Commemorating the life and work of Professor Ross Davies, 1940‐2005

Purpose – To introduce a commemorative collection of articles by colleagues and former students of the late Professor Ross Davies, a leading UK academic in the field of retail management. Design/methodology/approach – Outlines the development of Ross Davies' career and enumerates his particular contributions to the development of academic studies of retailing. Summarises the objectives of each paper in the collection. Findings – The paper identifies the link between the authors of papers and Professor Davies' work. Originality/value – Demonstrates the ways in which an academic was able to relate sound scholarship to the practical needs of retailers, service companies and public sector agencies.