mission of the organization?
Sam Walton -- founder of Wal-Mart -- demanded that expense be kept to a bare minimum. His belief was that you offer the lowest prices possible and volume. Wal-Mart's focus is on chipping prices, be this with the goods they sell, or the way they run the store including their notorious low wages, frugal corporate cultures, and push to make suppliers sell items at increasingly cheaper prices.

Wal-Mart's driving goal is to keep retail prices low, and everything - including technology and corporate culture -- work towards frugality. To that end, Wal-Mart's suppliers are pushed to cut prices as low as possible. In "The Wal-Mart effect," author Charles Funishman describes how a four-pack of GE light bulbs decreased from $2.19 to 88 cents, and how Wal-Mart buyers demand that suppliers either lower the price or increase quality every year on every item. Wal-Mart's philosophy is "plus one"

It…...

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References

Anderson, G. (June 6, 2005) Wal-Mart sets three goals for next year . RetailWire.

 http://www.retailwire.com/discussion/10698/wal-Mart-sets-three-goals-for-next-year 

Branson, R. (1998) Losing my Virginity: How I've Survived, Had Fun, and Made a Fortune Doing Business my Way. New York: Times Business.

David, P. & Garces, E. (2009) Quantitative techniques for competitors and antitrust analysis. NJ: Princeton Univ. Press McIntyre, D. (06/05/10) Wal-Mart's big goals are a huge challenge. Daily Finance

Wal-Mart was formed by Sam Walton in 1962 with the intention of concentrating on small towns and not on downtown retail districts. He had set up the super store from small beginnings on a town's interiors, stock various kinds of goods in the shelves, and sell the goods to the customers at comparatively lower prices. The progress of Wal-Mart has been tremendous, with the expansion to 4,300 stores recently from 874 stores in the year 1985. Wal-Mart is a 39-year-old retail store which is very popular in U.S. companies, and it is only behind ExxonMobil in annual turnover. (Lawsuits a volume business at Wal-Mart) It could be witnessed that every week, certain 138 million do their shopping at Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart has its retail stores in all states and more than 80% of U.S. families have had made at least a single purchase from a Wal-Mart retail store. (Analysis: Wal-Mart's growing…...

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References

Boczkiewicz, Robert. Appeals Court Hears Arguments in Wal-Mart Pharmacists' Case. The Pueblo Chieftain. September 30, 2004, p.8-12

Learn about us. Retrieved from   Accessed on 12 October, 2004http://www.containerstore.com/learn/index.jhtml 

Pharmacist Employment with Wal-Mart. Retrieved from   Accessed on 12 October, 2004http://allpharmacyjobs.com/wal_mart_jobs.htm 

Retail Store Managers. Retrieved from   Accessed on 12 October, 2004http://www.thebeerstore.ca/about/tbs-jobs-storemanagers.html 

Branching out into new sectors of retailing - Wal-Mart has become a major pharmacy, an automotive repair shop, and a grocery retailer. This is just one example of success. It demonstrates Sam Walton's vision of being the best retailer around. After a store expands physically and geographically, it must then expand in terms of what they sell by branching out and competing with other businesses.

The conventional retail business of Wal-Mart has been to sell discount and house wares and plastic goods, clothing, sporting goods, and toys. Other departments have include but have not been limited to stationary and office supplies, hardware, home improvement, paint supplies, arts and crafts, cosmetics and toiletries, shoes, books and magazines, greeting cards, and confectionery. Wal-Mart has also branched out into home electronics, automotive supplies, pharmaceuticals, jewelry sales, photo finishing, travel planning, along with home gardening. After that Wal-Mart moved into the grocery store business with…...

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References

Caban, Jennifer. (2007). Financial Success of Wal-Mart. Retrieved July 23, 2010, from   ml?cat=55http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/260675/financial_success_of_walmart_pg2.ht 

Carmichael, Evan. (2010). Wal-Mart - Sam Walton's Success Story. Retrieved July 23, 2010,

from Ezine Articles Web site:  http://ezinearticles.com/?Wal-Mart-Sam-Waltons -

Success-Story&id=356631

While their backgrounds and personal beliefs are very different, they never take each other for granted. They are encouraged to express their thoughts and ideas and to treat each other with dignity.
Service to their Customers -- customers are the reason that they are in business, so they believe that they should treat them that way. They offer quality merchandise at the lowest prices, and do it with the best customer service possible. They look for every opportunity where they can exceed their customers' expectations. They believed that this is when they are at their very best.

Striving for Excellence -- They are proud of their accomplishments but are never satisfied. They constantly reach further to bring new ideas and goals to life. They model themselves after Sam Walton, who was never satisfied until prices were as low as they could be. They believe that a product's quality is as high…...

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References

3 Basic Beliefs & Values. (2009). Retrieved September 29, 2009, form Wal-Mart Web site:

 http://walmartstores.com/AboutUs/ 321.aspx

Crosby, Tim. (2009). Retrieved September 29, 2009, from How stuff works Web site:

http://communication.howstuffworks.com/how-inventory-management-systems-work.htm

They have achieved gripping solutions to the two main questions put by the stakeholder's theory that underline the moral presupposition of running a business - which are regarding purpose and human relationships.
Stakeholder theory initiates with the supposition that values are necessarily and unequivocally a part of performing business and shuns the separation hypothesis. This hypothesis of separation starts with the assumption that ethics and economics can be clearly and stridently de-linked. A lot of advocates of a shareholder, solitary objective view of the enterprise differentiate the economic from the ethical outcomes and values. The resulting theory is a constricted view which cannot probably do justice to the panoply of human actions which is creation of value and trade. (Stakeholder Theory and the Corporate Objective evisited)

eferences

Business Ethics. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. etrieved at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business_ethics. Accessed on 5 July, 2005

Expanding the Value Horizon: Stakeholders as Source of Competitive Advantage. 2004. etrieved…...

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References

Business Ethics. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved at   Accessed on 5 July, 2005http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business_ethics .

Expanding the Value Horizon: Stakeholders as Source of Competitive Advantage. 2004. Retrieved at Accessed on 5 July, 2005http://www.sustainablevaluepartners.com/svp_stakeholder_value.pdf.

Freeman, Edward, R; Wicks, Andrew C; Parmar, Bidhan. Stakeholder Theory and the Corporate Objective Revisited. Organization Science. Vol. 15, No. 3, May-June 2004, pp. 364-369. Retrieved at Accessed on 5 July, 2005http://my.t-bird.edu/files/personalfiles/133488/10Corp_Obj_Freeman_Reply.pdf.

Murphy, J.J. The Concepts of Vision and Mission Revisited: Case Histories Wal-Mart, Hewlet Packward, Matsu*****a Appliances and the Body Shop. Retrieved at   Accessed on 5 July, 2005http://www.negotiationeurope.com/articles/mission-vision.html .

Strategy & Decision Making
Vision

Wal-Mart has become a global corporation. The company's primary vision focuses on a more global presence and promotion of the organization's ethical culture across global stakeholders. The company's concept of a vision statement focusing on a culture of ethics is vital in globalization. The company has embraced diversity and culture in their global operations thus leading to a competitive advantage and good reputation. By promoting a culture of ethics, Sam Walton has assisted stakeholders and customers to make informed decisions thus doing the right thing (Griffin, 2012).

Wal-Mart's mission statement focuses on quality customer service, striving for excellence and respect for individuals. Therefore, based on their core beliefs and values, the mission of the company emphasizes on the provision of daily low prices and exceptional services to customers. The company has managed to uphold their business for long because the top executives and managers work hard and implement…...

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References

Griffin, R.W. (2012). Fundamentals of management. Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage

Learning

Hitt, M.A., Ireland, R.D., & Hoskisson, R.E. (2009). Strategic management: Competitiveness and globalization. Mason, OH: South-Western

Husted, B., & Allen, D.B. (2011). Corporate social strategy: Stakeholder engagement and competitive advantage. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press

While at J.C. Penney, Walton read extensively about retailing theory and principles. He also had the insight to consider the importance of proximity to his merchandise suppliers and he took full advantage of his ability to turn around merchandise so fast that he could leverage his short-term debts to suppliers into capital for investment and growth.

6. Who is in charge of the company now?

Michael Terry Duke, became the Chief Executive Officer and President of Wal-Mart tores Inc. In 2009. Previously, he was the Executive Vice President of Wal-Mart tores Inc., and before that, he served as Executive Vice President of Administration, and Executive Vice President of Logistics, enior Vice President of Logistics at Wal-Mart tores Inc., and enior Vice President of Distribution of Wal-Mart tores Division (UA).

7. Describe any "barriers of entry," competition or marketing challenges the Entrepreneur overcame.

The principal barrier of entry faced by Walton was his lack of…...

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Sources Consulted

Kennon, J. (2011) Sam Walton (aka Samuel Moore Walton)

. 

While the logistics, supply chain execution, management and optimization along with exceptional control over pricing is what Wal-Mart is known for today, it was Sam Walton who initially defined the supply base as strategic partners (Friedricks, 1995). Being partners, the concept of collaborative supply chain planning and execution could easily drive greater value and lower cost for the core Wal-Mart customer base, the Price Value Shopper (Blanchard, Comm, 2008). According to Wal-Mart executives, Sam Walton believed heavily in the vision and mission of his stores as being the necessary foundation for America's middle class to make ends meet (amanathan, Gunasekaran, Subramanian, 2011). His focus on managing price as aggressively as he could, in collaboration with suppliers, set a new foundation for low-price retailing while also creating a foundation for middle class families to afford to live within their means (Blanchard, Comm, 2008). This is one of the core precepts of…...

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References

Blanchard, C., & Comm, C.L. (2008). Adding value to service providers: Benchmarking Wal-Mart. Benchmarking, 15(2), 166-177.

Friedricks, W.B. (1995). Wal-mart: A history of sam waltons retail phenomenon. Business History Review, 69(4), 574-574.

Krishnamurthi, M. (2001). Forecasting using data warehousing model: Wal-marts experience. The Journal of Business Forecasting, 20(3), 13-17.

Ramanathan, U., Gunasekaran, a., & Subramanian, N. (2011). Supply chain collaboration performance metrics: A conceptual framework. Benchmarking, 18(6), 856-872.

Employment Discrimination at Wal-Mart
Foundation of the Study

This study examines the legislative and judicial climate that enables corporations like Wal-Mart to engage in practices that violate workers' rights. The popular consensus is that Wal-Mart, the largest retail store in the United States, displays an inordinate disregard for the human dignity and morale of its employees and, despite continual litigation, continues to blatantly violate the legal rights of its employees. Wal-Mart faces charges of violating The Federal Fair Labor Standards Act (2011) by asking management to adjust time sheets so that overtime will not need to be paid, and so that all employees will work under the hourly limit required by the union in order to obtain membership. Employees were insured, without their knowledge, against their death by Wal-Mart. The company was named beneficiary; following death of an employee, the entire benefit amount was retained by the corporation. Not a single cent…...

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References

Business Day, Companies. (2011) The New York Times. Retrieved  http://www.nytimes.com/ 

2011/03/30/business/30aldi.html?ref=walmartstoresinc

Byrne, T.P. (2009). False profits: Reviving the corporation's public purpose. Discourse, 57 UCLA L. Rev. Disc. 25, UCLA School of Law, UC Berkeley, (Associate, Chadbourne & Parke, LLP). Retrieved  http://uclalawreview.org/?p=1056 

Clifford, S. (2011, March 29). Where Wal-Mart failed, Aldi succeeds. The New York Times. Retrieved

Fortune 500 Company: Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart is known as a "super store" and a place to engage in one-stop shopping for the home and individual. For example, the store sells groceries and pet supplies, health and beauty items, crafts and school supplies, home repair tools and products, electronics, furniture for the home and yard, health and beauty supplies and has an in-store pharmacy, among many other products. However, the perspective of Sam Walton might be slightly different. Sam Walton might feel as though the goal and overall objective of Wal-Mart is to give the customer exactly what they want. As Walton said, "The secret of successful retailing is to give your customers what they want. And really, if you think about it from your point-of-view as a customer, you want everything: a wide assortment of good-quality merchandise; the lowest possible prices; guaranteed satisfaction with what you buy; friendly, knowledgeable service; convenient hours;…...

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References

Bangs, D. (2002). Market Planning Guide. New York: Dearborn Publishing.

Hollis, N. (2008). The Global Brand: How to Create and Develop Lasting Brand Value in the World. New York: The Global Brand.

Walmart.com. (2012). Sam Waltom. Retrieved from Walmart.com:  http://corporate.walmart.com/our-story/heritage/sam-walton

Retail Sales
In 1962 Sam Walton opened his first store in Rogers, Arkansas. y the year 2000, Wal-Mart had been named "Retailer of the Century." It is the world's largest retail store with $244.5 billion in sales last year (Walmart website, 2005). It is natural to ask, how did Sam Walton do that? He started with a vision of a store that would feature competitive prices, the best prices anywhere. That, combined with generic products (cheaper still), additional services such as pharmacy, groceries, hair dressing, optometrist, and auto maintenance, promotional display of products, and advertising have made Wal-Mart very popular indeed with the buying public. People complain that they go to Wal-Mart for one or two items and come out with a whole basketful of bargains they "just couldn't resist."

Not all retail shops can have the lowest prices in town, of course, nor would this be desirable. Many small retailers have…...

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Bibliography

"About Retail Industry,"   / 'The Motivation Show," http://www.motivationshiw.com/article114http://retailindustry.about.com 

'Walmart at a Glance," http://wwp.greenwichmeantime.com/time-zone/usa/new-york/monroe/larkin/walmart

Over the next five years, they are working on increasing this amount to as close to: 100% as possible. With the company estimating that such a move would cut logistics costs between $4 billion to $12 billion, over the course of 5 to 15 years. (Cassidy, 2010) This is significant because it shows that the ability of Wal-Mart to seek out ways to reduce logistics costs, are helping to improve the overall cost structure of the company. At which point, this allows their profit margins to increase and they can begin expanding into other areas.
Clearly, one of the biggest elements that contribute to the overall success of Wal-Mart is their ability to control costs associated with their supply chain. This is important because it underscores how Wal-Mart was able to maintain it low cost structure, despite expanding rapidly in size. Where, the elements of: the company owning / operating…...

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Bibliography

Sam's Club Facts. (2010). Retrieved May 21, 2010 from Sam's Club website:

http://www3.samsclub.com/NewsRoom/AboutUs/Facts

Cassidy, W. (2010). Wal-Mart Squeezes Costs from the Supply Chain. Retrieved May 21, 2010 from Journal of Commerce website:  http://www.joc.com/logistics-economy/wal-mart-squeezes-costs-supply-chain 

Chandran, P. (2002). Wal-Mart's Supply Chain Practices. Retrieved May 21, 2010 from Mohan Chandran website:

But when it just recently occurred in 2004 at a store in Jonquiere, British Columbia, the reader must appreciate that a real battle had been won. The original efforts of that particular store for example had the local labor Commission reject certification by a margin of 74 to 65. When the union announced that it won the coveted certification at Quebec, it was quite a blow to the retailer. The Quebec Labour elations Commission issued the order certifying the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) as the bargaining agent of employees in Wal-Mart's store in Jonquiere. As noted, the reason a victory of this magnitude is huge is because of the policies and tactics used by Wal-Mart. The retailer works diligently to prevent its workforce from engaging in any collective action and they have consistently shown that they are willing to cross the line to guarantee their position.
Wal-Mart…...

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References

Baek, Seung Wook. (2000.) "The Changing Trade Unions in China." Journal of Contemporary Asia: March.

Budd, John W. (1994). "The Effect of Multinational Institutions on Strike Activity in Canada." Industrial and Labor Relations Review.

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This level of operations was reached in less than 50 years, making the rise of Walmart one of the truly sensational success stories of the 20th century. The research was also consistent in showing that the company's organizational culture that stresses cost savings at every opportunity to minimize operational costs and increase savings to customers has been responsible in large part for much of Walmart's success to date. Many organizations falter and fail when they lose the leadership of a charismatic individual such as Sam Walton, but the research made it clear that he imbued his retain chain of stores with his own philosophical views about what was important and made these views stick with an organizational culture that still reflects these values today. In the final analysis, Walmart has transformed the American landscape and it is in the process of transforming the global one as well and the…...

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About us. (2010). Walmart Corporate. Retrieved from  http://walmartstores.com/AboutUs/ .

Chen, H., Daughterty, P.J. & Landry, T.D. (2009). Supply chain process integration: a theoretical framework. Journal of Business Logistics, 30(2), 27-28.

Cocheo, S. (2003). Always aggressive, always Wal-Mart: What makes Wal-Mart keep coming back and back to financial services? ABA Banking Journal, 95(5), 29-30.

Foote, S. & Krishnamurthi, M. (2001). Forecasting using data warehousing model: Wal-mart's experience. The Journal of Business Forecasting Methods & Systems, 20(3), 13-14.

Smith School of Business (at the University of Maryland), where she was granted an MBA (Master of Business Administration) and also the courses of the MIT Sloan School of Management, where she received a Master of Science in management.
Professionally speaking, Fiorina occupied various secretarial positions; she was also a teacher of English in Italy and a receptionist. Her fruitful career began in 1980 when she joined at&T, where after various positions, came to be the company's Senior Vice President. In 1999 she joined Hewlett-Packard as Chief Executive Officer, but was forced to leave in 2005. After her departure from HP, Fiorina engaged in personal and political actions, such as the edition of her book Tough Choices: A Memoir, or campaigning with presidential candidate John McCain (Jacoby, 2008).

Carly Fiorina possesses numerous skills which qualify her for the leader's position. First of all, she has extensive knowledge and expertise, backed by…...

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