Issue 3, 2015

Rucheva A. S. Category Management: Key Concepts and Relevant Research Directions.

Category management is one of the key tools of Efficient Consumer Response (ECR) concept and is broadly used now in routine of many suppliers and retailers. Still the object of management — product category — has no clear definition in the literature. So the purposes of the study is: to provide an overview of category management concept; to clarify understanding of the key concept in category management — product category; to systemize existing research in category management field and define the most actual directions of them. The article includes the analysis of range of works published in leading academic journals during the last decade (2004–2014) in category management field. The study describes a complex nature of product category as an object of management in category management and provide comparative analysis of two the most broadly used definitions of category management itself describing main differences between them. Also three most relevant directions for research field were defined: tools and instruments of category management and its efficiency; supplier-retailer relationships in category management context; influence of category management implementation on suppliers, retailers and third parts. The study provides deeper understanding of product category as a key concept of the theory both for academics and practicians of category management. Based on analysis of the most relevant and actively developing research directions in category management fields the study defines directions for further research direction in this area in the context of developing markets. Keywords: category management, sales management, ECR (efficient consumer response), product category.

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