Module manager: Graham Clarke
Email: g.p.clarke@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable
Year running 2025/26
This module is not approved as a discovery module
This module builds on many years of applied retail location modelling at the University of Leeds with a range of international blue-chip clients. It starts with building an understanding of what retailers require from store location research and how it can benefit their businesses. The latest retail trends are explored in relation to consequences for store location followed by a consideration of how retail demand can be measured at the small-area level. The module explores how different retailers have used store location research, from the evaluation of single regions for expansion to the optimisation of entire networks. A kitbag of different techniques is introduced and appraised (all implemented through the medium of GIS) before concentrating on spatial interaction models. These are built and calibrated for each student’s home town in the practical classes using various big data sets available from the Leeds ESRC Consumer Data Research Centre.
The aims of this module are to demonstrate:
- knowledge of retail trends in the UK as related to store location planning
- a critical understanding of the use of spatial models in retail location analysis and GIS for store location planning
- knowledge of how to assess the impact of e-commerce for site location and the dynamics of small-area retail demand
- skills in building the data sets to enable a suite of store location models to be run and evaluated using appropriate software
- a critical understanding of the role of optimisation in retail planning
- knowledge of the potential of big data sets for producing richer spatial models
The learning activities are complimentary. The lectures provide more theoretical theories on retail location planning whilst the practicals build knowledge and experience of the types of applied skills needed in retail location planning (enabling many students to set off in a career in this field).
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following learning outcomes relevant to the subject:
1- Interpret and discuss retail location planning
2- Expertise in retail demand estimation by small-area level
3- Use of spatial models in retail location analysis and site location
4- Expertise in the use of geographical information system for data storage, mapping and analysis
Skills Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following skills learning outcomes:
1- Spatial patterns and relationships in human phenomena at a variety of scales
2- The theory and application of quantitative, visualisation and other spatial techniques across a wide range of geographical contexts
3- Employ a variety of technical and laboratory-based methods for the analysis and presentation of spatial and environmental information (e.g. GIS, water chemistry, etc)
4- Apply numerical and computational skills to geographical information
5- Use information technology effectively (including use of spreadsheet, database and word processing programmes; Internet
Details of the syllabus will be provided on the Minerva organisation (or equivalent) for the module.
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lecture | 14 | 1 | 14 |
| Practical | 7 | 2 | 14 |
| Private study hours | 172 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 28 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 200 | ||
Lectures will be split into discrete shorter blocks and after each block there will be opportunity for questions and feedback
The practicals will be a means of monitoring progress throughout the module. The practicals also allow us to monitor progress and provide instant feedback to students in relation to the development of their projects. Students will be encouraged to ask for feedback on the relationship between material in lectures and tasks required in the practicals.
A series of on-line questions will be made available on Minerva after each lecture to check progress in understanding key material and provide instant feedback
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Coursework | Coursework | 50 |
| Coursework | Online Time-Limited Assessment | 50 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100 | |
Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated
The reading list is available from the Library website
Last updated: 14/03/2025
Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team