Wal-Mart Case Analysis

WAL-MART

Case analysis

Wal-Mart started its journey in the 1960s as a simple discount retailer in the neighborhood of Arkansas. Now the company has become a global retailing market leader in 2009 was unique among the companies of the world (Thompson, P-C-411). Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. is an American public corporation that runs a chain of large, discount department stores. It is the world's largest public corporation by revenue, according to the 2008 Fortune Global 500. The company was founded by Sam Walton in 1962, integrated on October 31, 1969, and listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 1972. Wal-Mart is the largest private employer and the largest grocery retailer in the United States. It also owns and operates the Sam's Club retail warehouses in North America. Wal-Mart operates in Mexico as Walmex, in the United Kingdom as Asda, and in Japan as Seiyu. It has wholly owned operations in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, and Puerto Rico (Wal-Mart, Wiki).

Wal-Mart has founded the core values that turned the company as winner in the competitive market place. Those unique values helped the company to establish a sustainable competitive advantage and to perform better in everyday’s operation. The management and associates live out these values every day in the way they serve their customers and each other. Associates are committed to work hard to accomplish extraordinary things. They never take each other for granted and encourage others to express their thoughts and ideas. Employees treat each other with dignity. This is the most basic way they show respect. Wal-Mart associates value their customers. Wal-Mart offers quality merchandise at the lowest prices with the best customer service possible and constantly reaching further to bring new ideas and goals to life (Basic values).

Wal-Mart has established a wide spread forward looking strategy by evaluating the customers in different market segment and offers diversified product and service based on the customers need. The company has balanced store operation among three divisions: Wal-Mart Stores U.S., Sam's Club, and Wal-Mart International. The company does business in several different retail formats. Major merchandise lines included house wares, customer electronics, sporting goods, lawn and garden items, health and beauty aids, apparel, home fashions, paint, bed and bath goods, hardware, jewelry, automotive repair and maintenance, toys and games, and groceries. (Wal-Mart, Wiki). By perusing the low cost provider theory Wal-Mart is offering low price every day. Customers can even shop at 15 to 25% cheaper price comparing traditional super market. However, the store has wide selection, a big percentage of name brand merchandise, a customer friendly store environment, low operating costs, innovative merchandising. At the same time