Marketing Myopia Reloaded: Re-Centring the Human in Retailing
DETAILS
Call for Papers
Marketing Myopia Reloaded: Re-Centring the Human in Retailing
Journal: International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management
Publisher: Emerald Publishing
Special Issue
Manuscript Submission Opens: 7 September 2026
Manuscript Submission Deadline: 30 November 2026
The International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management invites submissions for a Special Issue exploring how retail can remain human-centred amid the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence, automation, digital platforms, and technology-enabled consumption environments.
About the Special Issue
As retail becomes increasingly shaped by algorithms, AI, automation, and platform-based business models, this Special Issue revisits the concept of marketing myopia and asks whether technological transformation is keeping people at the centre of retailing. It encourages research that views technology as an enabler rather than an end in itself and re-examines enduring retail principles such as trust, experience, proximity, emotion, authenticity, and social interaction.
The Special Issue welcomes research examining physical, digital, and hybrid retail environments, particularly at the intersection of human-centred retailing, AI, automation, service innovation, consumer experience, and societal value creation. Contributions should demonstrate strong theoretical foundations, methodological rigour, originality, and implications extending beyond narrowly defined individual cases or local contexts.
Topics of Interest
Submissions may address, but are not limited to:
Human-centred retailing and service systems
Artificial intelligence in retail environments
Automation and the future of retail
Customer experience and experiential retailing
Trust and authenticity in retail
Social interaction in retail environments
Retail employee wellbeing
Frontline employee dynamics
Platformisation and digital retail ecosystems
Ethical implications of retail technologies
Smart retailing and human-technology interaction
Consumer behaviour in digitally mediated environments
Retail spaces as community and social infrastructure
Sustainable and responsible retail innovation
Omnichannel retailing
Hybrid retail experiences
Emotional engagement in retail
Customer deviance
Retail resilience and adaptive business models
Future retail scenarios
Retailing and societal transformation
Preferred Article Types
The Special Issue welcomes:
Conceptual contributions
Empirical research
Qualitative studies
Quantitative studies
Mixed-method research
Experimental studies
Empirical submissions should provide broader conceptual, managerial, and/or market-level implications relevant to international retail and distribution research.
Research and Practical Relevance
Submissions should clearly demonstrate practical relevance for retailers, service providers, policymakers, and other stakeholders. Purely descriptive or highly context-specific research without wider theoretical or practical significance may not be suitable.
Papers presented and discussed at the CERR2026 conference will receive priority consideration during editorial screening.
The use of AI-assisted research and writing tools is not prohibited; however, manuscripts are expected to demonstrate substantial intellectual originality, critical reflection, and scholarly depth. Excessive reliance on generative AI-generated content without sufficient academic contribution may make a submission unsuitable for review.
Submission Information
Submission Opens: 7 September 2026
Submission Deadline: 30 November 2026
Manuscripts should be submitted through the International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management ScholarOne Manuscripts system.
Authors must select “Marketing Myopia Reloaded: Re-Centring the Human in Retailing” from the Special Issue options during submission.
Submitted manuscripts must follow the journal's author guidelines, be original, and must not have been previously published or be under consideration elsewhere while under review.
Guest Editor
Prof. Dr. Christoph Teller
Email: christoph.teller@jku.at
Posted on ServiceSetu Academics — Premier Platform for Academic Opportunities & Research Collaboration.
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