Introduction
How can 'mutual success' be translated into a technology strategy? The question is easier to answer between large retailers and their large suppliers. Modern demands for 'variety-with-a-conscience' mean making room for all. Topics explored in this brief include collaboration in the Extended Retail Industry (ERI), SRM, Customer and supply chain analytics

Scope
The Extended Retail Industry (ERI) provides a way of thinking that will drive IT strategies;
SRM can manage retailer-supplier relationships but should never be a 'one off hit';
Customer and supply chain analytics can deliver relationship advantages;
How can collaboration become lowest cost to include the smallest of suppliers?
Highlights
Development of an ERI information sharing strategy should be initiated thus: What data would mutually benefit all ERI partners? What data would benefit specific partner-to-partner relationships? Partners must work out the risks associated with sharing as well as the business risk in not sharing their data.

SRM, (supplier relationship management) and BI components supply chain analytics and customer analytics are three well performing software markets in the retail arena. For trading partners seeking to create more collaborative, data sharing relationships, these are good places to start.

Once (SRM) in place, regular assessment of market conditions which in turn will impact the value of information being shared is needed. Responsibility for a maintaining a feedback loop falls to performance managers at each trading partner. Hence, implementing an SRM strategy should not be considered a one-off effort or cost.

Reasons to Purchase
Ideas for generating collaborative IT strategies around the ERI (extended retail industry) are explored
Global software market data including SRM and BI (supply chain analytics and customer analytics) is presented
Important collaborative issues that IT vendors need a position on such as risk management and costs faced by smaller suppliers are discussed