An ecological framework for the strategic positioning of a shopping mall

Abstract

A well-planned and implemented strategic positioning is critical for the success of a shopping mall. Although strategic mall positioning has become a popular subject of both academic and practical research, the approaches from previous studies have been insubstantial. These studies failed to recognise the difference between positioning a consumer product and positioning a mall. In fact, what makes the positioning of a shopping mall differentiable is the dual-market (ie shopper market and retailer market) consideration. Being the first trial to look into mall positioning scientifically, this study formulates a framework to model the dynamic interaction among shoppers, retailers, other competing malls and also shops-on-street using the concept of community ecology. The retailing environment in a shopping mall is analogised to an ecosystem in which predators and prey coexist. A successful mall positioning strategy should be able to nurture an environment conducive to the development of all components in the system. The framework suggested in this study has far-reaching implications. It provides a more systematic approach to strategic mall positioning, which can facilitate the decision-making process of mall operators. In addition, the success determinants identified may provide a basis for comparing or benchmarking performance of the strategic positioning of different malls.