Educational Requirements for Management Level Positions in Major Retail Organizations

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the qualifications and academic preparation necessary to succeed in management careers in retailing, and also to determine if these requirements differ according to type of retailing format. The results of the study are based on a survey of the largest U.S. department store, specialty store, and discount store retailers (n = 285). An analysis of response frequencies indicated that managerial skills are most important to retailers. Few differences existed among responding stores when data were analyzed according to the type of retailing format or the type of merchandise sold using the Pearson Chi-square (p < .05). The results are important for college programs that prepare undergraduates for retailing careers and are useful for assessing the relevance of course offerings to current industry expectations.