Walton College Receives Markting Research Software Gift From Spectra

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Spectra, a division of VNU, a Netherlands-based international publishing and information company, has donated its consumer-focused sales and marketing software to the Center for Retailing Excellence in the Sam M. Walton College of Business, University of Arkansas.

Claudia Mobley, managing director of the Center for Retailing Excellence, said, "We are thrilled that Spectra — a leading provider of marketing information solutions — has made this gift to the College. The software is valued at $400,000 per year for three years. It will allow our faculty students to gain first-hand experience with industry-standard marketing research tools."

The Spectra EnlightenT is a software package that uses several levels of data to provide users with an insider’s view of the people shopping at stores across the nation, as well as those living in various geographical areas. The software and data are used by numerous companies in the retailing industry and was donated to the Center for Retailing Excellence in June 2002. Spectra is also providing training and local technical support.

Kevin Costello, executive vice president, New Business Development, Spectra, said, "The ability for students to work with reality based software on practical applications will be invaluable to their future growth and accomplishment." In addition, Costello recently has joined the Center for Retailing Excellence’s advisory board.

The Center for Retailing Excellence sponsored a training class on August 22 and 23 for the Walton College faculty to enable them to incorporate the Spectra Enlighten software and data into their class curriculum. Using the latest in computer mapping and utilizing several types of application ideas, EnLighten can generate a wide range of valuable ready-to-present reports. Reports focus on, but are not limited to product opportunities, market potential, demographics of geographical areas or store shoppers, allocation of products, and trade areas.

Mobley said, "Exposure to Enlighten in the classroom will provide our students with increased viability in the workplace upon graduation. In fact, the Walton College is now only one of few business schools that can offer its undergraduate and graduate students access to three major marketing research software packages."

In January 2002, ACNielsen U.S., an operating unit of ACNielsen, a VNU company, donated Homescan® consumer panel tools and information valued at nearly $500,000 to the Center for Retailing Excellence. In May 2002, Information Resources Inc. announced that it would partner with Walton College Graduate School of Business to provide access to its market research software to students in the MBA Program.

The Center for Retailing Excellence was established in the Walton College in 1998 with a portion of the $50 million endowment from the Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation Inc. The Center was created to bridge the gap between university faculty, students and the retail industry. Members of the Center’s executive board include representatives from ACNielsen; Bridgestone/Firestone; Bristol-Myers Squibb; Coca-Cola; ConAgra Frozen Foods; Crossmark Inc; Energizer; Fortune Casuals; General Mills Inc.; Information Resources Inc.; Pepsi-Cola Company; Quaker Oats and Beverage Company; Sun Microsystems, The Scotts Company; ThompsonMurray; Spectra; Smuckers; VF Jeanswear; Walgreens; and Wal-Mart Stores Inc.