online shoppers in Europe

Shopping attitudes vary across Europe. Retailers must tailor their online offers to the needs of target segments.
SEPTEMBER 2008

How retailers can make the best of a slowdown

Moving quickly to improve performance can help retailers to recover faster.

FEBRUARY 2009

Cultivating innovation: An interview with the CEO of a leading Italian design firm

Alberto Alessi, head of his family’s iconic design factory, talks about how to sustain innovation over decades—and why companies should take on more risk.
JULY 2007

Confronting proliferation ... in retail: An interview with Wal-Mart’s John Fleming

The giant retailer’s chief merchandising officer explains why and how it is trying to reach a wider range of consumers than it has in the past.
JUNE 2006

Lessons from a global retailer: An interview with the president of Carrefour China

Jean-Luc Chéreau discusses the French company's experiences as its hypermarkets spread out from China’s biggest cities to the vast hinterland.

APRIL 2007

Price promotions in Latin American retailing

They don't seem to work.
FEBRUARY 2006

Building a top consumer goods sales force

Although most of these companies have recently revamped their sales organizations, only a few managed to achieve higher sales and lower costs.

APRIL 2007

Using technology to improve in-store marketing

Consumer goods manufacturers are using simulation technology to test in-store marketing ideas more quickly.

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