Organizational Loss Prevention in HEB

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this paper is to explore the strategies, means and methods that are employed by HEB supermarket chain, operating in Texas through US. The study began with a brief introduction about the overall situation of and happenings in the food retailing industry. The introduction was followed by the general information about the HEB food retailers, its business operations, the shrink that has taken place in the economy over the recent years and the role of organizational loss taking place in HEB in that economical shrink. This report includes and imparts information and benchmarks on a number of categories of loss. This information was gathered from the food retailer HEB, taking into consideration its size, extent, sales volume, and trade format. This report facilitates in contrasting the findings and results of HEB supermarket chain to the ones of other regional, independent and chain supermarkets for the order of establishing and maintaining a productive and effective strategy for the organizational loss prevention. The report entails the current as well as past benchmarks, pointing out to the realms of escalating concern for the personnel dealing with loss prevention and organizational integrity and security. In addition to the inclusive average, several other benchmarks are presented by the size of the company; computed in the context of the total number of stores operating, the store format and the annual sales; the traditional super/combination and supermarket stores. These are presented in elucidated and comprehensive form and are used as reference all through the report. In duration of the survey, the HEB supermarket chain represented a variety of sizes, formats, and regions, from one store operators to the nationwide chains. Almost half of the units of HEB that responded to the survey function between one and hundred stores. Also, the preventative measures taken by HEB as strategies for organizational data loss prevention are presented.

ABSTRACTII

INTRODUCTION5

HEB SUPERMARKET CHAIN5

DATA LOSS PREVENTION7

DATA CLASSIFICATION8

HIGHLY SENSITIVE DATA9

CONFIDENTIAL DATA9

PUBLIC DATA9

ECONOMIC PRESSURES DIRECTLY LINKED TO INCREASE IN THEFT10

COMPUTING THE SHRINK IN HEB SUPERMARKET11

METHODS USED11

SHRINK IN 201212

SHRINK BY DEPARTMENT13

ATTRIBUTING SHRINK13

IMPACT OF LOSS CATEGORIES ON SUPERMARKET OPERATIONS13

LOSS CATEGORIES AS A PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL SHRINK14

EMPLOYEE THEFT14

INCIDENTS OF EMPLOYEE THEFT15

VALUE OF CASH AND MERCHANDISE RECOVERED15

EMPLOYEE THEFT BY LOCATION16

TYPES OF EMPLOYEE THEFT16

EMPLOYEE TERMINATIONS AS A RESULT OF EMPLOYEE THEFT17

SHOPLIFTING18

NUMBER OF SHOPLIFTERS APPREHENDED18

ITEMS MOST FREQUENTLY SHOPLIFTED19

RELEASING OR PROSECUTING SHOPLIFTERS19

CIVIL RECOVERY19

ORGANIZED RETAIL CRIME (ORC)20

ALLOCATING ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO COMBAT ORC21

OTHER FORMS OF THEFT22

WORTHLESS CHECKS22

MONEY TRANSACTIONS23

GIFT CARD FRAUD24

ROBBERIES25

METHODOLOGY26

RESEARCH DESIGN26

RESEARCH INSTRUMENT26

RESEARCH PARTICIPANTS AND SAMPLE SIZE26

DATA ANALYSIS26

VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY27

ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS27

RESULTS AND FINDINGS29

PREVENTATIVE MEASURES TAKEN BY HEB FOR ORGANIZATIONAL LOSS PREVENTION40

CLOSED CIRCUIT TELEVISION (CCTV)40

EXCEPTION MONITORING41

LOCKED PRODUCTS41

BIOMETRIC READERS42

EMPLOYEE HOTLINES42

LOSS PREVENTION TRAINING AND PERSONNEL43

EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES44

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS44

LOSS PREVENTION OUTSOURCING45

REFERENCES46

APPENDIX48

QUESTIONNAIRE48

Organizational Loss Prevention in HEB

INTRODUCTION

Supermarkets have had several ups and downs since the year 2012. The overall economy strived for the order of regaining in a n impulsive market. Bankruptcy and bailouts perforated the headlines and the supermarkets and food retailers stood their ground endeavouring to economize on revenue. The economy served a major role in all aspects of the operations counting in the organizational data loss ...