| Summary: | Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. === ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Retailing is a common modern day phenomenon for which there are many angles of research widely and easily available. Retailing in the context of the global paint and coatings industry however, is a more specified and unique field of study of which resources for research are few. Having had the opportunity of a first-hand close-up inside look into, not only one of the world’s leading paint and coatings companies, but also the global leader in company-owned paint and coatings retailing. This global leader not only led to the origin of my research, but also rekindled the passion within for the global paint and coatings industry and trade. Prior to my employment by PPG, towards the end of 2013, I intentionally embarked on a journey with The Sherwin Williams Company during 2011 to 2013, in collaboration with my current employer at the time, Duraline paints, who afforded me the opportunity only a few people had or ever will.. During the course of four years, I had the opportunity to not only meet a series of wonderful people across the various segments, as well as internal departments of the Sherwin Williams Company globally. Additionally I also had the opportunity to visit the company’s headquarters, 101 Prospector Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio, on numerous occasions whilst staying in close proximity for the duration of the training and strategic planning sessions, in preparation to duplicate the SHW in South Africa.
During my involvement with The Sherwin Williams Company, it was evident that the backbone of the company’s sales model, was the consistency as well as continuous growth of the Paint Stores Group; which is the leading North American retail segment of SHW. Since 2011, in an effort to establish the best method of implementation of this sales model in South Africa, various concepts were explored from several angles. It became evident that much research was required to establish feasibility of the SHW sales model in South Africa. Preliminary research however, would have had to be conducted of what the SHW sales model entailed and how it would benefit the company in being a global leader, thereby also exploring the possibility of it being an industry best practice as foundation to what was precisely required to be implemented in South Africa, prior to establishing feasibility in South Africa. The preliminary research became the primary and sole focus of this research project, not only fulfilling the research needs as explained above, but also to serve as evidence of what I perceived the SHW company and the Paint Stores Group to be whilst dealing with the company.
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