International Journal of Business and Economics Volume 14, No. 1 June, 2015

Retail Developments in Poland, Kazakhstan, and Ukraine: A Comparative Analysis

Lalita A. Manrai

Department of Business Administration, University of Delaware, U. S. A.

Ajay K. Manrai

Department of Business Administration, University of Delaware, U. S. A.

Dana - Nicoleta Lascu

Marketing Department , University of Richmond, U. S. A.

David Dickerson

Bang College of Business, KIMEP University, Kazakhstan

Abstract

We apply the “Three Speed” model (Lynn, 1993) to compare retail industry developments in the context of three countries—a non-Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) country (Poland), a former CIS country that terminated its relationship with CIS in 2014 although it was one of the founding members (Ukraine), and a current CIS country (Kazakhstan). Poland is considered to be the lead country, Ukraine is considered to be the lag country, and Kazakhstan is considered to fall in between Poland and Ukraine in terms of retail developments. We propose an “Environmental Theory,” and in particular an “Adjustment Theory,” suggesting that the retail development is a function of various environmental influences and a country's capability to adopt the changes resulting from the environmental dynamics. We provide a comparative discussion of the environment in the three countries and favorable as well as unfavorable factors for the development of retail trade. Retail developments are compared using both qualitative and quantitative indicators, which support our conceptualization that the “Three Speed” model has relevance for comparison of retail development in these three countries.

Keywords：“ Three Speed” model,  environmental influences, adjustment theory,  retail development,  Poland,  Kazakhstan,  Ukraine.

JEL Classifications：M00.

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