Wal-Mart Supply Chain Management

Retail super-giant Wal-Mart has fought its way to becoming the world's

largest company. Much of their success can be attributed to providing

a vast assortment of products at exceptional prices all under one

roof. Wal-Mart began operations in 1964 and has since become the

world leader in retail. Today, Wal-Mart is visited by 138 million

customers per week at their 4,750 stores. Wal-Mart operates under

four basic rules in order to satisfy such a large number of customers:

Respect the individual, provide the best service to their customers,

strive for excellence, and exceed customer expectations.

Their corporate mission focuses on a global growth strategy through

concentrated integration. The company continues to expand its

existing discount stores, warehouses, and super-centers. The company

maintains two goals: First, Provide the customer with what they want,

when they want it, all at value and secondly, team spirit through

total dependency on associates to treat customers as they would want

to be treated. Their business strategy is to provide well-known name

brands at an everyday low price. Wal-Mart has a wide range of products

offered. They offer everything from electronics, movies, books, toys,

games, gardening supplies, home supplies, photo development, gifts,

jewelry, and at some locations even automobile, optometry, and grocery

shopping centers.

In operating its network of retail stores Wal-Mart pushes their output

to the general public. Wal-Mart focuses their competitive priorities

on bringing the customer the lowest prices by selling in volume. The

vast size and selection essentially guarantees that the store will

have what the customer wants in stock and at a cheaper price than

competitors. This strategy allows them to outsell their competition.

In order to facilitate the achievement of their goals Wal-Mart has

designed their layout to accommodate a large number of shoppers at the

same time. They build expansive stores with wide aisles so that many

people can feel comfortable shopping at the same time. Wal-Mart has

taken the initiative to build stores in countless rural towns and

smaller cities. They have increased their market share and have

gained a reputable name by doing so. At the same time, this benefit

has created an enormous supply chain management problem. How can

Wal-Mart effectively keep all of its...

... middle of paper ...

...y at creating an efficient supply chain in order

to beat the competition on price and selection has certainly paid

off.

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