Trends in retailing reverberate far beyond the confines of the industry. Many commentators look to retail sector performance as an indicator of general economic well-being. The issues retailers face and what they do about them trickle down into almost every facet of any business that ultimately sells its products to consumers. At packaged goods, pharmaceutical, appliance, electronics, and apparel companies, key activities like category management, logistics, and new product development are all closely tied to—and often designed in conjunction with—the strategies and processes of retailers.

One of the most problematic trends in today’s retail industry is globalization. Given the substantial productivity advantages enjoyed by the world’s best retailers, opportunities to move successful and innovative formats abroad would appear to be boundless. But experience suggests otherwise. The global arena has proven extraordinarily difficult for many retailers over the past two decades.

The reality is that certain structural characteristics make it harder for retailing to operate across distinctive national markets in comparison with other industries such as car making, steel, or computers. As a result, few companies have succeeded in globalizing, and many barriers remain. All the same, the opportunity is sufficiently compelling to warrant further attention.

Challenges and hurdles

The...