Case Study: Wal-Mart in China (2012) In 1996, China’s national economy was growing at a rapid pace. The gross domestic product reached over US$1064.4 billion, an increase of 9.7% over the previous year. To further increase and attract foreign investment, the Chinese government increased its number of experimental, special economic-zoned cities in which foreigners could operate a business. There were, however, restrictions set forward by the government, in that all foreign businesses would have to be in a joint venture or other type of cooperative agreement with at least one Chinese partner, with that Chinese partner getting a stake greater than 51%. In August 1995, Wal-Mart, the great American retain chain and Middle America success story, arrived in China, establishing a joint venture with Shenzhen International Fiduciary Investment Co, Ltc, China. In 1996, Wal-Mart opened its first supercentre and a Sam’s Club in the special economic zone of Shenzhen. In 2007, Wal-Mart acquired a 35% stake in Trust-Mart, a Taiwanese-owned chain of retail supercentres operating in the Middle Kingdom. By 2010, Wal-Mart’s presence in China grew to 189 units in 101 Chinese cities, with the creation of over 50,000 local jobs. By 2012, the company nearly doubled its presence with 370 stores in 140 cities. As the U.S. and European economies slumped in late 2011 and into 2012, the world’s number-two economy became an even more important growth market. In the first quarter of 2012, China’s retail sales climbed 15% to US$783.03 billion. In the late 1990sand early 2000s, scores of Chinese workers left their villages to work and prosper in China’s first- and second-tier cities. With their growing prosperity came an increase in domestic consumption by the Chinese in their pursuit of a better life. In 2009, credit card balances rose more than 17% from the year prior. Several