Category management - a local perspective

The purpose of this report is to: (1) study the category management concept in-depth; (2) discuss what its possible benefits and costs are; and (3) explore the practical implications category management has on the local businesses. The methodology of this thesis uses the approach of a case study. Important findings of this research include: category management does increase sales; and the retailer is able to handle its assets more efficiently. However, with the implementation of category management, the retailer has to forgo attending to the needs of a portion of its customers. In conclusion, category management is a very useful tool that local manufacturers and retailers should adopt, provided that the manufacturer owns a leading brand; the retailer uses point-of-sales terminals; both have the support of their top management with organisational structures that facilitate the adoption of the management process, and the employees that are dedicated to make the process a success.BUSINES