...Wal-Mart Unethical Business Practices - Business Research Paper Wal-Mart was founded by Sam Walton where it is the place that a lot of people usually do their shopping for the low prices and the variety of products. Walton was started his own company and made it into the leader in discount retailing with an innovative vision, and yet it’s the most successful entrepreneur in hypermarket industry. In fact, Wal-Mart is pointed to be the biggest company in the U.S. and it has stores worldwide. Recent research on PBS (PBS, n.d.) has shown Wal-Mart employ more people than any other company in the United States outside of the Federal government; so far the majority of its employees with children live below the poverty line. In addition, Wal-Mart likes to portray itself as a seller of U.S. manufactured goods. However, the company has products on its shelves made in foreign countries and at questionable workshops. In consequence, Wal-Mart is facing a large amount of argument for unethical business practices. Some of these unethical business practices include the following. Discriminating Wal-Mart has been accused of discriminating against women. Women had been avoided training and promotion opportunities which are normally offered to men. Moreover, women are underpaid. Specifically, men wages are paid more than women wages and the wages gap between men and women are huge. (now.org, 2011) In fact, there are small amount of those women are managers even though there are...
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...Business Research Part 1 Team A RES/351 February 24, 2014 Sara Skowronski Preparing to Conduct Business Research Part 1 The purpose of business research is to allow a business to set itself apart from its competitors by gathering as much information on the industry that it can and utilizing that data to create unique methodologies and business practices. Researching in a business will provide information on things such as what products consumers like or do not like to buy, what the start-up costs will be, and whether any new business opportunity is viable to undertake. Researching also reveals the profitability potential of products and services and how they size up competitively with similar products available in the marketplace. The most successful organizations in each industry are perfect examples of how to successfully market, advertise, and sell your products so they should always be considered. As apparent as this may seem to any given organization, often times, businesses suffer to some degree because of the lack of focus when it comes to customer service. In a time where technology and immediacy is the common thread used in impression and persuasion, the common denominator could boil down to customer service. It can be the one thing that separates an organization from another. We will be focusing directly on the research of customer service for the company Wal-Mart as an opportunity. Researching the prosperity and customer services rendered by Wal-Mart our team...
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...Foundations of Research April 4, 2011 Executive Summary The literature review essay attempts to assess secondary information sources on the aspect of customer satisfaction within the Wal-Mart Corporation. The problem statement clarifies the operations of Wal-Mart in which the company undertakes measures in maintaining a large customer base, excellent products and services, and a satisfied stakeholder foundation. The main body of the literature review commences with a quick history of consumerism and customer satisfaction and the effects of proper implementation. Various secondary sources examine survey and questionnaire reliability, deciphering such information, along with the positive and negative effects of proper evaluation of said questions. The essay shifts to customer satisfaction within The Wal-Mart Corporation coupled with opinionated and factual information on the corporation’s efforts concerning research and execution of the survey outcomes. Entailed in the literature body is an examination of internal factors such as Wal-Mart’s facts and figures, statements from the founder of the company Sam Walton, and details from store surveys. External factors include an outside perspective of Wal-Mart into the company’s research design, proper use of surveys, sources on research and how properly to conduct sound questionnaires. The research design entails qualitative phone surveys, written surveys done at the store, and external research from outside...
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...of if they observed that the corporation buys goods from a vendor with immoral methods. Wal-Mart controls their personnel to a code of ethics. The ethics code is a declaration announcing that to every employee the viewpoints of the corporation. The yearly records and SEC finding for 2010 and 2011 will be analyzed in the next statements to get comprehension of Wal-Mart as a corporation and its operations in the time course. Role of Ethics and Compliance The finance and accounting industries must involve ethics as a framework on that every movement is performed. “Every movement that contradicts with the ethical contexts can result to a loss of assurance which have a bad and continual influence on this corporation” (Titman, Keown, & Martin, 2011, p. 312). A portion of this equation involves the essence of the corporation in which relies to the morality bestowed to protect viability of clients, adversaries, personnel and suppliers. The mentioned assertion does not contradict the truth that financial records of any corporation must signify a precise and factual view of the corporation’s financial status. Stockholders require this assurance or they will not invest in corporations that are publicly exchanged. As a result, financial markets will absolutely fail. Fortune Magazine absolutely mentions Wal-Mart with America’s most approved corporations. An analysis of Wal-Mart’s Code of Ethics makes the conclusion in this description very precise. Chief Executive...
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...Wal-Mart to Turkey TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction 3 Wal-Mart 4 - 5 Location Turkey 5 - 8 Economic Situation 8 - 10 Political Situation 10 - 11 Competition 11 - 12 Target Market 12 - 13 Global Market Participation 13 Marketing Research 14 - 15 Trading 15 - 16 USA vs. Turkey 16 - 17 Wal-Mart Failure in Germany 17 - 18 S.W.O.T. 18 - 21 Marketing Strategies 22 - 25 Conclusion 26 - 27 Exhibits 28 - 30 References 30 - 32 INTRODUCTION Wal-Mart has dominated the retail industry globally. From it’s humble start in Bentonville, Arkansas it has strived to improve the standard of living throughout the world. Wal-Mart is aware of the risks expanding into relatively underdeveloped countries, but they have not allowed any aspect to hinder their confidence. Expanding internationally will increase its global market share, and they understand the need to address cultural barriers within each market to succeed. Turkey has experienced tremendous growth in the retail sector, adding to its appeal and readiness for the Wal-Mart invasion. Can Wal-Mart succeed in a place like Turkey? We look at the economic, political and cultural environment of the country; what kind of competition will they be looking at and who is the target market. How did Wal-Mart get their start and how did they succeed in other countries other than their home base? The actual location is important to look at, as we analyze the country we look at the GDP, possible Pro’s/Con’s and the...
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...3—Summer 2007—Pages 177–198 The Causes and Consequences of Wal-Mart’s Growth Emek Basker W al-Mart plays a large and ever-growing role in the U.S. economy. As of January 31, 2007, Wal-Mart operated more than 3,400 U.S. Wal-Mart stores along with more than 550 Sam’s Club locations. Wal-Mart is the largest private employer in the United States, with 1.3 million employees, and the largest retailer in the United States. In 2004, Wal-Mart handled 6.5 percent of U.S. retail sales (8.8 percent if automobile sales are excluded); this number has since increased. Wal-Mart is the top U.S. seller of apparel, groceries, and music, among other products, and is the top retailer in most states. Wal-Mart’s 2005 revenues exceeded those of the next five U.S. retailers combined; these are Home Depot, Kroger, Sears Holding Company (which includes Sears and Kmart), Costco, and Target (Schultz, 2006). Wal-Mart currently accounts for 28 percent of Playtex’s sales, 25 percent of Clorox’s, 21 percent of Revlon’s, 13 percent of KimberlyClark’s, and 17 percent of Kellogg’s (Weinswig and Tang, 2006). Wal-Mart also accounts for over 15 percent of U.S. imports of consumer goods from China. More than 120 million U.S. consumers shop at Wal-Mart every week, and 84 percent of Americans shopped at Wal-Mart at least once during 2005 (Pew Research Center, 2005).1 Wal-Mart is also the largest retailer in the world. From a global perspective, Wal-Mart’s sales are larger than the next three retailers combined:...
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...this situation is innovate the business model. This essay will demonstrate the gap between Chinese business model and the international advanced business model. The control power to industry chain determined the merchant mode. In modern business, controlling the upstream section of the industry chain means that the enterprises make profits and economize the resource and cost furthest. For instance, China only control the one part of industry chain. That is manufacture which is a low-income and high cost part. However, the upstream section of the industry chain was controlled by American companies. The most famous example may be the Apple Inc. that never produce even one element of electronic products. Apple Inc. masters the design and research section which is high yield and the crux of the whole chain. Then, Apple utilize this superiority to attract other manufacturer such as Foxconn. Apple will lower the price per unit to make more profits, which depress the Foxconn to only survive. Foxconn have to overburden workers to work for almost 12 hours per day. As a result, 11...
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...Diversity and Globalization in Wal-Mart Wal-Mart started in 1962 with one store in Arkansas. By 1970 Wal-Mart had 38 stores in a few states. The department store was and still is growing very fast. Wal-Mart employs a very diverse workforce with young people, students, varied ethnic groups, senior people, and both educated and uneducated men and women (Wal-Mart, 2009). In the 1960s Wal-Mart began with a simple discount store and over time evolved into supercenters, which have the original discount store but include a grocery section as well. The chain has grown considerably, from small town to Fortune 500, over many decades. Wal-Mart learned many lessons as they evolved such as how they can save money for the people and company regarding recycling and efficiency. Wal-Mart started off less environmentally conscious than they are today, paying significant attention to energy, fuel, recycling, resources which saves money and the environment. At Wal-Mart, management believes that business wins when everyone matters, and that the true strength of diversity is unleashed when each associate is encouraged to reach their full potential. Diversity then becomes the foundation for an inclusive, sustainable business that embraces and respects differences, develops our associates, serves our customers, partners with our communities, and builds upon an inclusive supplier base (Wal-Mart, 2009). Wal-Mart implements diversity as part of its business plan, ensuring we can continue to be a global...
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...Workplace,Business & Ethics on evaluation of job ethical standards in Wal-Mart in South Carolina In Partial Fulfillment of Business Research and Project BUS 499 Nagliesha L Miles Supervisor: Dr. Mmutakaego Chukwuanu Allen University Date: December 8,2010 Table of content Table of Content...............................................................................................................2 Abstract............................................................................................................................3 List of Illustrations Wal-Mart earnings preview......................................................................................13 U.S Retail food pricing.................................................................................14 Chapter 1 Introduction.....................................................................................................................5 Background information.......................................................................................5 Statement of problem............................................................................................5 Hypothesis............................................................................................................6 Chapter 2 Literature Review...........................................................................................................8 Chapter 3 Methodology.................................................
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...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...
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...Wal-Mart in China In the United States, Wal-Mart has become the leader of all retail stores and is the largest retailer than any other dominating the industry with stores in the international market. The company operates in 27 countries including Canada, and the United Kingdom (Farhoomand, & Wang, 2008; Wal-Mart, 2014). Wal-Mart was founded in Rogers, Arkansas by Sam Walton (Wal-Mart, 2014); and throughout the years it grew into a successful business. When Mr. Walton created Wal-Mart, he defined his business in three distinct objectives: individual respect, customer service, and strive for excellence (Hayden, et al., 2002). At that time, he utilized the “pricing philosophy” as one part of his corporate management strategy; this technique involved selling high quality, brand name products at the lowest price and has remained the same since Mr. Walton first opened the store (Farhoomand, & Wang, 2008; Hayden, et al., 2002, p. 16). Wal-Mart became a departmentalized, discount retail business and although the company launched its business in small-towns it expanded into larger cities (Farhoomand, & Wang, 2008; Hayden, et al., 2002). To accomplish his corporate aforementioned goals, Sam established two distinct rules; the first, the “Sundown Rule” in which an associate must logically provide an answer to a request or question from a customer or supplier within 24 hours (Hayden, et al., 2002, p. 16). Second, the “Ten Foot Rule” in which “an associate must greet, smile, and attend...
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...Business Research Methods Kim Smith QNT/561 June 25, 2012 Leda Villalobos Business Research Methods Wal-Mart is the world’s largest retailer but revenues are on a consistent growth trajectory, cost of sales has also been increasing (Consolidated Statements of Income, 2011). One strategy to leverage revenue growth against the risk of increasing expenditure may be to use current assets in new ways. The boutique-within-the- store concept will apply current infrastructural and personnel resources to reach a demographic with greater disposable income. The target market will be working women with young families who can purchase an item suitable for work, picking up children from school or daycare, and with a few accessories she is ready for an evening out. The product offering will compete with Dress Barn and Cato and be similar to that of Target’s new marketing thrust. The research question will emanate from analysis that applies the Management Research Question Hierarchy and further tested for alignment with the management dilemma. The research design will establish the feasibility of proposed solutions to the management problem through a stratified random sample of Wal-Mart customers. Background Information Wal-Mart was founded in 1962 with the opening of the first Wal-Mart discount store in Rogers, Arkansas (Wal-Mart Corporate, 2012). The organization has grown and is established in 27 countries in which it operates under 69 banners employing over 2.2 million...
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...Hampshire University Identification of Topic Wal-Mart is headquartered in Bentonville, Arkansas and founded by Sam Walton in Rogers, Ark in 1962(Walmart. (n.d). In Wikipedia). When Wal-Mart first opened its doors they would open in rural areas thereby avoid competition from the current retails giants Sear and Kmart (Britannica.(n.d). In Britannica). As they began to grow they began adding different business models to their portfolio. In 1983, they added the discount warehouse of Sam’s club. In 1988, they added Wal-Mart Supercenters thus adding groceries to their portfolio making them one of the largest grocers in United States. Wal-Mart is an organization that is seen as one of the most successful groups in the world (Fortune, 2015). They are known for their low cost low price motto thus paying their suppliers and employees the lowest wages possible. They perpetually pay their employees less wages compared to other large retailers. One of the reason is their stong stance against employees being unionized (Britannica.(n.d). In Britannica). They are also known for going into urban area and forcing local merchants out of business since they can’t compete with the retail giant Research Questions 1. Why does Wal-Mart choose to practice a low prices motto for both supplier and employees? 2. Why women employees at Wal-mart are not able to climb the corporate ladder? 3. Why Wal-Mart has an Anti-Union Stance? 4. How Wal-Mart exploits employees? Rationale and Reasoning ...
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...Wal Mart A Proposal on How Wal-Mart Can Reduce High Employee Turnover Tiffanie Jenkins GM 591 Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. branded as Wal-Mart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000 list, and the largest public corporation when ranked by revenue. It is also the biggest private employer in the world with over 2 million employees. The company was founded by Sam Walton in 1962, incorporated on October 31, 1969, and publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange in 1972. It is headquartered in Bentonville, Arkansas. Wal-Mart is also the largest grocery retailer in the United States. In 2009, it generated 51% of its US$258 billion sales in the U.S. from grocery business. It also owns and operates the Sam's Club retail warehouses in North America. Wal-Mart has 8,500 stores in 15 countries, under 55 different names. The company operates under its own name in the United States, including the 50 states and Puerto Rico. Walton was extremely successful in running the store in Newport, far exceeding expectations. However, when the lease came up for renewal, Walton could neither come to agreement on the existing store's lease renewal nor find a new location in Newport. Instead, he opened a new Ben Franklin franchise in Bentonville, Arkansas, but called it "Walton's Five...
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...WAL-MART STORES, INC Step 1: Identify the Firm’s Existing Vision, Mission, Objectives, and Strategies. Vision and Mission: There is no formal vision and mission of Wal-Mart available in this case study. Objective: Wal-Mart is a retail store that strives to excellently serve, respect and focus on both domestic and international customer by providing every-day low prices’ general merchandise to satisfy customers’ needs and help customers to save money. Strategies: 1. Forward Integration * Wal-Mart acquired four stores and six sites from Makro, the Korean Club store retailer. (pg 614) 2. Horizontal Integration * Wal-Mart had acquired entrenched, dominant player, the Wertkauf hypermarket chain in Germany. (pg 611) * Wal-Mart acquired 229 stores of Asda Group PLC, the UK’s third largest supermarket chain. (pg 615) 3. Product Development * Wal-Mart reported experimenting internationally with new operational elements, including jewelry, one-hour photos, optical labs, and online home-delivery programs. (pg 605) 4. Market penetration * Wal-Mart plans to add another 50 German stores by the year 2003. (pg 614) * Wal-Mart plans to open 120-130 new stores in existing international markets. (pg 616) * Wal-Mart announced plans to open 44-55 new stores, 200 new Supercenters, 20-25 new Neighborhood Markets, and 40-45 new Sam’s Clubs. (pg 616) 5. Cost Leadership * Wal-Mart foresaw opportunities to serve customers in other countries, using its management...
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