This class is a collaborative process that is category management and focuses on the partnership formed between retailers and manufactures in order to optimize the performance of retail categories. It is separated into two segments:

· During the first 4 weeks our retail partners help us to teach retail strategy, aisle and store management, supply chain, logistics, and to address the evolution of retail.

· The second segment of the class is supported in large part by our manufacturing partners as we address the subjects of assortment, shelf management and merchandising as we develop a category review for one of our retail partners.

Learning outcomes for this class are:

· Development of shelf management skills by learning with JDA Pro-Space.

· Development of total store management skills by learning and using Kantar Virtual Reality.

· Awareness of consumer-packaged goods trade and consumer promotion disciplines and terminology.

· Improved capability in business analytics and shopper understanding through the use of Nielsen, IRI, Shopper Intelligence, Dunn Humby and Tabs Analytics technologies and systems used to develop category reviews (live data – real time application).

· Improved category management storytelling skills via in class instruction.

· Improved understanding of PowerPoint presentation, use of pivot tables, data mining, and assortment management through in class instruction and the use of industry training modules provided by our partner CMKG.