Is it because of any rational analysis of changing markets and shifting customer needs?

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Nobody would deny that retailing has gotten tougher in the past few years, but equally so, brands have learned that if they can create some degree of emotional engagement (in additional to the rational stuff like merchandise range, fair pricing strategies, and customer service), they are bound to see positive behavior toward the brand.

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Management and marketing skills are not transferable, the thinking goes, since the federal customer is a political animal that seldom behaves like an economic rational actor.

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