The spiral dynamics in retail

The theoretical foundations of the article are: Kaidanren’s theory of the evolution of society, the theory of the evolution of society proposed by G.N. Konstantinov, as well as the author’s model of retail transformation, which uses the spiral sign, symbolizing the constant process of change and development of retail under the influence of three groups of factors - civilizational risks, regulation, digitalization and technology. The article continues the author’s research cycle on the spiral development of retail, and is devoted to the application of K. Graves’ theory of spiral dynamics in retail. The paper examines and systematizes the characteristics of Graves’ value system levels in the context of retail. The activities of the largest classical retailers in Russia and the players in the e-Grocery segment (fast food delivery) in the field of sustainable development are analyzed as the best reflection of the stage of the company’s development according to the classification proposed by Graves. It has been revealed that among the classic retailers there are still companies of the “red” level of development, while such large retail chains as X5, Magnit, and Lenta have already begun active work in the field of sustainable development, have goals and a program to achieve them, and can be classified as “green” companies according to Graves. The largest Russian players in the e-Grocery market are mainly representatives of the “green” type in theory, which is explained by the specifics of online business. Thus, the theory of spiral dynamics can be applied to the study of the evolution of retail and reflects the current development of companies in particular and retail in Russia in general.