"Due to the chances Germany got in 1989/1990 by the Reunification I felt the obligation as the managing director of the EHI Retail Institute to support Prof.Jindra in the knowledge transfer towards a social market economy in the Czech-Slovak Republic." Prof.Dr.Hallier remembers. "We discussed topics in workshops with entrepreneurs of start-ups and disseminated the results by lectures or via the national press - or even published a tri-lingual Special in preparation of the EU-accession."

"Those initiatives of Civil Society created the conditions for groupings like industry associations and employers' federations to emerge. The process of privitization started primarily in the trade and services sectors. They were the innovation drivers in those disruptive times". In 2011 Prof.Hallier was awarded with a doctor honoris causa by the VSE Prague Link) .
 

Prof. Jiri Jindra was head of the Czech-Slovak Research Institute of Trade when in 1989 the Wall between East and West broke. He immediately visited with a delegation Prof. Hallier at the EHI Retail Institute in Germany and both agreed to start a close cooperation. In 1993 Jindra was back at the university in Prague and became Dean of the International Faculty of the VSE. Books to be mentioned from that time are Trade Logistics (1993) and International Retailing (2002).

But Prof.Jiri Jindra was also a personality to communicate not only in academic circles but he was a Professor for Applied Sciences. He helped to establish the first Czech Retail Association (SVAZ OBCHODU) and he initiated the Czech Retail Summit which he presided for over a decade. At that annual Conference he brought together retail/wholesale, politicians and researchers. In size and content it was an unique light-house for all Central Europe. The flavour of that event kicked-off the idea to create together in 2005 the European Retail Academy. "Thank you, my dear friend, for all the thoughts and connections you brought into our network - you incorporated not only knowledge but you have been "The Gentleman" beyond international academia." B.H.
 

Market Structures are one side of a medal and Applied Technologies another side Prof.Hallier explained in a course for vocational studies. Comparing structures of Germany versus China the Chinese retailers are still today acting on a more local basis like in Germany in the 50ies/60ies ; but it has on the total national level the advantage of less listing barriers for a broad assortment and innovations than in an oligopoly he stated. "The chances of market tests are still great".

"But going hybrid by using online-to-offline processing and building Retail Knowledge Consortia for example with delivery experts like Ele.com, Meituan , J.D.com or Dmall or cooperating with cashless payment-systems China is already ahead of the state of art of most of the European countries" Prof.Hallier added. "The branded goods industry and all companies interested in exports to China should include into their marketing approaches the opportunities of the two-dimensional code". More :Link ChinaYouTube).
 

Already in 1999 Prof.Dr.Hallier created an EHI-Workshop for Electronic City Marketing in Germany. In three steps within two years a concept was discussed with experts from the city marketing associations , IT-experts and retailers; a framework for a research-project defined and a pitch for communication agencies organized ( see pic : retail technology 4/01, p. 28/29 ) . A test should have been run in five cities ranging from small to medium and big cities.

"Unfortunately the financial support for the 3 million Euro by potential sponsors failed at that time : peanuts seen in the review of more than 20 years. All actors of city marketing would have gained a lot of know-how which in 2020 is urgently needed due to the Covid 19 disruption." Prof.Hallier claimed in welcome greetings for international guests of the 25th CORP Conference in the city of Aachen . ( more about the Conference at LINK ).
 

As an AIESEC-student Bernd Hallier visied 50 years ago Turkey, Israel, USA, SouthAfrica and Japan - later as a professional he lectured at all continents around the globe. In 2005 Professor Hallier founded the European Retail Academy to promote vocational competence in retail; in 2011 he was awarded with the "Star of Eurasia" and the title "Honorary Ambassador of Peace" by the Eurasian Economic Youth Forum.

Working in the Silk Road Mayors' Club LINK and cooperating with China's Two-dimensional Code Industry (ZIIOT) Prof.Hallier added now a MOU with Global Cultural Adventures GCA) / Beijing to the global network. "Cultural exchanges and international interships for the youth of the world should belong to the standards for future global leaders" Hallier stated signing the MOU.