...Walmart: Global Strategic Expansion - Executive Summary Since introducing its first international store in 1991, Walmart has transformed itself from an American retail giant into a global one, leveraging a wealth of resources to strategically expand operations. Although Walmart must contend with several formidable competitors, the retailer has successfully opened thousands of stores across the globe; most frequently, it has added international units through the acquisition of foreign retailers, which simultaneously reduces its competition and furthers its dominance. Walmart has differentiated itself by coupling its understanding of political, economic, legal, and cultural systems within target markets with its low-cost, high-quality approach to mass retail. Utilizing simultaneous strategic multiple thrusts, Walmart has developed layers of competitive advantage to establish itself as the world’s leading retailer. Focusing on strategic expansion, Walmart currently operates 9,826 stores across twenty-eight countries, allowing it to capture global scale efficiencies by creating a coordinated and integrated network of interdependent stores. Each unit within its network is regarded as a source of ideas and capabilities, and innovation is diffused across the company through initiatives such as a market-by-market training program that helps increase the company’s responsiveness to local demands and preferences. Thus, Walmart has established itself as a transnational corporation by developing...
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...Walmart LAW/531 November 7, 2013 Thane Messinger Walmart Walmart opened its doors in 1962 based on Sam Walton’s strategy of creating the lowest prices anytime, anywhere. By 1967, the Walton family was running 24 stores bringing in $12.7 million in sales. By 2012, the company served more than 200 million customers each week, employed 2.2 million associates worldwide, in more than 10,000 stores in 27 countries. After waiting years to open a “Superstore” in India, ambitious plans to expand in the country have seized to continue. India, the world’s largest retailer, has a difficult time with the regulations of the country as well as finding a foreign chain to help invest in the country’s $400 billion retail sector (Pasricha, 2013). Walmart has said it would end its joint venture with Bharti Enterprise Limited amid continued difficulties navigating regulations on foreign investments. To continue the organizational success Walmart has achieved, the organization will need to continue to research several key factors. These factors include: India’s restrictive rules on foreign firm operations, the target market blunder, Walmart’s past efforts to penetrate the retail industry in India, and any challenges encountered in partnership with Bharti. Walmart ceases operations in India because of failed partnership and restrictive government regulations on foreign investments. Walmart’s Ethics Walmart set its business foundation on values and ethics that leads the company. The...
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...Walmart in Japan I. Problem identification phase Introduction Walmart is an American international retail company that is headquartered in Bentonville, Arkansas. The company began operations in 1962 after being founded by Sam Walton and incorporated in 1969. The present brand name—Walmart—came about in 2008 and before that it was referred to as Wal-Mart. The company is famous for operating chains of large discount departmental stores and warehouse stores. Presently, the company is the 18th public corporation in terms of size and the biggest in terms of revenue, private employment, and retailer (Walmart 2011 Annual report). Furthermore, the largest shareholders are the Walton’s with 48% shares; hence they control the company. The company has approximately 9000 stores in over 15 countries all operating under different names. For instance, in Mexico it is called Walmex, in UK Asda, and in Japan Seiyu. This article analyses Walmart in Japan through three phases. The three phases are: problem identification, analysis, and solution phases. Background Walmart bought 6.2% of Seiyu in May 2002 (Holstein 73). The shares of the company increased over time and in 2005 December, Walmart was the majority shareholder of 50.9%. In 2008, Seiyu was entirely owned by Walmart whose headquarters are in Tokyo. The company has 419 retail units that are inclusive of: Seiyu Hypermarket, Seiyu Supermarket, Wakana, and Seiyu General Merchendise. Setting operations in Japan was not an easy feat...
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...TMG 610 Global Trends in Technology Case #8: Royal Dutch / Shell: Ethical Issues, Human Rights and Resource Extraction Case Study Report Ozel Kirkland 29 March 2014 I. Introduction – In General Terms What is this case is about? Why is it relevant to TMG 610? Whether the extractive industries like it or not, the nature of their involvement with host nations is a precarious balance between competing interests (Dicken, 2010), and firms are either obligated to conduct themselves responsibly when dealing with developing nations like Nigeria, or mitigate the negative effects of their choices after the fact, like Royal Dutch / Shell was compelled to. Unfortunately, some extraction companies have a reputation for embracing their short-term self-interests, exploiting developing countries rich with oil like Nigeria, instead of acting ethically. Many of the extractive resources of the world are found in poorer, or developing countries. The question is how can these resources be exploited without foreign assistance. In the earlier part of the twentieth century, many of these extractive industries originated from colonial powers that had expanded into these countries and invested in these companies. This expansion was singularly intended to expand the grip for these foreign countries over mineral resources, used to support their home country and the growing manufacturing and infrastructure growth in those home nations. However the relationships between these host...
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...influence, termed corporate power- refers to the capability of corporations to influence government, the economy, and society based on their organizational resources. - Power is often a function of size and by almost any measure used, the world’s largest business enterprises are impressively big. -One way to get a sense of the economic power of the world’s largest companies is to compare them with nations -The size and global reach of major transnational corporations such as Walmart give them tremendous power. -We count on corporations for job creation; much of our community well-being; the standard of living we enjoy; the tax base for essential municipal, state, and national services; and our needs for banking and financial services, insurance, transportation, communication, utilities, entertainment, and growing proportion of health care. -Corporations not only dominate the traditional domains of product manufacture and service delivery. -The following well-known quotation, frequently appearing in journals for business executives challenges its readers to assume a responsible role for business in society: business has become… the most powerful institution on the planet. The dominant institution in any society needs to take responsibility for the whole… every decision that is made, every action that is taken, must be viewed in light of that kind of responsibility. -the tremendous power of the world’s leading corporations has both positive and negative effects. A big company may...
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...Berkeley Journal of International Law Volume 26 | Issue 2 Article 5 2008 Corporate Governance as Social Responsibility: A Research Agenda Amiram Gill Recommended Citation Amiram Gill, Corporate Governance as Social Responsibility: A Research Agenda, 26 Berkeley J. Int'l Law. 452 (2008). Available at: http://scholarship.law.berkeley.edu/bjil/vol26/iss2/5 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Law Journals and Related Materials at Berkeley Law Scholarship Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Berkeley Journal of International Law by an authorized administrator of Berkeley Law Scholarship Repository. For more information, please contact jcera@law.berkeley.edu. Gill: Corporate Governance as Social Responsibility: A Research Agenda Corporate Governance as Social Responsibility: A Research Agenda By Amiram Gill* In the post-Enron years, corporate governance has shifted from its traditional focus on agency conflicts to address issues of ethics, accountability, transparency,and disclosure. Moreover, corporate social responsibility (CSR) has increasinglyfocused on corporate governance as a vehicle for incorporating social and environmental concerns into the business decision-making process, benefiting not only financial investors but also employees, consumers, and communities. Currently, corporate governance is being linked more and more with business practices and public policies that are stakeholder-friendly. This ...
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...An Insight Report on TESCO Plc. By Aanca Georgiana Table of Contents I. II. III. Executive Summary .................................................................... Page 3 Trade Barriers ............................................................................. Page 4 Technological Advances .............................................................Page 4 a. Information Technology ......................................................... Page 4 b. Retailing Technology ............................................................. Page 5 c. Operation Systems Technology ............................................. Page 5 d. Recommendations ................................................................ Page 6 IV. Adapting to Local Markets ........................................................... Page 6 a. Retailing Services ..................................................................Page 6 b. Marketing Strategies .............................................................. Page 8 V. VI. VII. VIII. IX. X. XI. XII. XIII. XIV. XV. Mistakes of Tesco......................................................................... Page 8 Fixed Costs ..................................................................................Page 9 International Trade & Comparative Advantage ........................... Page 10 Political Factors .......................................................................... Page 11 Operation Pressures......................................
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...WORKING PAPER NO: 366 Foreign Direct Investment in India’s Retail Sector: Some Issues Murali Patibandla Professor Corporate Strategy & Policy Indian Institute of Management Bangalore Bannerghatta Road, Bangalore – 5600 76 Ph: 080-26993039 muralip@iimb.ernet.in, m_patibandla@yahoo.com Year of Publication June 2012 1 Foreign Direct Investment in India’s Retail Sector: Some Issues Abstract Foreign direct investment (FDI) plays an important role in India’s growth dynamics. There are several examples of the benefits of FDI in India. FDI in the retail sector can expand markets by reducing transaction and transformation costs of business through adoption of advanced supply chain and benefit consumers, and suppliers (farmers). This also can result in net gains in employment at the aggregate level. This paper brings forth a few conceptual issues and analysis of qualitative information, data and stylized facts on these issues. Key words- India, Foreign direct investment, Retail, Supply chain, Farmers 2 INRODUCTION In applying transaction-cost logic to political aspects of the reform process in less-developed economies, Dixit (2003)) characterizes three phases in the formation of interest groups under information asymmetry: ex ante, interim, and ex post. At the ex ante stage, each individual is uncertain about his own type as well as the types of others because there is no private information. At the interim stage, each individual knows his own type but not the type...
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...Global Marketing, 8e (Keegan/Green) Chapter 1 Introduction to Global Marketing 1) The market development strategy involves seeking new customers by introducing existing products or services to a new market segment. Answer: TRUE Difficulty: Easy Chapter LO: 1 AACSB: Reflective thinking Course LO: Discuss the fundamental concepts of marketing 2) Starbucks is building on its loyalty card and rewards program in the United States with a smartphone app that enables customers to pay for purchases electronically. This is an example of Market Penetration. Answer: TRUE Difficulty: Moderate Chapter LO: 1 AACSB: Reflective thinking Course LO: Discuss the fundamental concepts of marketing 3) The perceived value equation can be represented as Value = Price/Benefits. Answer: FALSE Difficulty: Easy Chapter LO: 2 AACSB: Analytical thinking Course LO: Discuss the fundamental concepts of marketing 4) Companies can increase prices if costs are low because of process efficiencies in manufacturing. Answer: FALSE Difficulty: Easy Chapter LO: 2 AACSB: Reflective thinking Course LO: Identify and describe the processes and tools of strategic marketing 5) If Nestlé decides not to market biscuits (cookies) in the United States due to competitive reasons, it is considered as a lack of strategic focus and missed opportunity. Answer: FALSE Difficulty: Moderate Chapter LO: 2 AACSB: Reflective thinking Course LO: Identify and describe the processes...
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...Effects of FDI by MNCs in Developing Countries What are Multinational corporations? What motives do they have for foreign direct investment? This paper explores these questions and seeks to find explanations by exploring key economic theories. The impact of FDI on developing nations is discussed with analysis and evaluation of the positive and negative effects. The findings of this essay are that FDI is neither entirely good nor bad for a country. Instead its effects vary and depend on a number of factors. Whilst firms have different strategies and objectives, the aim is ultimately to gain profits. In some instances this comes at the detriment of the welfare in the host nations, but it can also have benefits for these developing countries. | Introduction Foreign direct investment (FDI) has played an important role in developing countries with these nations receiving an increasing share of world FDI inflows (see Fig.1 below). From 1985 to 1990, the FDI inflow into developing nations was 17.4% of the total global flow. This increased to 31-40% in the four years leading up to the financial crisis (Hill, 2014). FDI acts as a major contributor to capital formation in developing countries and can promote growth and sustainable development. However, there are many challenges that the host country can face when dealing with multinational corporations (MNCs). By looking at key issues and analysing empirical evidence, the positive and negative effects that foreign direct investment...
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...SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT TO DR. FRANCIS PIROH Explain The Differences Between A Standardized And Localized Strategy. Which Are The Advantages And The Disadvantages Of Each One? Explain The Differences Between A Corporation With An Ethnocentric, Polycentric, And Geocentric Orientations. How The Concept Of Competitive Advantage Can Be Applied In International Marketing? This paper is submitted in the partial fulfilment of Marketing Management course By FRANCES GRACEY DADZIE March 2013 SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT TO DR. FRANCIS PIROH Explain The Differences Between A Standardized And Localized Strategy. Which Are The Advantages And The Disadvantages Of Each One? Explain The Differences Between A Corporation With An Ethnocentric, Polycentric, And Geocentric Orientations. How The Concept Of Competitive Advantage Can Be Applied In International Marketing? This paper is submitted in the partial fulfilment of Marketing Management course By FRANCES GRACEY DADZIE March 2013 Standardization marketing strategy is typically applied to discussion of global businesses and a means to market a solution with uniform consistency throughout the marketing mix. This is an opposite approach to a localized strategy, under which multinational companies differentiate their product and adapt it to fit the unique needs of countries.Localization as defined by the business dictionary is where by a business operates in a number of countries, adjusts its products and practices...
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...chapter 10 the international context There never were, since the creation of the world, two cases exactly parallel. Philip Dormer Stanhope (1694–1773); English Secretary of State INTRODUCTION firms move out of their domestic market on to the Aswith differinglanguage, arenas.system, technologicalinternational stage, they aretofaced business The nations they expand to can vary with regard consumer behavior, legal infrastructure, business culture, educational system, labor relations, political ideology, distribution structures and fiscal regime, to name just a few. At face value, the plurality of the international context can seem daunting. Yet, the question is how important the international differences are for firms operating across borders. Do firms need to adapt to the international diversity encountered, or can they find ways of overcoming the constraints imposed by distinct national systems, structures and behaviors? This matter of understanding and dealing with international variety is one of the key topics for managers operating across borders. A second question with regard to the international context is that of international linkages – to what extent do events in one country have an impact on what happens in other countries? When a number of nations are tightly linked to one another in a particular area, this is referred to as a case of international integration. If, on the other hand, there are very weak links between developments in one country and developments...
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...This article is published in a peer-reviewed section of the Utrecht Law Review Four Case Studies on Corporate Social Responsibility: Do Conflicts Affect a Company’s Corporate Social Responsibility Policy? Cristina A. Cedillo Torres, Mercedes Garcia-French, Rosemarie Hordijk, Kim Nguyen, Lana Olup* 1. Introduction 1.1. Background and objectives This article will discuss the different Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) issues that emerged within four multinationals (Apple, Canon, Coca-Cola and Walmart). There is no clear definition of CSR. In Corporate Social Responsibility, Legal and semi-legal frameworks supporting CSR Lambooy gives an r o verview of several definitions of CSR.1 The European Commission defines CSR as ‘the esponsibility of enterprises for their impacts on society’.2 This is the definition which is the most suitable for the c ontext of the article’s research question. As this article will focus on companies from the US and Japan, the authors also provide an overview of the focus on CSR from the US and Japanese perspective. In the US there is no governmental regulation regarding CSR or business best practices. Instead, according to findings from Bennett American, companies have a marked tendency to use codes of conduct.3 The American CSR perspective could be described as following a principles-based approach, with codes of conduct that prescribe values and principles which company members as a whole should aspire to follow. ...
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...This article is published in a peer-reviewed section of the Utrecht Law Review Four Case Studies on Corporate Social Responsibility: Do Conflicts Affect a Company’s Corporate Social Responsibility Policy? Cristina A. Cedillo Torres, Mercedes Garcia-French, Rosemarie Hordijk, Kim Nguyen, Lana Olup* 1. Introduction 1.1. Background and objectives This article will discuss the different Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) issues that emerged within four multinationals (Apple, Canon, Coca-Cola and Walmart). There is no clear definition of CSR. In Corporate Social Responsibility, Legal and semi-legal frameworks supporting CSR Lambooy gives an r o verview of several definitions of CSR.1 The European Commission defines CSR as ‘the esponsibility of enterprises for their impacts on society’.2 This is the definition which is the most suitable for the c ontext of the article’s research question. As this article will focus on companies from the US and Japan, the authors also provide an overview of the focus on CSR from the US and Japanese perspective. In the US there is no governmental regulation regarding CSR or business best practices. Instead, according to findings from Bennett American, companies have a marked tendency to use codes of conduct.3 The American CSR perspective could be described as following a principles-based approach, with codes of conduct that prescribe values and principles which company members as a whole should aspire to follow. ...
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...Running Head: Business Synoptic BUSINESS SYNOPTIC Customer Inserts His/her Name University Name Table of Contents Question 13 Question 2…………………………………………………………………………………………5 Question 3…………………………………………………………………………………………9 Question 4………………………………………………………………………………………..13 Question 5…………………………………………………………………..................................15 References………………………………………………………………………………………..17 Q – 1) Compare Wal-Mart experience in countries such as Germany and South Korea on one hand, and China on the other. What determine Wal-Mart's success or otherwise in these markets? What lessons should Wal-Mart learn from these experiences? Wal-Mart Wal-Mart is an American public corporation that runs a chain of discounted stores throughout the world. Wal-Mart was founded by Sam Walton in 1962 in Rogers, Arkansas. The main head office of Wal-Mart is in Bentonville, Arkansas. Approximately 2,100,000 employees work in the Wal-Mart stores around the world. About 100 million customers each week visit the stores; Wal-Mart provides its customers low prices for their products. The slogan for Wal-Mart stores was low prices always. Now the new slogan is saving the people’s money so that they can have better lives. This slogan basically shows the 3 groups 1) Hispanics, 2) African-Americans and 3) rural residents of the country, which makeup of the 100 million customers who visit the stores each week. (Wal-Mart, 2010) Wal-Mart in Germany Wal-Mart is not a success in Germany...
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