Research

The David Sobey Retailing Centre conducts and funds applied and collaborative research addressing real issues and opportunities relevant to the retail sector. The centre's research provides insights that improve business practices and outcomes for retailers.

Work at centre addresses cutting-edge issues such as applications of artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) in retail, labour challenges, development of leaders, changing consumer behaviour, digital marketing and sustainability, among other topics.

This research is accomplished through the our unique approach and infrastructure which include:

Multidisciplinary

We bring together expertise from all areas of business (such as marketing, management, strategy, finance, and accounting) as well as allied fields such as psychology, information systems, engineering, computer science and more to conduct multidisciplinary research addressing unanswered questions. Through multidisciplinary research, our faculty find innovative answers to questions and challenges facing the retail sector.

Collaborative

Our sponsored research projects are usually conducted in collaboration with retail companies, providing valuable access to real-life data and ensuring research projects that are relevant to the retail sector.

Infrastructure and Equipment

Our research infrastructure includes a biometric research lab, a digital innovation lab, a mock store and a cashier-less retail store that is also a “living lab”. Researchers conduct unique research using our world-class research infrastructure and equipment such as EEG (to analyze brain activity), eye-tracking, facial recognition, etc.

Sharing and Dissemination

The centre empowers the retail community to make more effective decisions across the retail value chain. We do this by disseminating our research findings through blogs, videos, panel discussions & symposia and executive programs. By providing easy access to insightful research, we help retailers make better decisions and improve their business outcomes. 

Funding

Through our annual research funding program, the centre has awarded research grants of more than $500,000, supporting 48 unique research projects spanning all functional areas of business as well as organizational psychology, computer science, engineering, and geography. This research funding enables the creation of new knowledge.