Abstract

In April 2008, Reliance Retail Limited (RRL) and Marks & Spencer (M&S) announced their plans to enter into a joint venture (JV). The JV would help M&S to expand its operations in India by widening its portfolio and RRL to position itself in the higher strata of the society, targeting premium customers. However, analysts felt that the JV could face competition from existing Indian retail major Pantaloons Retail India Ltd and other global retailers such as Wal-Mart, Tesco, and Carrefour, who were trying to gain a foothold in the country’s retail sector.

Learning Objectives

The case is structured to achieve the following Learning Objectives:

• Industry analysis
• Mode of entry & expansion
• Competition

Keywords

Joint Venture, retail, franchise, product portfolio, seamless malls, sourcing, competitive advantage, logistics, licensees, cash-and-carry wholesale, Foreign Investment Promotion Board, FIPB , Reliance Retail Limited, Reliance Fresh, Mark & Spencer