WEST GERMAN RETAILING GOES EAST

Explores the activities of former West German retailers in the five new Lander of the former German Democratic Republic. Tracks the developments to date of 18 major German retailers in the former East in terms of their statements of intent towards this new market, the actual activity reported to date, the mechanisms of expansion and policies on sourcing and staff development up to March 1992. Suggests that developments have been limited to particular sectors of retailing and that the pace of development has slowed down from the initial euphoria. Concludes that much of this expansion is predicated by the underlying economic factors facing the new Länder and the widening gap between East and West Germany.