Date of Graduation

5-2022

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science

Degree Level

Undergraduate

Department

Finance

Advisor/Mentor

Riley, Timothy

Abstract

The coronavirus pandemic has triggered both social and economic changes around the world. Retail companies have been at the forefront of these changes due to widespread supply chain disruptions and supply shortages. Companies have struggled to meet the challenges caused by the pandemic including supply shortages and social distancing. Target Corporation is the eighth largest big box retail chain in the United States (Tanha, 2022). It has faced the challenges with innovation and implementation of new programs this year. During the summer of 2021, I had the pleasure to intern at Target and witness firsthand how this large corporation embraced these unique hurdles. This thesis examines Target from an intern’s perspective by examining four distinctive departments within the company to determine how they were able to withstand the problems created by the pandemic and pivot to meet the needs of a changing customer. The four fields of focus will include: service and engagement, specialty sales, general merchandise, and human resources. Through the internship, I will demonstrate how the company operates all four areas to create a guest friendly experience, provide various products to satisfy guests’ needs, remain profitable while implementing new and innovative programs such as curb side pickup, and maintain service with a staffing shortage. The experience and education gained during the internship will be analyzed to determine how the interactions within these four areas combine to impact the overall operations of the organization. Examples and results from the internship will be explored. From the internship and research, I discovered what makes Target successful; they are well lead, efficient in problem solving and implementing solutions, and innovative in providing a safe and guest friendly experience. Target was named Retailer of the Year for 2020 by Retail Dive Awards. Target’s aggressive business strategies allow them to grow and innovate even during a pandemic and this sets them apart from many other retail chains.

Keywords

Target; Executive Team Lead; internship; leadership skills; professional; human resources

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