Preview

Wal Mart

Powerful Essays
Open Document
Open Document
9793 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Wal Mart
Wal-Mart: An American Original
- Agenda
1. A Retrospective on its Growth
2. Innovative Business Model


How Did Sam Walton Get These Ideas?

3. Wal-Mart Today: The Challenges




Retreat from Germany in 2006
Sluggish Growth in the US Market
Clamour at Home: The Price of Becoming Big

4. Wal-Mart’s Response




Dr. Lakshmi Mohan

Global Ambitions
Re-thinking “One-Size-Fits-All” Approach
Flexible Workforce
1

How Wal-Mart Got There
- A Retrospective on Its Growth

 The Numbers: How “Big” is Big?
 IT: The Driver of the EDLP strategy
 Management Process
… Partnership with Suppliers
… Partnership with Employees
… Obsessive Focus on Costs

Dr. Lakshmi Mohan

2

Wal-Mart: A Behemoth …
 1962

: Sam Walton launched his first store

 Location : Bentonville, a backwater in Arkansas,
“a state where chickens outnumber people”  Today : World’s Largest Retailer
 Four times as big as #2 Retailer, Carrefour
 5,482 stores in 14 countries as of Oct 31, 2005
 Revenues: 285B vs GE: $152B
 Second-largest Company after ExxonMobil ($298B)
 Workforce: 1.3 M
Dr. Lakshmi Mohan

3

Walton’s Business Model was Different…
 Located stores in small towns since big retailers such as Kmart and Sears dominated large towns
 Kept overhead low
 Offered incentives - Profit-sharing for staff
 Partnerships for suppliers
 Large investment in IT … To keep inventory low
 Customers got friendly service

AND, “Everyday Low Price”
Dr. Lakshmi Mohan

4

Wal-Mart after 40 years …….
Lord of the Things


Annual 2001 sales: $220 billion – Pre-text Profits: $9.3 Million
….. 60% of U. S. Retail Sales
• #1 Food Retailer in the U.S.: $56 billion in 2001
….. Opened since 1985 over 1000 massive dept./grocery supercenters, at 200,000 sq. ft., bigger than 4 football fields
• # of employees worldwide: 1.28 million
….. More than the US Postal service ; # in China : 4,000
• # of Suppliers : 30,000 ….. In every continent but Antarctica
• Value of 100 shares bought in 1970 @ $16.50 per share: $11.5

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Better Essays

    The evolution of Wal-mart from the early 1960s to the present day has set a benchmark that few can achieve. Wal-mart executives have been successful nationally as well as globally. The knowledge and expertise in economics have made Wal-mart a global giant. The research completed is the final recommendations by the members of research team C and will address questions regarding global competition and issues of the organizations ability to expand or reduce current operations.…

    • 1511 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    References: Sederquist, D. (2005). The Wal-Mart Way: The inside story of the success of the world’s largest…

    • 1117 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Tong, C. H., & Lee, T.(2006). Exploring the cornerstones of Wal-Marts success and competitiveness. Competitiveness Review, 16(2143-149). ProQuest…

    • 1185 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    With stores located in 27 countries, globalization has had a profound effect on all four functions of management within Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart created plans to meet the environmental goals of being completely supplied by renewable energy, creating zero waste, and selling products that sustain the environment. Wal-Mart’s management has exhibited the ability to organize, diversify, and expand their supply chain resulting in the expansion of their brand to other countries. As Wal-Mart seeks to build their financial, physical, and human resources in other countries; they become reliant on local workers to operate and manage the stores. Local workers also assist the organizations ability to connect with potential customers. Every organization requires good leadership and Wal-Mart ensures its leaders drive the company toward its goals of protecting the environment. Wal-Mart leadership actively mobilizes workers and meets goals. The leadership helps to ensure that Wal-Mart remains one of…

    • 1305 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Wal-Mart

    • 572 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Wal-Mart’s total assets increased by 7,277 million from 2009 to 2010. Similarly, the total liabilities of Wal-Mart have increased 1,427 million from 2009 to 2010.…

    • 572 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Best Essays

    Wal-Mart is now the largest grocer, largest retailer, largest corporation in the world. "If Wal-Mart was a nation, it would have a bigger economy than 80 percent of the world's countries"(Singer and Mason). About "138 million people go to one of Wal-Mart's 5,000 stores in the United States and nine other countries", and purchase more than $300 billion every year (Singer and Mason). With a 1.6 million global workforce, Wal-Mart has become the biggest private employer "in the United States, as well as in Mexico and Canada"(Singer and Mason). "Wal-Mart already has 11 percent of all U.S. Grocery store sales," and "by 2013 that figure is likely to rise to 21 percent"(Singer and Mason). As a big corporation, Wal-Mart insists on providing "everyday low prices". The affordable prices for families, which are offered by Wal-Mart, generates "significant savings for consumers on their grocery, apparel, and general merchandise spending, and the redirected spending from the savings" also creates a lot of jobs (LAEDC). All of the above facts shows that Wal-Mart is good for the economy and makes a great contribution to the society.…

    • 2340 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Best Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Walmart

    • 6499 Words
    • 26 Pages

    The first Wal-Mart store was opened in Rogers Arkansas in the Year 1962. From Wal-Mart’s company website a common misconception people have in regards to discount retailing is put to rest. That being this was the year it all started, When Kmart, Target, and Wal-Mart first opened. In actuality however, the chain of variety stores Sam Walton owned during the 1950’s faced stiff competition for many regional discount stores. In 1972, Wal-Mart stock was offered for the first time on the New York Stock Exchange. With this infusion of capital, the company grew to 276 stores in 11 states by the end of the decade. Also from the company’s official website, it is important to note that in 1983 the first Sam’s Club members-warehouse store opened. The first Supercenter opened in 1988, featuring a complete grocery, and 36 departments of general merchandise. By 1989, there were 1,402 Wal-Mart stores and 123 Sam’s Club locations. Employment had increased tenfold. Sales had grown from $1 billion in 1980, to $26 billion. Wal-Mart’s company website states that Today, 7,262 stores and club locations in 14 markets employ more than 1.9 million associates,…

    • 6499 Words
    • 26 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Wal-Mart Research Paper

    • 700 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The first Wal-Mart store was opened on July 2nd 1962 in Rogers, Arkansas by Sam Walton, who believed that the future of retailing lay in discounting. To avoid competing head on with companies like Sears and Woolworths which dominated big cities, Walton opened stores in less populated areas that was ignored by other retailers. The stores aimed to serve customers who, up until then, had to travel long distances to save money, and to purchase daily household goods. Now they could buy the same goods cheaply at home. This positioning proved to be critical to Wal-Mart’s success in the years to come as it expanded underneath its competitors radar screens to earn substantial market size. (Farhoomand, 2005)…

    • 700 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Since the opening of its first store in Bentonville, Arkansas in 1962, Wal-Mart has gradually spread from its starting point in the South and Midwest to dominate the suburban and rural retail market across the United States. Having effectively taken over these markets, Wal-Mart’s most profitable opportunities for growth are now outside the United States. However, the company has also begun to move aggressively into those more densely populated cities that have so far been off limits, either for lack of space or due to local policies, which do not allow large companies like Wal-Mart to build new stores in these areas because of its negative impact on small businesses and the local economy (Wal-Mart, 2010).…

    • 3441 Words
    • 14 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    walgreens

    • 733 Words
    • 3 Pages

    This paper will provide insight into the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of the Walgreens Company, the nation’s leading drugstore chain. The company’s key stakeholders – customers, employees and the community are also identified and an explanation provided as to how the company is satisfying the needs and wants of each stakeholder type. This paper analyzes the strengths of the company as the industry leader with its wide portfolio of products and services, as well as establishing the benchmark for growth through acquisitions. The company’s weaknesses include prescription errors resulting in death and being unable to keep pace with a price competitive structure against large discounters. Walgreens is positioned to capitalize on the growing e-prescription demand and benefit from the recent health care reform policies. Has negatively impacted customer count resulting in a top line revenue decrease. Finally, this paper will conclude with my decision as a mutual fund manager to invest in Walgreens.…

    • 733 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Walmart Online

    • 326 Words
    • 2 Pages

    I feel Walmart has attempted to position themselves on their website as the one stop retailer for whatever a consumer may want. It showcases everything on the site from Elctronics, furniture, and groceries. On top of having everything at one place, they also offer free shipping making shopping at Walmart online not only convenient, but also at bargains of prices and an easy way to get it.…

    • 326 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    As the largest retailer in history, it’s no surprise that Walmart is the target of both vicious attacks and effusive praise. According to its own website, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. operates more than 8,000 stores, employs more than 2.1 million people, and sells more than $400 billion worth of goods in every year. Though this bulk intimidates those who fear for the viability of “mom and pop” retailers, Walmart’s great strength is that it devotes its considerable power to American consumers. Its size enables it to provide services that other retailers cannot, and it has deservedly become an integral part of the modern American economy.…

    • 689 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Mara 466 Wal-Mart

    • 832 Words
    • 4 Pages

    In the modern era of business operations the store founded by the Walton family in Bentonville Arkansas has grown into the largest company in the world. From its small beginnings it has grown into the behemoth of the retail industry and defined the new way of doing business worldwide. Wal-Mart’s continued success can be contributed to their business plan, distribution system, HR management, product diversity, price, and negotiating power with manufacturers. They have essentially written their own playbook on how to maximize the profitability of every store, every product and every worker.…

    • 832 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Best Essays

    attention walmart shoppers

    • 3354 Words
    • 14 Pages

    It has long been accepted that when Wal-Mart speaks the world will listen, even more so now after their entrance into the grocery retailing arena. The arrival of a Wal-Mart into a community has far reaching effects on that community, its residents, and the consumers who shop their stores. This arrival into grocery retailing has also changed Wal-Mart itself. Corporate image, capabilities, and responsibilities have all been altered as well as the company’s core business model, which was responsible for its meteoric rise to the top of the retailing world.…

    • 3354 Words
    • 14 Pages
    Best Essays
  • Better Essays

    “In 1979 Kmart was one of the leading companies in the retail industry… At that time, Wal-Mart was a small niche retailer in the South with only 229 stores and average revenues about half those of Kmart stores… Today Wal-Mart is the largest and highest profit retailer in the world. How did Wal-Mart do it? The starting point was a relentless focus on satisfying customer needs; Wal-Mart’s goal was simply to provide customers with access to goods when and where they want them and to develop cost structures that enable competitive pricing. The key to achieving this…

    • 1680 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays

Related Topics