The impact of mini and micro computers in retailing

Abstract

Words like “revolution” are frequently used to describe the impact of the silicon chip on industry; as far as retailing is concerned, there is no doubt that the availability of the mini and micro computer will have profound effects. In this article Gil Jones and Barbara Walman discuss first, the development of mini computers and how they are used; then what they describe as the “intriguing” prospect of how micro computers might affect the retail sector, looking both at small retailers and then at multiples. No retailer — large or small — can afford to ignore the implications of this remarkable technological development.