WALMART

Wal-Mart

Wal-Mart

Introduction

Wal-Mart is one of the renowned names in the Retailing Industry. It offers products of all categories to its customers. Wal-Mart is held in high regard among the customers since it caters to the distinct needs of its customers in an efficient manner. Wal-Mart offers all products under one roof and offers the customers an economical price associated with their products (Wal-Mart Annual Report, 2012).

There has been increasing trust of consumers on Wal-Mart because of the fact that Wal-Mart not only offers economical prices but as well as offers optimum quality products. Thus customers get a dual advantage while purchasing from Wal-Mart. Customers not only get the best price but also consume products that offer the highest quality. Wal-Mart not only focuses on retailing but has also diversified to conduct Electronic Commerce and even on mobile devices. Thus it has diversified its business prospects through various channels (Wal-Mart Annual Report, 2012).

Discussion

Wal-Mart is known for maintaining a strong and positive corporate environment throughout its offices and retail stores. They focus on incorporating the ideas from their associates, for which they conduct an associate opinion survey on regular basis (Li, 2010).

They have an open door environment, which allows the subordinates to feel free to contact their supervisors. Furthermore, the open door policy also allows the improvement in the overall process and procedures of the organization, as the management can be able to acquire different ideas from their employees. The organization also supports the teamwork environment, which not only helps the individuals to achieve their goals and objectives but also the objectives of the organization as a whole.

Globalization

Walmart's generic buildings and the environments that result have saturated the United States. Nationwide its network comprises five retail categories: 861 discount stores sell variety goods; 2,664 supercenters sell variety goods plus food; 153 neighborhood markets sell only food; four "marketside" stores are being tested (as a version of the convenience store); and 602 Sam's Clubs operate as members' only warehouses, similar to Costco. The total area of these almost 4,300 retail locations is over 675 million square feet, or about 15,500 acres. (Manhattan, by comparison, encompasses 14,694 acres.)

Each individual store is modeled on one of a collection of company prototypes, which are then modified according to commercial considerations such as size, layout and program, and to local conditions such as building codes, zoning ordinances, traffic access, etc. But no matter the retail type, the Walmart environment includes not only the commercial enclosures themselves but also the environs they produce: the parking lots, street lights, traffic lanes, median strips, freeway exits, drainage systems, retaining walls, grass berms, gutters, sidewalks, curbs, fire lanes, etc., that characterize the suburban commercial landscape — and in fact have come to dominate it (Anthony, 2007).

Diversity

Wal-Mart has never focused its attention on offering products of singular category. It has always focused on the concept of offering all types of products under one roof. The Diversification strategy has multiple benefits for Wal-Mart. Since the overall market is characterized by alarming uncertainty, ...