Walmart Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Walmart - Research Paper Example Mission and the Vision Statement The mission statement of Wal-Mart is ‘we save people money so that they get live better lives’ (Wal-Mart 2011 Annual Report, 2012) There is no specific vision statement for Wal-Mart, however the following quote by Wal-Mart serves as an example of the company’s vision: ‘The secret of successful retailing is to give your customers what they want. And really, if you think about it from your point of view as a customer, you want everything: a wide assortment of good-quality merchandise; the lowest possible prices; guaranteed satisfaction with what you buy; friendly, knowledgeable service; convenient hours; free parking; a pleasant shopping experience’ (Walton, 1990) Competitive Advantage of Wal-Mart Wal-Mart has always portrayed itself as the low price provider. It offers its consumers brand products at discounted rates. It is able to enjoy this advantage because it buys its products in bulk quantities and keeps its profit margin quite low. The aim is to increase sales so that profits will be achieved through increased sales. The company has also expanded extensively within and outside the United States. The objective for the company has been to open up big Wal-Mart stores in almost every corner of the country. This would allow people to have better access to these stores. Also these stores offer almost everything; from food items to electronic goods. The expansion strategy for international countries is also quite developed for Wal-Mart. When Wal-Mart enters into a foreign market, it does so by buying out the existing competitor. In this way, Wal-Mart gets several advantages. It is able to kill one competitor and establish a store in a prime location. Also the company benefits from the assets and human resource of the previous store. Government Regulation Industry for Wal-Mart The company is regulation through local laws in which the company operates. Since the company operates in different countries, it has to comply with the respective laws of the country. The company is facing issues with regard to its labor relations. The company does not allow its workers to develop unions. Also these workers are filing lawsuits against the company on the basis of working conditions, benefits offered and discrimination. Regulations affect the company by requiring the company to comply with existing laws and to ensure that the workers are treated fairly (Gereffi and Christian, 2009). SWOTT Analysis Strengths The biggest strength for Wal-Mart is the competitive prices that they offer. The company has presence in over 15 countries in the world and has opened up multiple stores in these countries. This large scale of operation allows the company to gain economies of scal e along with developing a strong position against the competitors. The retail industry is all about offering the best prices and the widest range and Wal-Mart is able to do this. This is perhaps the biggest strength for the company. The company also has developed a good IT base. It was the first retail store to adopt the bar code system. Since Wal-Mart is proactive in adopting new technology, it enjoys