Professor John A. Dawson, Emeritus Professor

Professor John A. Dawson, Emeritus Professor Professor John A. Dawson retired from his chair at the University of Edinburgh in 2009 and has been awarded Emeritus Professor at both the Universities of Edinburgh and Stirling. His academic career has spanned 45 years and he has had a lifetime interest in retailing and distribution that began in 1965 while studying urban geography at University College London. Professor Dawson's primary research interests revolve around location issues in retailing; specifically the interaction of government and firms in location decisions and reasons for the steady decline of independent retailing. His research can be grouped according to five main themes: the nature of change and innovation in European retailing; the international activity of retailers; e-retailing and information management in retailing; the measurement of performance in retailing and distribution; and inter-relationships between European and Asian approaches to retail management. Professor Dawson has published an extensive body of work of over 250 titles including retailing textbooks, peer reviewed journal articles and industry reports and has been awarded research grants exceeding £2 million from both the United Kingdom and international grant awarding bodies. He was founding editor of two journals that continue to inform and shape the debate around retailing: the International Journal of Retailing (1985) and the International Review of Retailing, Distribution and Consumer Research (1990), and has also developed a network of researchers to develop and advance retailing research internationally and is currently working on three international joint projects with researchers at the University of Marketing and Distribution Science, Japan; Saitama University, Japan; and ESADE, Barcelona. Professor Dawson has also worked to develop and raise the profile of retailing studies and has been instrumental in establishing and developing organizations and centres of research excellence into retailing and retail management. He was appointed to the first professorial post in retail studies at a UK university: The Fraser of Allander Chair of Distributive Studies at the University of Stirling in 1983. As chair, Professor Dawson established and was Director of the Institute for Retail Studies (IRS) for seven years. The IRS, supported by public and private sector funding, remains a pre-eminent retail research centre in Europe. In 2002, Professor Dawson also secured funding from the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council and Capital Shopping Centres to establish the Centre for the Study of Retailing in Scotland (CSRS). Since its foundation CSRS has developed database and research facilities to allow long-term and in-depth study of retailing in Scotland. He has also advised on the establishment of research centres outside the UK including a retail initiative at ESADE, Barcelona in 1985 that has resulted in over 20 years of co-operation with ESADE as a visiting professor. Professor Dawson has ensured that his extensive research career did not prevent him from disseminating his knowledge to industry. He continues to serve on public sector and trade body committees related to retailing and held numerous professional and executive board member posts and his managerial research has focused on retailer corporate responses to changes in the operational environment with assignments being undertaken with the British Retail Consortium, Maxeda, Texaco UK, ICL Retail UK Ltd., Lego UK, Euromadi (Spain), Seicomart (Japan) and CGC (Japan).

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An International Journal

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Professor Dawson maintains an active involvement in teaching and has been visiting professor at ESADE, Barcelona; Wirtschaftsuniversität, Vienna; Kobe University, Japan; Bocconi University, Milan; European University Institute, Florence; UNISA, South Africa; and Florida State University, USA. He has been awarded the title of Distinguished Professor by University of Marketing Distribution Science, Japan. Under his supervision a substantial number of doctoral students have completed their theses and gone on to successful research careers including inter alia Professor Steve Burt, Dr. Monica Casabayo, Dr. Keri Davies, Professor David B. Grant, Professor Roy Larke, Dr. Kenichi Nishioka, Dr. Kalifah Othman, Dr. Eric Shiu, Professor Leigh Sparks and Dr. Glynn Watkins. Professor Dawson has earned the respect, admiration and affection of his colleagues and students and his reputation extends worldwide. His achievements have been recognized by several awards of esteem including those made by the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science, the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Florida State University and the Royal Geographical Society. And, even though he has formally retired, Professor Dawson continues to research and teach and make an outstanding contribution to the field of retailing and retail and distribution management.

Kathryn Waite School of Management and Languages, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK

David Marshall Business School, University of Edinburgh, UK

Supply Chain Forum

An International Journal

Vol. 11 - N°4 - 2010

60

www.supplychain-forum.com