Premium Essay

Walmart Spring 2009

In:

Submitted By silvajahic
Words 2449
Pages 10
When Sam Walton opened the first Wal-Mart in Rogers, Arkansas in 1962, he never expected his discount store to ever become the nation’s No. 1 retailer. In May of 1971, after being officially incorporated as Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Wal-Mart began selling shares as a publicly-held company and its stock experienced its first 100% split, at a market price of $47.
By 1990, Wal-Mart had become the nation’s No. 1 retailer and by the end of the decade, the largest private employer in the world, with 1.14 million associates. Soon after, H. Lee Scott Jr. was appointed as the third CEO of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. In 2005, Scott introduced the company’s new commitment to bring environmental sustainability into its business and passed his success onto his replacement as president and CEO, Mike Duke, on February 1, 2009. Today, Wal-Mart has 7,800 stores and club locations in 14 different markets, employing more than 2 million associates, and serving more than 176 million customers a year.
Wal-Mart is a public corporation that runs a chain of large department stores. Three business subsidiaries comprise Wal-Mart’s operations: Wal-Mart Stores, Sam’s Club, and Wal-Mart International. The nine retail formats of the company include “supercenters, food and drug stores, general merchandise stores, bodegas (small markets), cash and carry stores, membership warehouse clubs, apparel stores, soft discount stores and restaurants” (p. 17).
Studies show that the customer base for discount retailers has been growing since early 2007, but bargain shoppers have especially flocked to discount retailers since the recession hit. Last year's increase in gasoline prices has also benefited retailers such as Wal-Mart who are known for their one-stop shopping. Recently, Wal-Mart announced the launch of Your Zone, a new home furnishings collection for teens, and reintroduced its new and improved Great Value

Similar Documents

Free Essay

Energy

...Walmart China firmly believes in local sourcing. We have established partnerships with nearly 20,000 suppliers in China. More than 95 percent of the merchandise in our stores in China is sourced locally. In addition, Walmart is committed to local talent development and diversity, especially the cultivation and full utilization of female staff and executives. Ninety nine percent of Walmart China associates are Chinese nationals. All our stores in China are managed by local Chinese. Furthermore and more than 60 percent of Walmart China associates are female and about 40 percent of those are at management level. In 2009, the company established the “Walmart China Women’s Leadership Development Commission” for driving women’s career development. Following themes recently emphasized in the Chinese government’s 12th Five Year Plan, we have created programs that support domestic consumption, boost rural economic development, create economic opportunities to raise employment, strengthen food safety systems and promote sustainability across our business. For example, beginning in the 2011 spring season, vegetable farmers in many area of China, including Henan, Shanxi, Guangdong, Zhejiang and Liaoning, have suffered from unsellable vegetables. To answer the call of the Ministry of Commerce and local governments to help this situation, Walmart signed a proposal in Beijing to help farmers sell excess vegetables through our direct farm program. The company has been purchasing...

Words: 728 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Strategy and Planning

...and operational. As Highlighted by an information security organization to explain the strategy from its respective goals. At the operations level, transaction data is produced and serves as input to create information. Maintaining and monitoring of integrity, confidentiality, and availability of the transaction data are primary objectives which are supported by organizational procedures and guidelines. At the tactical level, information is interpreted and utilized in decision making. Implementations of preventative, detective, and responsive controls are a primary objective which is supported by organizational standards. Further analysis aggregation of the information creates knowledge to help make strategic level decisions (White, Garry, 2009). The goal of the top manager is to provide Information security policy as a framework to ensure that systems are developed and operated in a secure manner. Such policies must consider internal and external threats and risks. They must address issues such as privacy and be current to change technologies. Furthermore, policies must complement and be compatible with federal, state, and local laws. Which indicates the needs for secure information sharing policies in Internet-based supply chain management. Such policies enhance the competitive advantage by...

Words: 1294 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Walmart and Target

...Wal-Mart and Target are the two largest retail chains in the United States categorized of SIC code 5331 which is the retail-variety group assigned by the SEC. Both American based corporations, they are the two most recognized and successful supercenters of their kind rendering several other smaller companies obsolete.  Wal-Mart is the larger of the two and has gained enough resources to quickly spring into international business endeavors and expansion of different segments while Target remains a primarily domestic corporation with just one segment.  While both stores serve generally the same purpose, the stores attract different markets and both feel intense competition from one another.  While Wal-Mart is much larger in scale, Target is very competitive from a financial standpoint.  Wal-Mart originated in 1969 under the leadership of Sam Walton. Wal-Mart is the largest superstore chain in the United States.  Their products vary from groceries and perishable items to car care in some stores.  However Wal-Mart is not just made up of the traditional supercenters that over 100 million people frequent weekly.  Wal-Mart is comprised of three separate segments.  .   A segment of a company is defined by a subsidiary or part of a corporation that makes up more than ten percent of its assets or revenues.  .   “Wal-Mart Stores” is a heading that includes the company’s supercenters, discount stores, and neighborhood markets that are located in the United States as well as walmart.com. The...

Words: 3058 - Pages: 13

Free Essay

Walmart Click and Mortar

...retaining the best associates; •Delivering on the productivity loop that enables Walmart to operate for less so the company can drive prices even lower for its customers •Being even more disciplined about operating expenses and capital spending; •Investing to serve more customers globally and accelerating the vision of anytime, anywhere access by bringing together best-in-class online, mobile and social capabilities and our more than 10,700 stores; and •Benefiting our communities and having a world class compliance organization. Walmart has been the giant of brick and mortar retailers having topped the Fortune 500 list on more than one occasion. Several business news agencies have notde that Wal-Mart is stumbling into E-Commerce market as it attempts to adapt its click and mortar business strategies to its E-Commerce business. According to CNN Money Wal-Mart plans to become an online juggernaut, but its online business numbers have been disappointing. Walmart’s E-Commerce has come up with a plan to do e-commerce right. The • Walmart began recruiting top Silicon Valley talent and acquiring start-ups last year. For instance, Walmart acquired Kosmix, a company that specializes in making web design more seamless, for $300 million. That team has been working for over a year to fix Walmart's systems and improve its website. • Walmart is investing in the "social gifting" market. A year ago, Walmart launched "Shopycat," which makes gift recommendations based on friends'...

Words: 2573 - Pages: 11

Premium Essay

Jcp vs Target Week 7 Final

...In business since April 1902, when James Cash Penney opened “The Golden Rule, a dry good and clothing store in Kemmerer, Wyoming. Although the name of the store was changed to JCPenney, in 1907, the company’s “Golden Rule” philosophy (do unto others as you would have them do unto you) remains unchanged. In 1927, JCPenney was listed on the NY Stock Exchange. Currently, JCPenney operates 1,108 department stores thoughout the U.S. and Puerto Rico, providing 112 million square feet of selling space. JCPenney offers private, exclusive and national brands. Its private brands are “developed, designed and sourced in-house, generating nearly 50 percent of the Company’s annual revenue.” (JCPenney, 2011) JCPenney has partnered with Sephora, Call It Spring™, MNG by Mango® and Modern Bride® to create a boutique style shopping experience within the JCPenney store. JCPenney “sells family apparel and footwear, accessories, fine and fashion jewelry, beauty products and home furnishings. It also provides various services, such as styling salon, optical, portrait photography, and custom decorating.” (Yahoo Finance, 2011) It hosts one of the largest apparel and home furnishings e-commerce sites, posting revenues in excess of $1.5 billion in 2010. JCPenney posted approximately $17.8 billion in total revenues in 2010. “JCPenney has a balance of both mall-based and off-mall stores. Productivity of the newer off-mall stores is generally above chain average, based in part on a more efficient store layout...

Words: 5761 - Pages: 24

Free Essay

Leader Thought Paper-Power Theory of Raven

...BUMO 796 University of Maryland Smith School of Business Spring 2014 Name: Chia-Sheng Chang (Tony) Title: A master of the Legitimacy of reciprocity Date: 04/27/2014 I am very excited to choose the Social Power theory of Raven to be the subject for my thought paper. In the following, I will focus on the Legitimacy of reciprocity and discuss it from my personal experience. The law of reciprocity is defined as- the norm that we should repay those who help us. In other words, it implies that- I did that for you, so you should feel obligated to do this for me(Gouldner,1960). In Taiwan, one of our most successful entrepreneurs, Samuel Yin, is indeed a master of the reciprocity law. Being the chairman of Ruentex Financial Group, Samuel is ranked #500 in Forbes 2014. I always remember his motto:“The more goodwill we carry, the more karmic reward we will have”. At this time, most Taiwanese businessman in china invests plenty amount of money to circulate the governors for their business. However, Samuel’s attitude toward cultivating network in china led him to a much higher altitude and even more rewards. Back in 1989, realizing China’s insufficiency in higher education, Samuel donated 10 million USD to establish the best business school in China, Guanghua School of Management of Peking University. Moreover, there are more than 100,000 outstanding students in China’s top universities have received his scholarship before. Nowadays, most of them play an important...

Words: 674 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

Mkt 421 Week 4

...1. “Fun” commercials 2. People enjoy being around others that drink Coors beer 3. Price a. Definition – the price that a particular product or service costs b. Coors – Brands attack different segments i. Coors offers “Budget Beer” for Americans that make below a certain amount of money and can’t afford more expensive beer ( college students). ii. Coors offers seasonal beers also Winterfest and Killians has become a seasonal sensation iii. Coors offers beer for all different types of fun occasions. 4. Place a. Definition – Where the products are marketed or Distribution Channel. b. Coors– Brands i. A Physical product can be purchased from most stores during certain hours depending on laws within each state.. Target, Safeway, WalMart, Costco, Walgreens and Liquor stores have carried the product in the past. The product is also available for purchase at many Bars / restaurants. 5. Promotion a. Definition – How to market the product. i.e. Advertising, Direct Marketing, Sales Promotion, Public Relations and Publicity. b. Coors– Coors advertises it product year around. You will see heavy advertisement around all major holidays including football season and playoffs. Coors advertises on television, radio, online, print and partners with many Bars and stadiums to offer a discount price on the purchase for prime locations. Coors has tried different ways of getting buyers attention like advertising during the Super Bowl and...

Words: 1092 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Grocery Story Industry Analysis

...Groceries, Supermarkets, and Beyond: The Food Retail Industry John Abbott Samia Bagdady Kate deLima Casey Gavin MBA AF601: Economics for Managers Spring 2010 HISTORY The food industry has developed more structural specialization and diversity than probably any other industrial sector. Food moves from producer to consumer through many channels such as direct sale at the farm, heavily advertised brands in supermarkets, generic or store brands, through convenience stores and other institutional feeders. With great changes in American lifestyles since food delivery became industrialized, there have been significant shifts have taken place among these channels as well as profound changes within each. Therefore, the U.S. food system has experienced rapid development and has responded to periods of rapid economic growth, technical change, changes in household structure, rising consumer income and changing public policy. Its institutional structure has been transformed repeatedly. It has been subjected to periods of intense public scrutiny that have shaped much of the public policy that guides and constrains its conduct and performance. This large economic sector is affected by many forces, from Many influences or forces which affect this large economic sector. The list of interactive factors spans from basic agricultural commodity supply and demand situations to final consumer preferences (Padberg & Rogers, 1987). Over the...

Words: 7280 - Pages: 30

Free Essay

Windshield Survey

...Windshield Survey Hayden Idaho Geographic Assessment My community is Hayden Lake Idaho, zip code 83835. Hayden Lake is in Kootenai County and located in the northern part of the state about 90 miles from the Canadian border. Hayden Lake shares the same zip code as the city of Hayden located next door to it. Size is 0.68 square miles. Elevation: 2,239 feet and there is 40 miles of shore line (City-Data.com, n.d.). The shore line is heavily populated with homes and has little public access. Hayden Lake is fed by streams and springs. Population is 575. Coeur d’Alene Indians initially inhabited the area around Hayden Lake. The area provided excellent hunting and fishing, and an abundant supply of huckleberries and bulbs. Good huckleberry picking still exists within a few miles from Hayden. Hayden Lake was formed by glacial activity and prehistorically was a hunter and gather society. This has helped to shape Hayden Lake into what it is today. Hayden Lake residents are heavily into big game hunting, growing our own food, canning, and big on out doors activities. The boundaries of Hayden Lake are Hayden lake shore line, government way, north Lakeview rd., and Honey Suckle Dr. Highway 95 runs north and south through the city of Hayden and can easily be reached from just about any road in Hayden Lake. There is a railroad in nearby Rathdrum however it does not run through or border Hayden Lake. Housing in Hayden Lake is a mix of new development track homes that are close together...

Words: 1773 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

Student

...Retail Doesn’t Cross Borders Here’s why and what to do about it Globalization’s lure is almost irresistible. With the U.S. economy struggling to expand and Europe on the brink of recession, fast-growing markets in the developing world offer the best opportunities for boosting revenues and profits today. Many companies in the developed world are keen to follow in the wake of corporations in a variety of industries—such as Boeing, Coca-Cola, DuPont, General Electric, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Oracle, Unilever, and Disney—that appear to have succeeded in going global. Globalization is no panacea, however. Success abroad varies widely, and it’s often tough to boost profits by investing overseas. Because most studies look at cross-industry patterns to draw lessons about how to succeed at globalization, they can be Rajiv Lal is the Stanley Roth Sr. Professor of Retailing at Harvard Business School. misleading. When we focused on one industry—grocery retailing—we found that, with a few exceptions, globalization’s benefits had not accrued to retailers. In contrast to other industries, grocery retail is still dominated by local players in most countries. International players are almost entirely absent from even the largest retail markets. And every grocery retailer that has ventured overseas has failed as often as it has succeeded. Moreover, our research shows that on average, the extent of internationalization does not have a significant effect on retailers’ ...

Words: 4245 - Pages: 17

Premium Essay

Walmart China Issues

...Suggestions Walmart needs to adjust to the Chinese market, while leveraging its source of competitive advantage. This requires a delicate balance. At the US, the brand Walmart is associated with low price rather than quality. In China, where everyone is going for low prices and providing low quality to do so, Walmart’s own brand could be an assurance for low prices but with quality by making the Walmart name about more than just retailing. The suggested strategy in the 2008 Walmart supplier meetings shows that it’s heading in that direction (Business Week). This also follows Gome’s strategy of renaming its suppliers to their own brand (Business Week), but goes beyond it as the foreign brand in China is already associated with higher reliability and quality assurance. This actually holds true in China were retailers do a better job of enforcing supplier quality than the local regulations. With that, Walmart is still able to use its expertise and knowledge in supplier negotiation and distribution system to keep costs down. Although Walmart is a Joint-Venture, the sources do not mention any attempt to leverage the local partner to meet the local market, which seems the opposite to some other joint ventures discussed like Danone and Wahaha. Working together with the local partner to understand where and how the local regulations can be used or adjusted for Walmart’s success and gaining a stronger hold of the potential customer’s heart might help Walmart’s growth and dominance in...

Words: 5066 - Pages: 21

Premium Essay

Pahrump Nv Demograohics

...Summary Pahrump is a census-designated place (CDP) and an unincorporated town located in the southeast corner of Nye County, Nevada. It is 60 miles west of Las Vegas Nevada, and 60 miles east of Death Valley. Pahrump is about 35 miles long and 8 to 15 miles wide, an area of approximately 364 square miles. Surrounding the Valley are the Spring Mountain range to the east and the Nopah Mountains to the west. This document is a report analyzing the current property market status and demographics in Pahrump. The purpose of this report is to assess the viability of building a mobile home park in Pahrump, NV. Location of Pahrump in Nevada on Google Maps Pahrump – An Introduction The peaceful Pahrump Valley of Southern Nevada is located approximately 45 miles West of Las Vegas and 60 miles East of Death Valley. The word Pahrump is a Paiute Indian expression interpreted to mean "water rock" or "place where big waters flow". Pahrump offers a rural, country-like atmosphere with clean fresh air, plenty of good water and a temperate desert climate second to none. The surrounding majestic mountain ranges and breathtaking sunsets are truly awesome. People are friendly, property taxes are low and there are no personal or corporate taxes. With a population of about 36,000 there is no traffic to fight and very little crime. Pahrump was originally inhabited by the Shoshone. It was slowly inhabited by American settlers in the late 19th century. They reportedly chose the name for Pahrump...

Words: 1948 - Pages: 8

Free Essay

Urban Outfitters Continuing Case Study: Marketing a Business

...Urban Outfitters Continuing Case Study: Marketing a business Deborah Riley Dr. John H. Carter BUS100 – Spring/2010 May 30, 2010 Question #1 - Explain why Sears or Wal-mart cannot effectively create a trendy counterculture image. In my opinion I don’t think that Wal-mart would be able to create a trendy counterculture because it sales clothes at a lower price. Trendy clothes would not be effective for them because the cost associated with trendy clothes would not be profitable. Wal-mart shoppers are looking for a bargain when they go shopping at their stores. Wal-mart is known for their lowering prices on items in their stores called the Roll Back Price. “Wal-Mart said last week that it is stepping up price cuts, although it wouldn't specify how much it is boosting its typical weekly discounts designed to lure customers.” (Anderson, 2010, para 2). They also buy their merchandise in bulk as oppose to small quantities. While Urban Outfitters buy their merchandise in smaller quantities and there items are priced higher which is why they can create a trendy counterculture. When speaking of Sears they are not on the same line as Wal-mart considering they do not offer their customers price cuts such as roll back prices. But they do buy their merchandise in larger quantities then Urban Outfitters. Sears prices are high when compared to Wal-mart but they offer designer labels that are not offered at Wal-mart. But they also mass produce...

Words: 1646 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

The U.S. Gun-Control Paradox

...Journal of Business & Economics Research – Fourth Quarter 2015 Volume 13, Number 4 The U.S. Gun-Control Paradox: Gun Buyer Response To Congressional Gun-Control Initiatives Michael A. Jones, Ph.D., Southeastern Louisiana University, USA George W. Stone, Ph.D., North Carolina A&T University, USA ABSTRACT Many scholars and interest groups in the U.S. advocate for more gun-control in terms of restrictions on sales. Following the Sandy Hook shooting in Newtown, Connecticut in December 2012, The Obama Administration initiated legislation to restrict gun sales. Coincidentally, U.S. firearm sales surged to record levels and ammunition shortages occurred. This article examines the gun control issue in the U.S. in light of the events of 2013, demonstrating the paradox which gun-control advocates face. The authors provide background information on the gun-control debate including the social cost of gun-violence and the U.S. political battle over the issue. Keywords: U.S. Gun-Control Paradox; Gun-Control Debate; Congressional Gun-Control Initiatives INTRODUCTION T his study examines the response of US firearm and ammunition consumers to the Obama Administration’s 2013 initiative to pass new gun control legislation. After staying-clear of guncontrol during his first term, President Obama initiated a dialog proposing the need for new gun control legislation after the Sandy Hook Elementary tragedy in December 2012 (McWhinnie 2013). What followed was a sharp increase...

Words: 4886 - Pages: 20

Free Essay

Lynx, Bus Map

...1 3 4 6 7 8 9 10 11 13 14 15 17 18 20 21 23 24 25 26 28 29 30 34 36 37 38 46E,46W 40 41 42 44 45 46W 46 E 48 49 50 51 54 SEMINOLE CENTRE 34,45,46E,46W,103,1792 55 56 Connects with Lake County Transit Route 4 57 Zellwood 58 102 F 17 astLin 92 k 103 111 125 Ronald Re ag an Bl vd 200 204 300 301 302 303 304 305 FastLink 1792 306 313 319 lvd 405 Ro na ld Re ag an B 434 443 FastLink 1792 FastLink 441 601 603 West Town Pkwy 611 612 613 621 Fa 17 stLink 92 622 622 Oviedo 631 641 Maitland / Altamonte Springs Lake Margaret Drive South U.S. 441 / Kissimmee Dixie Belle Drive S. Orange Avenue / Florida Mall W. Oak Ridge Road / International Drive Eatonville / Rosemont East U.S. 192 / St. Cloud S. Orange Avenue / Orlando International Airport University of Central Florida Calvary Towers / Winter Park Village Curry Ford Road / Valencia Community College East North U.S. 441 / Apopka S. Orange Avenue / Kissimmee Malibu Universal Studios Winter Park / Forest City Millenia Mercy Drive Pleasant Hill Road / Poinciana E. Colonial Drive / Azalea Park E. Colonial Drive / Goldenrod Colonial Drive Crosstown Sanford / Goldsboro Lake Richmond Park Promenade Plaza / Florida Mall Downtown Orlando / International Drive Americana Boulevard / Universal Orlando S.R. 436 Crosstown International Drive / Orlando International...

Words: 2550 - Pages: 11