INTRODUCTION Wal-Mart is a leader in the retail industry and dominates all of its competitors combined. The company would not be the giant it is today without the help of the visionary leaders behind it. The purpose of this paper is to discuss Wal-Mart as a leader in the retail industry, founder and visionary leader Sam Walton, current CEO and exemplary leader Mike Duke, and the values of servant leadership within the company. With a company as successful as Wal-Mart, it is necessary to examine the attitudes and beliefs of the company’s culture as this is what has led to its success. Sam Walton believed in putting customers first and knew that the most important associates at Wal-Mart were the ones who work directly with the customers.
Target Versus Walmart: How the Major Retailers Stack Up MGMT 371 - Business Operations and Analytics Jim Beauchamp April 11th, 2015 I. Introduction and Hypothesis When you think of your ultimate shopping experience, what comes to mind? Some shoppers are motivated by extreme savings - their shopping location is mainly based on price and who will offer them the best deal. Others are drawn into a store by the allure of the entire “shopping experience.” How they feel while shopping and what kind of environment that’s provided plays a major part in their decision. Although they might crave an affordable price, it is important to still be exposed to stylish, unique choices.
These products/services include, but are not limited to groceries, clothing, electronics, automotive and petroleum. The organizational structure of Wal-Mart is effective and still growing, but like any company, not without its flaws. This organizational structure has enhanced market performance, revenue generation and growth. Wal-Mart displays a top-down organizational hierarchy consisting of a board of directors followed by divisional vice presidents and locational/store management. This is also known as a vertical organizational structure (Walmart, 2012).
• To be an outstanding retailer in stores and online. • To be the creator of highly valued brands. • To maximise sales. • Outshine competitors and remain the market leader. Tesco’s stakeholders include customers, neighbours, trade unions, employees, shareholders and suppliers.
Walton saw an increasing need for consumers to receive goods at a minimal price. Fulfilling that demand accelerated Walmart to the top echelon of business. Many entrepreneurs can only dream of the type of success that a store like Walmart has had. Being the quintessential one stop, shop, and go for all your home, garden, and automotive needs, Walmart has monopolized the retail industry. The tactics used to maintain corporate supremacy are not beneficial to anyone other than it's CEOs and share holders.
The corporation has a strong internal environment that makes it succeed in its business venture, which shuns away other players while maintaining both profitability and competitiveness. Its main competitors include Regis Slaons, Macy’s, and Sephora. In this regard, this paper seeks to analyse the company’s potential by scrutinising the internal environment, corporate resources, competence, and other attributes that depict its strength and weaknesses in under the SWOT analysis. Internal Environmental Analysis The company has adopted various measures that enhance its competitive nature embracing different procedures and policies. It has also improved the management department by providing suitable measures that define goals and objectives of the company for it to attain increased returns (Fukuoka et al., 2012).
3. What advice would you give to critics of Wal-Mart in order to enhance their impact on the company? To enhance their impact on governmental and regulatory agencies? To enhance their impact on society in general? Case Summary -China, India, and Wal-Mart: Issues of Price, Quality, and Sourcing: “Sam Walton understood the immense clout of the company he created long before it was the largest retailer in the United States or the largest corporation in the world.
Tesco’s overall goal could be summarised as a desire to be as successful in the non-food market as they are in the food market, and this is achieved by creating such good value for customers that their repeat business and loyalty is guaranteed. Tesco use a combination of cost leadership and differentiation to breed this loyalty amongst their customers. There is always price rivalry between the leading supermarket chains with each trying to offer the lowest prices on the most popular goods in order to win business. However it would appear that Tesco are able to retain business even though their prices on many other products remain relatively high, and this is because they reward their customers through their clubcard promotion. Customers earn points for £’s spent and these points can be redeemed against food, fuel and even days out; and this is what sets Tesco apart from the other stores.
Costco case study and strategic analysis Costco Wholesale Corporation (Costco), one among the few largest wholesaler giant differentiates itself applying unique strategies relating to production and operations, and marketing which make it stand out from the rest of the retailers who are also said to be competitive in the retailing and wholesaling business globally. Costco is one of the innovative wholesalers teamed by very dynamic management team and dedicated, motivated and satisfied workforce with the mission “to continually provide its members the best quality products at the lowest possible prices” (Costco Annual Report 2006). Some of the fundamental principle of the Costco is that they obey the law, they take care of their members, they take care of their employees, they respect their suppliers, and finally they reward their shareholders. Some of the reasons how Costco can serve those highest quality goods of national brands for the lowest possible prices is that they eliminate different cost associated with delivery expenditures, account receivable, inventory, sales people, and fancy buildings. And they successfully operate themselves in the competitive environment serving not only an individual customers but also a legal customers (a company), and small business customers.
Walt-Mart's Mid-life Crisis Abstract In the present-day business landscape characterized by global competition, demanding customers and depleting natural resources, I believe that Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is becoming an important strategy for corporations for creating competitive advantage whether doing business only in the United States or globally. CSR involves a corporation's commitment to align performance revenue growth and profit motives with fulfillment of social, ethical, community and environmental obligations. Researchers have found a positive correlation between stakeholder perceptions of a firm's CSR performance and financial performance, assuming other factors are constant. This paper, based on analysis of Wal-Mart's performance over the last four decades, found that during the last couple of decade’s Wal-Mart has experienced seemingly significant negative perceptions of CSR activities resulting in their lower than projected performance. Wal-Mart has found that once formed, changing negative perceptions is often difficult and the effort involves considerable amount of resources with questionable outcomes.