2024/25 Taught Postgraduate Module Catalogue

GEOG5937M Applied GIS and Retail Modelling

15 creditsClass Size: 165

Module manager: Dr Andy Newing
Email: a.newing@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) View Timetable

Year running 2024/25

Pre-requisites

GEOG5032M	GIS Data Visualisation & Analysis
GEOG5042M	Geographic Data Visualisation & Analysis

This module is mutually exclusive with

GEOG5005M

Business and Service Planning

This module is not approved as an Elective

Module summary

The retail sector is a major applied user of GIS and spatial modelling to address strategic and operational decision making. This applied module provides students with hands on experience of using GIS and spatial models to support the retail location and network planning process. Through both interactive lectures and supported practicals, students gain experience in the application of spatial analysis to estimate changing consumer demand and geodemographics, manage store-networks, inform new store development and support the expansion and evaluation of multi-channel retailing. Interactive lectures are used to introduce concepts, theories and case studies, supported by guided practicals in which students build and calibrate powerful models to estimate consumer interactions between retail supply and demand. Students use a ‘spatial interaction model’ (SIM), widely applied in academia and industry to recommend network development opportunities for a case study retailer. They consider opportunities for new store development, network rationalisation, competitor expansion and opportunities for the development of e-commerce and ‘click and collect’ services. These ‘what if?’ scenarios closely reflect industry concerns and this module equips students with a thorough grounding in applied modelling for retail analysis.

Objectives

This module seeks to:

- Demonstrate, in an applied context, the importance of GIS and spatial analysis for operational and strategic decision making in the retail sector.

- Outline and explain appropriate spatial modelling techniques to evaluate the interactions between retail demand and supply.

- Give students practical experience in developing and calibrating powerful spatial models for retail site evaluation and planning.

- Enable students to test and evaluate alternative retail development scenarios based on demand and supply side changes.

Conceptual learning -- the what and why of computational modelling for retail analysis -- is covered directly via lectures. Skills-based learning – the how of computational modelling for retail analysis – is covered via hands-on practicals.

Learning outcomes
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following learning outcomes relevant to the subject:

1. be able to explain and critically evaluate the role of GIS and spatial modelling for location-based decision making in the retail sector.
2. be able to apply appropriate spatial analytical techniques to assemble demand and supply side data for use in spatial modelling in a retail context.
3. be able to develop and calibrate a spatial model in order to assess ‘what if?’ scearios relevant to the retail sector.
4. be able to evaluate model outputs, explain and justify retail network development opportunities and assess their strengths and weaknesses in an applied context and understand limitations of modelling work.


Skills Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following skills learning outcomes:

1. Academic. Assessed work will involve academic writing which requires students to report on their work in a concise and evidence-based way, with integrity. Within the module students will be expected to plan, organise and manage your time effectively to meet deadlines. There will be opportunities for students to work autonomously on a piece of independent research on retail analysis scenarios of their choice.

2. Digital. Students will use digital technology to demonstrate spatial analysis skills by using digital tools.

3. Work-ready. Using widely-used tools for computational analysis, students will develop technical and IT skills valued in the workplace. Through the assessments, students will develop their problem-solving skills through being expected to apply decision-making strategies, applying their critical thinking and analytical skills.

4. Technical. Through the use of appropriate software and analytical environments for modern retail analysis, students will develop and apply a range of technical skills.

5. Sustainability. Since the module covers, conceptually and practically, aspects of behavioural modelling, students will be introduced to systems-level thinking, with a particular focus on behavioural interactions in the retail environment, some of which have the potential to contribute to sustainability challenges, such as the move to online shopping.

6. Enterprise. Through the module activities, students will have the opportunity to develop enterprise skills through participating in learning activities which develop their ability to spot opportunities, solve problems and develop creative solutions to retail modelling tasks. They will have the opportunity to develop their enterprise skills through self-directed learning (private study) and external insights (via insight and interaction with external retail stakeholders), Students will also develop their enterprise skills through project-based learning, working on ‘live’ real-world retail problems, developing their own project.

Syllabus

Details of the syllabus will be provided on the Minerva organisation (or equivalent) for the module.

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Lectures	4	2.00	8.00
Practical	4	2.00	8.00
Independent online learning hours			2.00
Private study hours			132.00
Total Contact hours			16.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			150.00

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Formative Feedback for this module will be in a range of forms:

* Ongoing feedback via in class activities and practical support from the module team (lecturers and demonstrators)
* Engagement with staff via the module discussion board
* Recap quizzes in lectues
* In-depth support and clarification is provided to students via the weekly computer practicals
* Email support

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Assignment	Coursework	30.00
Assignment	Coursework	70.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		100.00

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Reading list

There is no reading list for this module

Last updated: 18/09/2024

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