Corporate Real Estate Management in the Retail Sector: Investigation of Current Strategy and Structure

Retail organizations are often cited as being at the forefront of corporate real estate management. This research found that the retail sector is characterized by diversity both in terms of the degree to which organizations are vertically integrated and in terms of the range of modes of retailing they engage in. This in turn led to diverse real estate portfolios. However, regardless of this diversity, the over riding strategy was focused on supporting the core activity. This study provides a snapshot of current practice however it also uncovers the need for a greater understanding of the diversity in practice.