"From 2003 to 2007, Target's annual same-store sales growth averaged 4.6%, while Wal-Mart's clocked in at 2.9%. Over the same period, Target's annual profit growth averaged 16%, while Wal-Mart lagged behind at 10.3%." (Gregory 2009). In response to the threat of Target, Wal-Mart was striving to go upscale, making encroachments into the organic food market and luxury goods. In 2005, "at a 203,000-square-foot test store in Plano, Texas, an upscale suburb of Dallas" Wal-Mart was "showcasing expensive jewelry, $500 bottles of wine, plasma TV sets and other expensive items" to compete with Target's affordable and edgy style of chic (Van Riper 2006). But although Wal-Mart never commanded the organic, clothing, and home and beauty product glamour of Target, its fortunes have improved. While "Target's profits last year dropped a stunning 22.3%, to $2.2 billion. Wal-Mart's 2008 bottom line rose 5.9%, to $13.5 billion" (Gregory 2009). This is largely attributed to the fact that "Target devotes some 40% of its shelf space to home and apparel items, which are struggling, while setting aside less than 20% for consumables like food, health items...
Wal-Mart sets aside 45% of its space for consumables" (Gregory 2009). In the words of one consumer: "Wal-Mart sells what you need to have…as opposed to what you want to have" (Gregory 2009). Wal-Mart purchases are, by and large, not impulse buys, and consumers that once bought their groceries at Whole Foods or Costco are now shopping at Wal-Mart, and Gap shoppers are buying their children's clothes at the mega-retailer -- if they are buying clothes at all.
Grocery Store by Entrance of Hypermarkets in Bangkok Thailand Small grocery store owners in Thailand are faced with the ever growing threat of foreign -- owned hypermarkets. Hypermarkets are part of a global trend that threatens to destroy the small grocery store. If this trend continues the traditional market structure of Thailand might become obsolete in the future. This research explores strategies that small grocery store owners can employ to
Managing All Stakeholders in the Context of a Merger Process Review of the Relevant Literature Types of Mergers Identifying All Stakeholders in a Given Business Strategic Market Factors Driving Merger Activity Selection Process for Merger Candidates Summary, Conclusion, and Recommendations The Challenge of Managing All Stakeholders in the Context of a Merger Process Mergers and acquisitions became central features of organizational life in the last part of the 20th century, particularly as organizations seek to establish and
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