[Music] Have you ever arrived in a new place and felt kind of out of place, like you were an outsider or even an invader, almost like a Trojan horse. Yeah, this this is not a motivational speech on how to feel like you fit in or how to feel less of the imposttor syndrome. This is a talk about leveraging interdisciplinarity, especially in the world of business education.You see, I'm a professor of business, marketing, but I didn't study business or marketing. I studied political and social sciences. And when ...

Core Insights - The report highlights the rapid evolution of consumer behavior and retail e-commerce operations driven by technological advancements, with the "OMO (Online-Merge-Offline)" model becoming mainstream. Retail e-commerce must leverage immersive shopping experiences, personalized products and services, sustainable consumption, and generative AI to attract consumers and enhance brand loyalty [1][11]. Market Growth - The global retail e-commerce market is projected to grow from $4.1 trillion in 2024 to $6.5 trillion by 2029, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.6%. This growth is expected to drive innovation and transformation within the retail e-commerce sector [2][14]. - Retailers are increasing investments in AI/ML technologies, low/no-code development, generative AI, decentralized cloud environments, and ESG software platforms to enhance revenue, profitability, and customer experience [2][14]. Key Trends in Retail E-commerce - **Integration of Online and Offline Channels**: Retailers are focusing on creating seamless and consistent shopping experiences as consumers frequently switch between different channels [3][15]. - **Data-Driven Personalization**: Utilizing data analytics for personalized services can enhance customer loyalty and increase customer contribution by up to 30% [3][16][24]. - **Sustainable Products**: There is a growing demand for green products, particularly among Gen Z consumers who prioritize ethical and sustainable practices [3][17][29]. - **Generative AI for Operational Efficiency**: By 2027, 85% of top Asian retailers are expected to invest in generative AI to improve product information, customer support, and overall customer experience [3][18][32]. - **Immersive Omnichannel Experiences**: Technologies like AR are being used to create more engaging shopping experiences, fostering long-term customer loyalty [3][19][35]. Technological Applications - Google Cloud's services, such as GKE, Apigee, BigQuery, and Vertex AI, are providing significant support for the growth of the retail e-commerce industry by enabling brands to create consistent and immersive customer experiences, connect third-party services efficiently, and drive data-driven personalization [4][39][43]. - GKE helps brands build a flexible omnichannel platform, while Apigee optimizes API management for seamless integration of various services [4][39][43]. - BigQuery enhances customer loyalty and revenue through precise data-driven insights, and Vertex AI improves search and recommendation capabilities [4][39][43].