Wal-Mart is a company that has always presented the image to go the extra mile to meet customer satisfaction. They have been able to grow in times when most companies were facing hardship. The implementation of walmart.com in January 2000 was a major step for the Wal-Mart organization. Their globalization, e-business, and ethics have been essential in the success of this and any company. Many people claim the ethics of Wal-Mart has changed greatly, and not for the better, since the death of Sam Walton, founder of Wal-Mart.
Globalization is the application of making something worldwide. In today’s day and age, as far as competition is involved, Wal-Mart has an advantage over their competition. They have grown so powerful in such a short period of time that it has become its own entity. This super store is the world’s largest retailer and company. Unbelievably, it is bigger than General Motors, General Electric and Exxon Mobile. Fast Company reports:
“Wal-Mart sold 244.5 billion worth of goods last year. It sells in three months what number-two retailer Home Depot sells in a year. In a category of general merchandise and groceries, Wal-Mart no longer has any real rivals. It does more business than Target, Sears, Kmart, J.C. Penny, Safeway, and Kroger combined.”
This great power-wielding retailer has one purpose and that is to bring the lowest prices to its consumers. It is clear that this goal is never met because this mega store continues striving to drop its prices every year.
The Term Paper on Wal Mart Ethics Company Employees Management
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. is currently entangled in a legal battle that will decide if the company has engaged willfully in gender-based discrimination. Underlying causes, organizational culture and ethical issues will be examined in determining how the largest private employer in the United States could have fallen prey to unfair labor practices. "In 1999, women constituted 72% of Wal-Mart's hourly ...
“Wal-Mart is the essential retailer, in a way no other retailer is,” says Gib Caret, a partner at Bain and Company, who is leading a yearlong study of how to do business with Wal-Mart. “Our clients cannot row without finding a way to be successful with Wal-Mart.” It is a known fact that this retailer continually strives for improvement on all levels of its merchandise and expects no less from its suppliers. They demand quality at cheap prices and if these demands are not met then necessary pressure is assumed. This is how Wal-Mart survives. If they cannot get the product from you at the price they want then they will go to another supplier. Simple as that, it becomes almost futile not to do business with them.
New stores are being built world wide at unbelievable rates. Stateside they are as many as two stores in each city. Naturally, it has become a household name. In the process of globalization, many companies have moved their businesses over seas. The fact being that it is much cheaper running and maintaining factories off shore then it is in the United States. Wal-Mart regulates companies in Mexico and Bangladesh and scores of under developed countries. In the simplest fashion it get what it wants when it wants it.
Wal-Mart does not have to worry about a thing, not even innovation. That is what they use their retailers for. Wal-Mart has no troubles making business or profits, its retailers on the other hand; compete to have their merchandise in Wal-Mart stores. It is they who need to create products, which customers will purchase. With this objectivity in mind, there are no competitors, and higher prices are reasonable. This benefits both parties since the final dollar is a key factor to most organizations. Wal-Mart represents America. We are its voice and we make or break them.
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is tantamount with low prices and name brand quality products. The company basis of success and foundations can not be credited to the current CEO Lee Scott, but more credited to the founder of Wal-Mart, the famed Sam Walton. The Wal-Mart formula for success is simply their relationship with customers, employees, and technology that assists in forming relationships with their suppliers; places Wal-Mart Stores Inc. as the top discount retailer.
The Term Paper on Wal Mart Customer Company Sam
... beliefs the company was built on. Sam Walton built Wal-Mart on the revolutionary philosophies of excellence in the workplace, customer service and ... at Daewoosa Samoa, which contracts with major American retailers JC Penny, Sears, Wal-Mart, and Target. Once there, the women worked ... data. Wal-Mart requires placement of EAS labels within 3 inches of the UPC bar code inside packaging or product itself. ...
Their company website could be enhanced to promote sales on the Internet. This site would reduce cost on employees and also on mailed flyers. An opportunity facing the industry is that Internet shopping is booming. To take advantage of Internet shopping, the industry is focused around the customer. The customer receives friendly site designs, efficient order fulfillment, fast delivery and professional customer response. They also process returns, refunds, and rebates quickly. For the security conscience, Wal-Mart offers the latest in online credit card security. So shopping online can be convenient and safe right from you home. They also offer a safe, secure and complete website where consumers can purchase all of the same products found in the store. The website has proven to be a great strength for Wal-Mart. Not only is it a means for purchasing products, but is also a very thorough informational site. Consumers can log onto www.walmartstores.com and search company financials, find employment, learn about the history of Wal-Mart, email the company about problems, and learn about any recalls of products sold through Wal-Mart.
Ethics play a large role in the success of any organization. The founder of Wal-Mart, Sam Walton created a philosophy he called the “3 Basic Beliefs”. The first is defined as Respect for the individual, believing “Our people make the difference” (Wal-Mart 2004).
No matter what color, background, or lifestyle, each employee is treated with respects. The second belief, Service to our customer, is explained as maintaining the lowest price and the best possible service. This is an attractive selling point to any customers or potential employee. The third belief, Strive for excellence, is being about to adapt to the changing economy by creating new ideas and always looking for ways to improve their service to customers and creating a working environment that people can be proud to be a part of. These simple three statements deliver a powerful message that helps to keep Wal-Mart a strong, successful company.
When most people think of Wal-Mart, they cannot help to visualize the little yellow smiley face rolling back prices. Even though the company has had a lot of success the company has also faced negative media attention. MSNBC in Las Vegas, NV reported in 2000, local Wal-Mart stores were raided by FBI agents for hiring hundreds of illegal immigrants across the country. Even though these immigrants were hired by outside contractors and not by Wal-Mart themselves they could face criminal charges if it is found that they knowingly allowed these immigrants to work in their store.
The Research paper on Wal Mart Company Rubbermaid One
In 1945, Sam Walton opened his first variety store and in 1962, he opened his first Wal-Mart Discount City in Rogers, Arkansas. Now, Wal-Mart is expected to exceed "$200 billion a year in sales by 2002 (with current figures of) more than 100 million shoppers a week... (and as of 1999) it became the first (private-sector) company in the world to have more than one million employees." Why? One ...
Many believe that after the death of Sam Walton in 1992 corporate ethics began to dwindle. In his autobiography, Made in America, he is quoted saying “If a community does not want us there, we will go somewhere else” (Huey 1992).
Weddington, North Carolina has been fighting the erection of a new Super Wal-Mart in their community for over two years. One has to wonder what happened to the ethics that Sam Walton one felt so strongly about.
No matter the size of an organization, being able to change with technology is vital to their future success. Wal-Mart has managed to keep within the changing times through globalization and E-business.
References
Barlis, D. (2004, February 11).
Watching Over Walmart.com. Line56. Retrieved April
28, 2004 from: http://www.line56.com/articles/default.asp?ArticleID=5365
Heuy, J. (1992).
Sam Walton: Made in America. Retrieved April 19, 2004 from:
http://www.amazon.com
Ramalho, G. (2002, October 24).
FBI Agents Raid U.S. Wal-Mart Stores, Las
Vegas May Be Next. MSNBC. Retrieved April 19, 2004, from: http://www.msnbc.com/local/KVBC/M334265.asp?0LA=abq9n
The Wal-Mart Culture. (2004).
Wal-Mart Company Website.
Retrieved April 12, 2004, from:
http://www.walmartstores.com/wmstore/wmstores/Mainabout.jsp
