Wal Mart: Strategic Planning

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Wal Mart: Strategic Planning

Introduction

Wal-Mart is a brand that is well known around the world, especially in the USA. It has gradually developed into the largest retailer in the world. Wal-Mart’s globalization efforts have been happening rapidly. But have they been successful in all aspects of their international expansion or not? This is the main thought that is going to be discussed in this essay. The questions I will be looking at are based on a case called “Wal-Mart takes on the world” from the book of International Business The Challenge of Global Competition eleventh edition – Ball, McCulloch, Geringer, Minor, and McNett. Questions are the following:

1. Why has Wal-Mart viewed international expansion as a critical part of its strategy?

2. What did Wal-Mart do to enable the company to achieve success in Canada and Latin America? Why did Wal-Mart fail to achieve similar success in Europe?

3. What should Wal-Mart do - or not do – to help ensure that the company achieves success in China and India?

4. How will Wal-Mart’s business practices and culture transfer internationally?

5. Can the company leverage its success in the American market to ensure success in the international marketplace?

6. Finally I will discuss some of the early missteps Wal-Mart experienced when the company began expanding internationally.

Before answering these questions I will explain a little bit about Wal-Mart and what the case “Wal-Mart takes on the world” is about. Then finally I will give my conclusion.

“Wal-Mart takes on the world” Case overview

Wal-Mart began in the USA in the state of Arkansas. It was founded by Sam Walton in 1962. After the 1980’s Wal-Mart quickly became the largest retailer in the world, defeating ...

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...uck to the stores they always shopped in. Missteps in Germany for example were set as examples of how NOT to expand into a country. It was a lesson learned and it was seen as a turning point. This should be seen as an opportunity rather that a threat and should stay as an example for further expanding.

Conclusion

So I would say Wal-Mart has not been successful in all areas of its international expansion, but the company has been extremely successful internationally. Starting with nothing so many years ago Wal-Mart international has grown rapidly and beautifully I must say. It is now the fastest growing part of Wal-Mart. Expanding internationally was the most logical next step for Wal-Mart. By acquiring with more care and sensitivity, and researching the market thoroughly before entering I believe Wal-Mart could soon become Wal-World (as I have heard it is called.)

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