Wal-Mart Takes On the World

Submitted To: Dr. Kamal Uddin

Department of International Business
Course Name: Global Marketing

Submitted By:
Md. Khairul Anam
ID NO: 80104020

Md. Arafat Islam
ID NO: 80104070

Batch: 4th , EMBA,
Department of International Business

Department of International Business
University of Dhaka

Wal-Mart Takes On the World

Questions

1. In which countries has Wal-Mart done well? Can you identify any common consumer, market, retailer, or entry strategy traits across these countries that might account for Wal-Mart’s success?

Answer:

Wal-Mart has done well in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Hong Kong, China, and England. The United States, Canada, Hong Kong, and England are relatively affluent markets; Mexico is in-between and China and Brazil lag behind Mexico in affluence. Thus, the first trait of Wal-Mart’s success might be countries with healthy economies—at least healthy enough that customers have some disposable income. Another characteristic is that these markets may not be as demanding as the Germans and Japanese. Perhaps they are more interested in lower price (the British seem to be like the United States in this regard). Obviously price would be important in Mexico and China, where incomes are lower. Canada and the United States are considered predominantly Anglo countries, so perhaps the success of Wal-Mart in these countries along with the United Kingdom is not surprising as these consumers share a similar heritage and even a common retailing approach. In all of these countries, Wal-Mart has either had good partners (Hong Kong, Mexico, and China) or bought successful store chains (Canada and Puerto Rico). Thus, access to local market knowledge is an important factor in successful entry. This is especially true of the United Kingdom, where ASDA