Transformation in Retail: Human Centric Innovation

Introduction

Retailing is undergoing a profound transformation, driven by technological advancements, changing consumer behaviors, and dynamic shifts in the economy and the global supply chains.

What have recent events taught us about retail? Retail is transitioning into a new digital industry. Online retailing has gained enviable momentum, and brick-and-mortar stores have taken on a new role while still the dominant first point of contact between retailers and consumers.

Retail establishments are crucial for regional development, creating jobs, supporting local supply chains, and fostering community ties, which enhance economic resilience and quality of life. Their impact can be maximized by fostering an environment that promotes innovation, inclusivity, and human-centered approaches in the retail sector. Since retailers interact with humans on different fronts (e.g., consumers, store personnel, last mile workers, and society), this could be timely area for further scholarly investigation.

This Special Issue seeks to explore the innovative strategies and practices that are shaping the future of the retailing industry. With a focus on human-centric innovation, we invite scholarly submissions from the logistics, SCM, operations, and marketing fields that delve into the ways in which retailers are leveraging technology and data to deliver exceptional customer experiences, enhance operational efficiency, and build sustainable businesses.

List of topic areas

• Retailing Transformation (Digitalization, Sustainability, e-Commerce, Returns, Resilience)
• Human-Centricity (Well-being, Diversity, Community Engagement and Local Partnerships, Regional Embeddedness, Customer Centricity)
• Innovation (AI and analytics, Transparency and Traceability, Business Model Innovation, Digital Twins, Entrepreneurial Opportunities)

Submissions Information

Submissions are made using ScholarOne Manuscripts. Registration and access are available here. 

Author guidelines must be strictly followed. Please see here.

Authors should select (from the drop-down menu) the special issue title at the appropriate step in the submission process, i.e. in response to ““Please select the issue you are submitting to”.

Submitted articles must not have been previously published, nor should they be under consideration for publication anywhere else, while under review for this journal.

Key deadlines

Opening date for manuscripts submissions: 01/06/2025

Closing date for manuscripts submission: 30/09/2025

Email for submissions: hamid.jafari@ju.se or herbert.kotzab@unf.edu

Guest Editors

Hamid Jafari, PhD, Associate Professor, Jönköping University, Sweden, hamid.jafari@ju.se

Herbert Kotzab, PhD, Professor, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, USA, herbert.kotzab@unf.edu